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UHMW Tubing or Pipe?

Hertz

Stainless
Joined
Apr 27, 2009
Location
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Does such a thing exist? I am trying to find some 3.125" od with a 2" id UHMW and my supplier is saying they don't have tubing. You can only get plate or solid round bar. I waste quite a bit of material doing them from solid bar and of course more time as well. Anyone know of some good suppliers in Canada that offer pipe or tube?
 
Never seen tube but that doesn't mean it isn't out there somewhere. Price premium might also rule it out. You can put a 2" hole in pretty quickly. Also depending on what you're making (obviously) with UHMW being as soft as it is there might be an advantage on having a solid section where you're holding the material.
 
I called the site you provided chucker but for the OD I need, they didn't have anything small enough for ID.
As for putting a hole in before hand, I am currently doing that except its a smaller drill. (Lathe capability limits me for a bigger one) I then bore it out but I'm constantly fighting with chip evacuation. I have a very sharp insert on the bar but no way in hell it will break the chip, unless I peck at it but then that leaves for a longer cycle. Boss is more concerned about the extra cycle time its taking plus the wasted material. I'll keep looking then price the savings if any. Appreciate it guys.
 
Can you use a rapid peck with a really small retract and short pecks? Let it break up on exit as it pushes itself out.

The engineers where I work love UHMW... I wish they'd move to acetal. So much nicer.
 
I called the site you provided chucker but for the OD I need, they didn't have anything small enough for ID.
As for putting a hole in before hand, I am currently doing that except its a smaller drill. (Lathe capability limits me for a bigger one) I then bore it out but I'm constantly fighting with chip evacuation. I have a very sharp insert on the bar but no way in hell it will break the chip, unless I peck at it but then that leaves for a longer cycle. Boss is more concerned about the extra cycle time its taking plus the wasted material. I'll keep looking then price the savings if any. Appreciate it guys.

What is the restriction on drill size? Spade drill instead of twist drill maybe? I'd rather fiddle around making a drill to work than spend time boring it for any more than one cut maybe. The stuff machines great with cutgrip style Iscar tooling: very high feedrate and good finish. The fewer revs the tool makes in the cut, the better the swarf comes out.
 
What is the restriction on drill size? Spade drill instead of twist drill maybe? I'd rather fiddle around making a drill to work than spend time boring it for any more than one cut maybe. The stuff machines great with cutgrip style Iscar tooling: very high feedrate and good finish. The fewer revs the tool makes in the cut, the better the swarf comes out.

if you have a 3/4" chuck or collet on your tailstock you can get one of these, they will last forever in UHMW. Assuming that you do not have to go much further than 6" .

2" VME High Speed Steel 3/4" Shank Drill

dee
;-D
 
Tube is a sod to get hold of - unless you want a mill quant order.

Don't mess about with twist drills etc, use a woodworkers flat bit.

Like this http://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/... Flatwood Drill Bit 40Mm Dt4778 Qz Dt4778 Qz

I've found the DeWalt Extreme a goodun - available up to 40mm, go over the cutting edge with an oil stone - sharper the better.

Shut the speed down to around 350 rpm, plenty of coolant and feed the living daylights out of it - 0.030 - 0.040 / rev
 
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What Sami said................... Low speed, high feed. Gives you a nice heavy chip. Much easier to deal with than thin wispy chips. Coolant too if ya can.
 
If you ever get a batch run, make sure they leave at least 1/8 or more in the ID, it usually comes out triangle... and all over the place on size, when not completely the wrong size and garbage...
Better to keep drilling.
 
I am kinda partial to these guys :)

Freud FC-015 2-Inch by 3/8-Inch Shank Carbide Forstner Drill Bit - - Amazon.com

you can put an extension on it if you need deeper holes. deflection may be an issue with long extensions.

dee
;-D

Every brand of Forstener (including Freud) I've tried on plastic has been a no go - they've insufficient back taper and cutting clearance angles which result in heating, which is the last thing you want with any plastic - let alone with UHMPE :eek:
 
Every brand of Forstener (including Freud) I've tried on plastic has been a no go - they've insufficient back taper and cutting clearance angles which result in heating, which is the last thing you want with any plastic - let alone with UHMPE :eek:

Sorry i misunderstood You actually meant Spade bits? In that case why not just make a bit out of O1 flat stock and grind the exact geometry you need? Since you are running this on a lathe you don't need an aggressive center like a spade bit would have. You would also need something to clean our the chips.


dee
;D
 
Sorry i misunderstood You actually meant Spade bits? In that case why not just make a bit out of O1 flat stock and grind the exact geometry you need? Since you are running this on a lathe you don't need an aggressive center like a spade bit would have. You would also need something to clean our the chips.


dee
;D

Link in post, and because for a quickie you can pick up a flat bit at any hardware store.
 
How deep is the hole?

Through or pocket?

If through and not deep a hole saw to take most out then finish with boring bar.

Hole saw not a production tool and clearing core a pain...but could one make a tool like that.

Another option if cnc is to mill it.

Use a 1/2 end mill that can go in and cut out a grove around a core in the center leaving an id requiring mimimal finish cut.

Just thoughts that may not be good ones.
 
I can certainly see circumstances in which I'd much rather have the UHMW tube, over having to drill it. It does "cut" easy, but aside from pecking, there is no such thing as breaking the chip in that stuff, and it want's to wrap round any spindle it can find in a hurry.

I bid you well on your hunt for pipe. I've had to make pipe from UHMW before.
 








 
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