I am currently working on a major project for school, the piece I am making requires a hexagonal recess in a bar of aluminium. I am limited to what tools I can use. eg: lathe, milling machine (generic School equipment) any ideas of techniques I could use are welcome
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Hexaonal Recess in Alluminium
- Thread starter TheVale
- Start date
- Replies 8
- Views 1,543
Limy Sami
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2007
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
What size hex recess?
Strostkovy
Titanium
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2017
Depending on why you need the hex you can use a small endmill and cut into the corners a bit. It doesn't leave a perfect hex but it generally looks okay and a regular sharp cornered hex will fit inside of it.
crossthread
Titanium
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2004
- Location
- Richmond,VA,USA
Being as this is AL could you rig up an arbor press to broach the hex recess after drilling an appropriate hole? You might be able to cut a short section from a 15mm hex wrench on a bias to create some relief then rotate your work to present the cutting edge in the hole. It would be slow but it might work if you have no other way to do it. I know they make a rotary broach to do this but for a one off it might be cost prohibitive.
eKretz
Diamond; Mod Squad
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2005
- Location
- Northwest Indiana, USA
Is this a blind hole or a through hole? Rotary broaches are awesome tools but they're not something you want to buy for one hole. You might be able to DIY one, or just make a little push broach, it's only aluminum. Get your geometry on the cutting edge correct and it will be fine. The only way to mill it would be to relieve the corners like mentioned above.
StinkyDan
Aluminum
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2016
- Location
- Outside chicago
This. Using an arbor or hydraulic press and starting with a hole that will fit inside of your hex. Should be easy in aluminum. Use grease on the cutting tool. Just grip the workpiece tight in a fixture and press into it. It'll seem like the material has nowhere to go but it will work. We did this using a parker press at a previous job.
Leadfootin
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2009
- Location
- London
Lewie
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2018
- Location
- Albuquerque NM
Here is a pix of three I made for a joiner for my son-in-law on a Bridgeport .
...lewie...
...lewie...
