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How stupid of an idea is this??

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mioduz

Plastic
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Oct 13, 2011
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Erie PA
Welding Milling Cutter to shaft. How stupid of an idea is this??

I need to make a (1.5") radius cut inside of a pocket. This application would typically be handled by using a milling cutter on an arbor. After scooping up a handful of 3" dia cutters on ebay, i find out that the shank of the 1" arbor will shank out on the work peice about the same time I reach the radius surface (1" arbor may very narrowly clear it but the nut and spacers on the arbor def will not)

This project at some point in the future may justify buying custom tooling but it sure doesnt at this point (in fact already over budget on tooling)

So this is where the stupid idea comes in. What if I turn a 1" peice of 4140 down to 3/4" for a tool holder leaving a "hat" at the end that is 1" and TIG welding one of these cutters onto the shaft.

I have so many concerns mostly revolving around concentricity of the cutter in pretty much every axis.

Also slightly concerned about the heat affected zones after welding but i think on a 3"x.1875" cutter there will be enough meat to keep it from waffling terribly



Please tell me that there is a better solution to this problem
 
I need to make a (1.5") radius cut inside of a pocket.
Might be the better thread title.

RE: A title should be related to making a search of a problem or the like. with not having such a title it is just hen's chatter...to be lost after the initial chatter is finished.

"How stupid of an idea is this?" I thought you were talking about petting rattlesnakes.

Good that PM guys ignore this thread and then you might post one with a proper title.

This is a very good subject..with it having a proper title.

Being a fresh thread I think you can edit the title
 
Having trouble picturing your feature based on the description.

Capture.jpg

Heres a Very simplified version of the cut I need to make (body transparent so you can see the radius) In this example If i tried using a milling cutter (woodruff cutter, keyseat cutter) It would shank out on the corner before I could form the radius cut
 
My thoughts exactly, sounds very bridgeporty

I would use an endmill with the appropriate L/D. Interpolate as needed.

I tried putting a photo in the post above to illustrate what needs to be done. If you can do this on a Bridgeport YOU DA MAN. (wihtout custom made tooling)
 
Another way to attach the cutter to your arbor- make it a snug fit on the arbor- I assume you have a slight flange on the shank side to stabilize the cutter a bit. Let the arbor poke thru the cutter about 1/8", and pein the stickout portion of the cutter shank around the cutter- kinda like a big rivet. A single tack weld or a small pin in the cutter keyway should keep it from rotating on the arbor. Me thinks that might keep the cutter much happier than being welded all the way around the bore.
 
Why not just get a cutter with a smaller bore and an arbor to match? They make 3" milling cutters with a 3/4" bore.
 
If I'm seeing that translucent part right, the center point of your cutter needs to be inside the stock. You would need a negative shank diameter.

Sorry I just drew a random shape to illustrate the cut shape needed. In reality using a 3" cutter with a 1" shank will just barely start to rub. adding the nuts and spacers to an arbor would def crash badly
 
If I'm seeing that translucent part right, the center point of your cutter needs to be inside the stock. You would need a negative shank diameter.

Agree with this - that geometry looks impossible to make unless its done using taper endmills on a 5 axis or a sinker edm.
If you can add large corner radii it would make it much easier to 3 axis mill.
 
Agree with this - that geometry looks impossible to make unless its done using taper endmills on a 5 axis or a sinker edm.
If you can add large corner radii it would make it much easier to 3 axis mill.

Sorry I didnt put any dimensions on the sample screen shot i was just trying to illustrate the type of cut that I need to make. As stated earlier with a 3" cutter fully engaged in the real cut, i would just barely touch on the outside of a 1" arbor which doesnt include the nuts and shims and such
 
Sorry I didnt put any dimensions on the sample screen shot i was just trying to illustrate the type of cut that I need to make. As stated earlier with a 3" cutter fully engaged in the real cut, i would just barely touch on the outside of a 1" arbor which doesnt include the nuts and shims and such

Gotcha,

Could you do 90% of the cut with the non modified cutter, then switch over to your cutter with the skinny arbor?
 
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