dandrummerman21
Stainless
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2008
- Location
- MI, USA
We run a part, maybe 200 parts per year, which has 2 deep "slots" that are 16mm wide and 40mm long. Full radius ends.
These are thru slots that break into a bore that is about 4" diameter. The tool must reach about 2.85" deep.
This is on a horizontal machining center.
We currently drill 1/2" holes in 3 places. Then we plunge a 5/8 carbide endmill at the center of either end of the slot, and then at the center of the slot. This removes the majority of the material, and leaves some cusps. We then finish the slot with a 1.5" long .5" endmill and then to follow that a 3" long 1/2" carbide endmill.
I have no problem with the finishing tools, but roughing it out takes a lot longer than I think I could do. Maybe more importantly, the 5/8 carbide endmill that we plunge takes a beating. The corners break down, and I usually take it to the diamond wheel and touch up them to first include a bit of a chamfer, but later "regrinds" to have a radius, and I increase the size of the hand ground radius until it won't reach anymore. Then I replace it and have them reground.
The side wall finish isn't too critical, this is for air to go through, so the walls often have overcutting where the endmill walks or simply cuts oversize. We run the slot a few thou big to compensate but you can usually see the witness marks.
So what I'm wondering is, does someone have a better tool I can use to finish this slot?
We predominantly use Iscar but I didn't see anything that I was confident would work.
We have a multimaster shank that is long enough and a 1/2" feedmill head for it, that I was tempted to use, but I've used that thing in steel before. It did not appreciate trying to break through the bottom of the 2" thick material, and broke really fast. I learned that day that you really shouldn't feedmill thin floors, nor should you break through a floor with a feedmill.
I was wondering if there was a beefier option than that solid carbide .480 diameter shank, too. Maybe a steel body feedmill, 14 or 15mm, long enough to reach. Then stop short of breaking through the bottom? Or are there maybe tools that would allow me to punch through without having to drill the last fractions of an inch?
Does anyone have an idea?
These are thru slots that break into a bore that is about 4" diameter. The tool must reach about 2.85" deep.
This is on a horizontal machining center.
We currently drill 1/2" holes in 3 places. Then we plunge a 5/8 carbide endmill at the center of either end of the slot, and then at the center of the slot. This removes the majority of the material, and leaves some cusps. We then finish the slot with a 1.5" long .5" endmill and then to follow that a 3" long 1/2" carbide endmill.
I have no problem with the finishing tools, but roughing it out takes a lot longer than I think I could do. Maybe more importantly, the 5/8 carbide endmill that we plunge takes a beating. The corners break down, and I usually take it to the diamond wheel and touch up them to first include a bit of a chamfer, but later "regrinds" to have a radius, and I increase the size of the hand ground radius until it won't reach anymore. Then I replace it and have them reground.
The side wall finish isn't too critical, this is for air to go through, so the walls often have overcutting where the endmill walks or simply cuts oversize. We run the slot a few thou big to compensate but you can usually see the witness marks.
So what I'm wondering is, does someone have a better tool I can use to finish this slot?
We predominantly use Iscar but I didn't see anything that I was confident would work.
We have a multimaster shank that is long enough and a 1/2" feedmill head for it, that I was tempted to use, but I've used that thing in steel before. It did not appreciate trying to break through the bottom of the 2" thick material, and broke really fast. I learned that day that you really shouldn't feedmill thin floors, nor should you break through a floor with a feedmill.
I was wondering if there was a beefier option than that solid carbide .480 diameter shank, too. Maybe a steel body feedmill, 14 or 15mm, long enough to reach. Then stop short of breaking through the bottom? Or are there maybe tools that would allow me to punch through without having to drill the last fractions of an inch?
Does anyone have an idea?