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Small T slot in aluminium

Peter Colman

Stainless
Joined
Sep 22, 2004
Location
Rugeley UK
I have to make a T slot in aluminium, the T is 4mm across the top, top 2mm thick, the vertical blade is 2mm wide and 4mm high.
This is part of a special profile for a Ali door which must be an exact replica of existing doors
The material is commercial aluminium H30 and each piece is 600 mm long, the quantity is 15 lengths
I am under pressure as my customer has come to me with the job having been let down by an existing machinist and the job is 6 weeks overdue.
So I have delivery pressure, the miller I have for this job has a top speed of only 1000 rpm so a little slow.
The die for the profile is discontinued and a replacement will take too long.
I have access to top quality Ali welding so I have come up with these options.
1 get a small tee slot cutter, this will take a fair time and be a bit delicate.
2 make a channel 4mm wide and 2 deep in a length of Ali and invert it, weld to the rest of the section and slit it with a 2mm cutter
3 try and find ant extrusion with the right slot, cut it off and weld it to the rest of the profile.
Price is not too critical but delivery is.
All comments welcome.
 
...I am under pressure as my customer has come to me with the job having been let
down by an existing machinist and the job is 6 weeks overdue....

This is not your problem--you shouldn't let yourself get stressed out because someone else screwed up. Don't let the
customer transfer that stress to you. Doesn't mean the job isn't urgent or that you shouldn't do everything you can to
help out but getting stressed shouldn't be part of the equation.

If this thing has to be at all straight when finished I don't think welding is the answer. Things are going to pull and move--
it's pretty much unavoidable. Consider that before doing any welding.

I think the correct solution is to purchase the proper cutter and have at it. If it's a slow go so be it--just be prepared to
charge appropriately for the time you put in. Just because the customer has a problem doesn't mean he gets to beat you
up on time or price...
 
Thanks for that, the job is on my terms, my price and delivery. The problem is that I have to actually make the thing on my equipment so I need advice with that, my worry about the t slot cutter is that I can't get the speed up enough and I am worried about swarf clearance, besides it is a tiny cutter in a big miller.
Peter
 
Sorry doesn't sound like you have the right equipment to do this job either, sub it to a cnc shop with 10k+ rpm. You need to rip roar cutter you describe at 0.0001-0.0003 cpt, you need servos not lead screws to get that movement precision. Flood coolant to power wash the chips out.
I could do it here in Canada, has to be someone in UK that could do it for you. You gonna snap a bunch of carbide trying to do it manual mill.
 
Just a wild idea, but I wonder if it could be done with a router in a router table. Add some guide rails on both sides and on top to completely limit the movement of the stock.
 








 
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