Indexable carbide dovetail cutter

T

TimH

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 12, 2004

Location

Upstate NY

• Mar 18, 2005

• #1

I am looking to buy a Indexable carbide dovetail cutter. I did a search and only found reference to the Dorian brand. It wasn't too highly thought of. Does anybody have a indexable dovetail cutter thet they like" The dovetail mis fairly small 60 degree angle 6mm deep, maybe 24mm wide 60mm long.

ETA: Material is Alum

Thanks Tim

 

D

Dave K

Diamond

Joined

Mar 21, 2004

Location

Waukesha, WI

• Mar 18, 2005

• #2

Tim,
I was looking for the same thing at one time not too long ago. I found the same results you did. The dorian style. I will tell you that I had limited time to shop and so I ended up buying the dorian. I was sort of impressed and sort of not impressed. There is a lot of cutting edge contact going on at once while this cutter is cutting because there is no helix, or rake to the inserts. So it pounds like a straight fluted end mill does. I used it for 8620 hot roll. What did impress me was even though I cut kinda slow to minimize the pounding, it lasted quite well and got the jobs done. Inserts still looked quite good. So what I'm saying is for aluminum, this might not be such a bad cutter, but if you have time to shop for a good one, keep looking. Someone must make a better one.

 

T

TimH

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 12, 2004

Location

Upstate NY

• Mar 19, 2005

• #3

Thanks Dave K. I have time to shop around, but I've been looking for quite some time. I checked Iscar, Kennametal, and quite a few other manufacturers. The only one I have found is the Dorian. I'm going to the Eastec Tools Show in May. I guess I'll look there for one. Thanks Tim

 

W

wesg

Titanium

Joined

Nov 4, 2004

Location

Cedar Park, TX - Boulder Creek/Redwood City, CA

• Mar 19, 2005

• #4

AB Tools makes one. I have no idea what they're like, but if it's half as good as their shear hogs it might be pretty decent.

www.abtoolsinc.com

 

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Toolbert

Stainless

Joined

Nov 29, 2003

Location

Vashon Island, WA

• Mar 19, 2005

• #5

Photos here of a 60 deg insert cutter a friend and I made a ways back, no dimensions but you can get a pretty good idea from the pics.

http://dogpatch.com/bobp/shop/dovetail.htm

 

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E-Stop

Cast Iron

Joined

May 13, 2002

Location

Ohio

• Mar 21, 2005

• #6

I've not used them myself but a buddy across town uses some of the A&B tools, including their dovetail cutter. I've not seen it in cut but I have seen some of his finished parts (steel). I've never heard him complain about the cutter and believe me, if it's not good, he complains.

www.abtoolsinc.com

Oops! I see that wesg already provided the link.

 

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TimH

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 12, 2004

Location

Upstate NY

• Mar 21, 2005

• #7

A&B dovetails look good but are too big for my needs. Tim

 

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Appie Chappie

Aluminum

Joined

Feb 13, 2003

Location

Vredenburg 7380 South Africa

• Mar 21, 2005

• #8

Go to our web page and scratch around and you
should be able to see a pick of one I made. I
have made smaller ones since. This was designed
to move metal (225 long cut 30mm deep one side
at a time in 1 cut 38 seconds in D2. After roughing I wipe the sides with anothe type I made
to give a mirror finish.)

This cutter seems to or actually does defy logic
because the upper row and lower row of inserts
require totally different cutting speeds. I run
it 960 rpm and air blast on a manual machine.
i must have turned over 1/2million usd with it
so far. I doubt wether a cnc could lick that. I
have been making cutters for years ( could'nt
afford em) and that dovetailer must be one of the best. I climb mill with it with the table nipped.

to see:www.hansing.co.za

Andy

 

T

TimH

Hot Rolled

Joined

Oct 12, 2004

Location

Upstate NY

• May 7, 2005

• #9

Just an update. I ended up buying the Dorian dovetail cutter. As mentioned ealier I am cutting Alum. only so...Anyway I'm very happy with it. Finish was good to excellent dovetails run nice & smooth when mated. Again the dovetail is small 6mm deep 24 mm wide 122mm long. I run the thing a slow feeds and take small .5mm depth of cut. Maybe I'm babying it but I just let the ol' Hiedenhain TNC145 chug along and I go work on another machine

 

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bsh21wash

Aluminum

Joined

Jul 23, 2013

Location

USA

• Jan 10, 2017

• #10

I know this is an old post, but 5th Axis makes an awesome dovetail cutter. I've had good luck with the AB Tools one as well.

 

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Achilles Bill

Aluminum

Joined

Jan 31, 2014

Location

Berlin,CT.

• Jan 10, 2017

• #11

Yup,old post! I had 2 different sizes of the Dorians and they worked fine. I say I had--'m retied now!
Bill

 

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AlfredLyon

Aluminum

Joined

May 30, 2014

Location

Rosville, CA, USA

• Jan 10, 2017

• #12

TimH said:

I am looking to buy a Indexable carbide dovetail cutter. I did a search and only found reference to the Dorian brand. It wasn't too highly thought of. Does anybody have a indexable dovetail cutter thet they like" The dovetail mis fairly small 60 degree angle 6mm deep, maybe 24mm wide 60mm long.

ETA: Material is Alum

Thanks Tim

Click to expand...

Tim,

If you email [email protected] my guess is that we could make a special 24mm x 60deg index-able dovetail cutter. Since you are cutting aluminum we would make it 2 or 3 flutes for strength. We do full specials all of the time.

Alfred

 

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DMF_TomB

Diamond

Joined

Dec 13, 2008

Location

Rochester, NY, USA

• Jan 11, 2017

• #13

i use insert cutter just for roughing dovetails. i have seen heavy roughing cause big triangle inserts to rotate or break insert pockets so angle was off.
.
just saying on a big dovetail i would avoid taking it all in one pass if it is harder than aluminum