need material type for and die

I need to make a triangle die 11" long x 4" 1.5" thick it needs to have a very sharp cutting edge on the bottom that can cut thru .05 rubber composite. I was going to make it out of tool steel like a-2 and have it heat treated some where around 50 rc but the customer doesn't want the added expense of heat treatment.

My question is that is there a material out there that comes pre hardened that i can still machine with carbide tools that would work for this?

AR or Abrasion Resisting plate not nearly 50 HRC, but a good place to start for a cheapskate. Not sure why you need the 1.5" thick, but the AR could be a 1/2 or 3/4" "shoe" on something softer - easy to replace when worn.

John Oder

They are using 1.5" blade stock from mcmaster carr they cut it to length make the shape of the triangle bolt it to a aluminum block and silver solder the 3 corners to gather. It blows out the corners under pressure. I will see if i can get a picture of the piece of crap they gave me as a sample. I came up with the one piece design but they don't like my price.

Any chance a steel rule die might work?

Davis In SC said:

Any chance a steel rule die might work?

Click to expand...

The steel rule die is a hell of an idea and should cut about any .050 rubber material if made right and probably a whole lot cheaper too. Is the current set up striking dead flat, if so you might try a little draft on the punch face for a shearing effect. Just a few thoughts!


Murf

Here are some pictures of the triangle die . I'm not sure what you are talking about when you say steel rule die.

another picture.

"blade stock" may be what McMaster-Carr sells for steel rule die.

All that is needed is that the aluminum needs to be on the outside where it is doing some supporting, and not on the inside where it does nothing in the way of support.

I.E. mill a triangular pocket, put in the steel rule die where it sticks up enough to cut material and go to town. It could also be set into grooves instead of a pocket, but that secenario would be more troublesome to machine.

John Oder

It is the silver braze that causes the old die to fail. The steel rule is pre-hardened, but brazing lowers the yield strength and hardness in the heated areas (corners).

One way to make a steel rule die is to use 1/2" or so canvas reinforced phenolic sheet. Aluminum would work, too. One piece of sheet has a hole sawed or milled in it to locate the steel rule. A second piece is made to tightly fit inside the steel rule. The rule material can be bent to shape or cut in straight pieces to make sharp corners. Then the whole thing is fastened to a metal plate to hold it together and fit in the clicker press.

Twenty-six years ago, I went to a tool and die shop auction and got about 400 pounds of phenolic sheet that was for their steel rule dies. I am still finding uses for it, and I don't make dies.

Larry

I'm thinking a piece of aluminum which i have some here already . I should beable to just mill a small groove the shape i need say 1/4" in from edge of the aluminum and press the steel rule in the groove?