Final machining flame cut hole

tyleradambrown1 · Aug 15, 2019

Hey I've got a potential job lined up for 1-1/4 thick A36 flame cut plate, it's got a 2.5" hole that's been flame cut through it and I need to machine it to final size. I've got about 300 of these to do, and I didn't want to chew through carbide endmills on the flame cut. I only need to take around an 1/8 off to get to final diameter, does anyone know a good way to do this? right now I'm thinking about using a boring tool holder or maybe anneal the plates before I machine?

I've got a Hurco VM1 that I'm planning to use. any help would be appreciated.

david n · Aug 15, 2019

Are the parts already cut? Leave out the hole.................drill and plow through the material with some high speed tool paths..............................

Larry Dickman · Aug 15, 2019

You won't have any trouble milling through the flame cut on A36. I'd use a Garr coated 1/2 5 fl and let it rip.

Fal Grunt · Aug 15, 2019

I would bore (circle interpolate helix down) the hole with an inserted endmill. Depending on the tolerance and finish required, you could potentially finish it with your last boring cycle.

Flame cut sucks. Regardless.

LKeithR · Aug 15, 2019

First question is: Are the holes already cut? If you have a choice water-jet will cut the holes without leaving
a HAZ (Heat Affected Zone). Annealing probably won't help much. Mild steel doesn't harden up that much; it's
the carbon/slag build-up at the cut line that is tough on tools.

When dealing with situations like this you're usually better off to have a bit more material to remove rather than
less. If you have minimal material to remove the cutter is always working in the HAZ--not good. With a little extra
material once you start the cut the cutter is working in unaffected material and breaking through the HAZ from the
back side. The cutting edge still has to pass through the HAZ but it always seems to cut easier this way. You
definitely don't want to climb cut...

guest · Aug 15, 2019

Fal Grunt said:
I would bore (circle interpolate helix down) the hole with an inserted endmill. Depending on the tolerance and finish required, you could potentially finish it with your last boring cycle.

Flame cut sucks. Regardless.

^^^ That's how I would do it.

If the OP uses an endmill, I'd conventional the first pass around- it'll get under the crap and be easier on the cutter.

edit:

LKeithR said:
...You definitely don't want to climb cut...

Lol. beat me to it. Agree, climbing will eat up cutters.

DMF_TomB · Aug 15, 2019

tyleradambrown1 said:
Hey I've got a potential job lined up for 1-1/4 thick A36 flame cut plate, it's got a 2.5" hole that's been flame cut through it and I need to machine it to final size. I've got about 300 of these to do, and I didn't want to chew through carbide endmills on the flame cut. I only need to take around an 1/8 off to get to final diameter, does anyone know a good way to do this? right now I'm thinking about using a boring tool holder or maybe anneal the plates before I machine?

I've got a Hurco VM1 that I'm planning to use. any help would be appreciated.

.
sure take a minute to remove any big pieces of slag and carbide end mills normally can handle the rest.
.
i wouldnt waste a hour or much money when a few minutes with a grinder removing slag is alot faster and cheaper

guest · Aug 15, 2019

DMF_TomB said:
....i wouldnt waste a hour or much money when a few minutes with a grinder removing slag is alot faster and cheaper

OP has 300 pieces to do. The right strategy is to approach it in a way that minimizes hand work and still allows a decent tool life.

Hand grinding 300 parts is not the way...

tyleradambrown1 · Aug 15, 2019

What do you guys think about doing a first pass with HSS and then running carbide to finish? just basically sacrifice the HSS to take out that slag?

tyleradambrown1 · Aug 15, 2019

Unfortunately they are already cut, that's what I was thinking also.

guest · Aug 15, 2019

tyleradambrown1 said:
What do you guys think about doing a first pass with HSS and then running carbide to finish? just basically sacrifice the HSS to take out that slag?

You can do it, but it will be slow.

I have a 3/4" Kennametal 2-flute indexable that would make short work of that hole. With 300 pcs, the tool pays for itself in time saved...

Fal Grunt · Aug 15, 2019

tyleradambrown1 said:
What do you guys think about doing a first pass with HSS and then running carbide to finish? just basically sacrifice the HSS to take out that slag?

If you have a bunch of HSS laying around with no purpose other than to burn up... I guess?

To me it wouldn't be worth the time changing tools.

Without knowing more specifics as to the economics of the job, it would be hard to make that judgment call.

If it were my job, I would be looking at buying a high feed inserted endmill, most brands have them, you can get a body and a pack of inserts for less than $300. Thats $1 per plate.

dodgin · Aug 15, 2019

Fal Grunt said:
If you have a bunch of HSS laying around with no purpose other than to burn up... I guess?

To me it wouldn't be worth the time changing tools.

Without knowing more specifics as to the economics of the job, it would be hard to make that judgment call.

If it were my job, I would be looking at buying a high feed inserted endmill, most brands have them, you can get a body and a pack of inserts for less than $300. Thats $1 per plate.

I agree with this. If Mitsubishi is still running their promo, buy a couple packs of inserts for an AJX, get the body for "free", and have at it. You'll make really quick work of the roughing and the inserts for running hardened material last forever and a day.

G00 Proto · Aug 15, 2019

This is embarrassing to admit, but I had a similar problem years ago. I had them leave about .100" to cleanup. Then I took a cheap ass Chinese Fly Cutter and ground cemented carbide cutters by hand and eyeballed them until the were about right for diameter. Then I bored straight down to take out the HAZ, then finished the bore with a carbide endmill. Every once in a while, I would bump out the bar and re-grind the carbide. It was old school and crude, but it got the job done. It was kind of fun, since I could alter my eyeball grind and see the change in spindle load and surface finish. Total tooling cost on the job was a couple of bucks.

Mtndew · Aug 15, 2019

I've never had an issue cutting A36 flame cut burnouts.
Stuff cuts like butter.

mmurray70 · Aug 15, 2019

Fal Grunt said:
I would bore (circle interpolate helix down) the hole with an inserted endmill. Depending on the tolerance and finish required, you could potentially finish it with your last boring cycle.

Flame cut sucks. Regardless.

Id do it the exact same way, ramp down with insert endmill. I like using Sandvik R390s for this, it will have no problem with flame cut mild steel. You can use the same tool at 2-3 different depths to finish depending on size of insert or use a long endmill in one pass if you dont want to see the steps.

Use a carbide insert double angle cutter to chamfer the top and bottom all in the same setup. Wont have to touch a thing in terms of removing slag before hand or burrs after.

Mickey_D · Aug 20, 2019

We ran some parts that were flame cut "A36". Some cut like butter and other pieces cut like crap. Ended up running a high speed roughing pass using a Mitsubishi "feed mill" that used the little button style cutters. Ran them as fast as they would go with something like a .030" DOC and they did great. Finished the parts out with .5" 5 flute mill running a high speed path. Parts were eventually switched to A514 and AR500 that was jetted and they still cut well using this strategy.

Jashley73 · Aug 21, 2019

Conventional mill. Find some decent carbide endmills meant for semi-roughing, or use the inserted/indexable endmills, and helix down. But always conventional milling.

Once you cut away the flame cut, then sure - climb-mill away...

Final machining flame cut hole

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