My coworker and I run a small shop in Fresno and we’ve been using an old Royal Master TG-12x4 to grind carbide tools for our Swiss lathes. The machine is centerless and not made for shaping form tools, so we’ve had to come up with workarounds just to get okay results. We spend more time fixing setups than actually grinding. We’re looking for a better machine for carbide that’s not too expensive. Has anyone used the TruTech TT-820 for this kind of work, or have other ideas?
Upgrading from a TG-12x4
- Thread starter ackr0yd
- Start date
@ackr0yd the TruTech TT820 is a massive improvement for what you want to do. The TG12x4 is pure centerless, but the TT820 is a CNC Universal Cylindrical Grinder. It’s specifically designed for OD, ID, and most importantly, contour and form grinding using its X and Y axes and programmable workhead.
If your budget can handle a good used or new TT820, it will solve your setup problems instantly.
You'll be using centers/chuck for those form tools, which is the proper way to go
If your budget can handle a good used or new TT820, it will solve your setup problems instantly.
You'll be using centers/chuck for those form tools, which is the proper way to go
Gula_Leopardus
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- Oct 4, 2025
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That sounds like a big leap in precision if you go with the TT-820. I’m wondering if the switch also cuts down your setup time since you mentioned workarounds on the TG-12x4. Have you considered if the software or fixturing options on the TruTech might let you skip some of that manual tweaking?
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- Feb 21, 2025
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It’s tricky finding something that handles carbide efficiently without breaking the budget. The TT-820’s control system and repeatability look promising, but I’m wondering how it handles long runs or tight radius work. Anyone here using one regularly for Swiss tooling or small-batch grinding?
