Help with iscar insert selection?!?

[Nami]

Posted this by mistake in the general forum, thought It'd be better here.

I'm tooling up my gang lathe, and in the process of making custom tooling blocks for the table. I'm going to have two parting/grooving tools that never come off the table, and have all that figured out as far as which ones to use and where they go.

I'm stuck on the inserts for each of them, and I'd rather get it right the first time. I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with these holders and inserts, and if so could you recommend one over the other to get started?

The holders are both Iscar. They are as follows:

PentaCut Holder: PCADR24N

Iscar Catalog : PCADR/L - 2301667

Parting Insert Blade Holder: DGFH26-2

Iscar Catalog : DGFH - 2301241

I have the correct size, width of cut, etc. narrowed down for my application, but it's the choice of cutting geometry and insert material/coating that is a bit confusing. For example, there are 11 different "families" of inserts available for the DFGH blade, and many of them overlap.

ISCAR Cutting Tools - Metal Working Tools - Iscar Catalog : DGFH

For the PentaCut holder, there are 4 "families" available, and when I thought I had narrowed it down to the right one (24N200J020), there are 2 grades available (IC908 and IC1008).

ISCAR Cutting Tools - Metal Working Tools - Iscar Catalog : PCADR/L

As far as my application goes, I have 3 materials I'm working with, 304 Stainless, 6061 Al, and Acetal Copolymer plastic. The diameters range from 3/16" for the tiniest parts, to 1.25" for the largest. Besides parting, there are a number of O-ring grooves these will be used for, all but one of them are .090" in width.

I realize that I might be buying different variations for the different materials, but just want to make sure I get the right ones. The reason I'm asking here is that I've received conflicting recommendations from salesmen, and figured it'd be smarter to ask someone who's actually used them.

Thanks for any insight,

Burt

 

[brian.pallas]

I would have your slaesman bring in whatever he thinks is best on guaranteed test. If they don't do what the salesman says they can do, send them back and don't pay for them.

 

[i_r_machinist]

Bingo. Iscar spends a fortune training their guys. They will be very helpful.
i_r_

 

[patindahat]

Well Penta won't part-off a 1.25" bar.
The largest Penta only does 10mm (0.39") max depth.
The Penta inserts are cheaper per edge... but there are 5 so its not a cheap insert.

I'd go with to Do-Grip. 'J' Chip former for your materials. IC20 grade for the aluminum and plastic, IC830 or IC807 for the stainless depending how fast you spin.

The reason I'd choose this is primarily because of the parting size limitation mentioned above. Also I like having the Do-Grip around because there are so many insert options to help with a specific job.

Disclaimer: This is the advice of another salesman

 

[jimfnd]

We've found the Iscar Tang grips out preform anything else.

 

[chucker]

+1 on the Tang Grip

 

[Nami]

For the main part-off blade I plan to use their blade type holder (I already have it), but for the smaller parts I need a O-Ring grooving tool (0.050" width), and some turn/groove capabilities for backworking, hence the decision to having the PentaCut insert mounted as well. The problem is they don't have one specifically rated for aluminum/plastic. Two (24N200PF020 and 24N200Z020) are IC908 with one (24N200J020) available in both IC908 and IC1008.

The IC908 is advertised as having a TiALN coating, which I thought was a big no-no for Aluminum. The IC1008 is advertised as TiALN +TiN coated, and the picture looks like the outer surface is in fact TiN. But then the description says it's for high temp alloys, stainless, and hardened steel, even though the inert description says "for soft materials". I may be new to this, but I thought aluminum would fall under the heading of "soft materials", and hardened tool steel would fall under the catagory of "hard materials".

Getting kind of annoyed at this point.

 

[MikeMc]

We use the DGN style in an IC808 grade and we cut everything with it, and I mean everything. We have been doing a lot of small orders lately, and I found I just leave cutoff in the machine, and use it for whatever the material is.

 

[SND]

I use the penta with a custom profile IC908 in hastelloy, loves it.
It's really for shallow grooving though, not parting unless maybe really thin stuff.

 

[Dave Cross]

We use the Pentacut ic908 for 304, I've finished about 2000 o ring glands with it so far, I am still on the first index. This pack of inserts is going to last me a long time

 

[Nami]

Hey Dave, could you give me the part # of the one you're using?

Thanks

Burt

 

[Dave Cross]

Hi Burt, I am using the PENTA 24N200-020RS IC908.

 

[Nami]

Thanks Dave, sent you a PM.