Ideas on cutting internal hexes

twalsh341 · Feb 5, 2009

So this guy Peter Atwood, http://www.atwoodknives.com/home/20095923.php
Has some amazing stuff, as far as I know he doesn't CNC anything, mostly grinds. Does anyone know how setup for machining a range of hex sizes, say 3/16ths to 1/2 inch would be accomplished manually? Would it be with a die filer? Really small endmills? I'm just not sure. I know in industry hexes might be stamped or cut with a waterjet or something which would give really clean corners, I'm just not sure how to do it at home.

Finegrain · Feb 5, 2009

I bet this Atwood guy has his pieces waterjetted. As for how to do it "at home", I guess a hex broach would work, but spendy. Whittling with a 1/16" EM would work too, but a PITA.

Regards.

Finegrain

RJT · Feb 5, 2009

Rotary broach if parts are round and quantites support it. Hex broach and an arbor press if they don't. http://www.slatertools.com/ RJT

Mike RzMachine · Feb 5, 2009

can rotary broaches be clocked to provide rotational orientation of a hex? i spoke with slater a week or so back, and maybe it was because i wasn't being clear, but i couldn't get a clear answer about if there is some way to orient the rotary broach pattern.

Mike

D. Rey · Feb 5, 2009

He has the blanks waterjet cut, the edges (as on a "keyton") are done on a band sander.

Dave

Clive603 · Feb 5, 2009

Mike

I was told that only the "wobble drill" style systems of creating internal hexes can be clocked because the work-piece and guide plate are stationary so the angular orientation of the wobble can be set by their relative orientation. I don't know whether such systems are still produced or how good the shape is. The examples I saw were less than sharp in the corners and I was given to understand that this was typical of the process. Whether this is general or merely the specific example I do not know, the one I saw was used as a preliminary step before finishing off via EDM and so would have been an inexpensive variant.

Clive

Mcgyver · Feb 5, 2009

if its one's and two's......

I've made internal hex's three ways

homemade broach
forging around a solid hex
filing.

The last can be very accurate. I read once it was an apprentice's assignment to file a hex male and female that fit in each position and and have no movement. Thought i test myself. I cheated on the male hex and used the mill, but the female I filed and it worked out well. Laid out the hex with dividers, drilled a pilot and roughly filed the hex. The trick I found for a perfect fit is when you get very close, use some blue on the male hex and fine cut needle files to identify where its still tight. cheaper than buying a broach or rotary broach and faster than waiting for it to arrive

these were forged

dsergison · Feb 5, 2009

here is a telltale sign:

im going out on a limb here but i think he has a lot of those shapes laser cut and he then finishes them. at least the more mass produces ones.

which seems to fit this scale of production

KilrB · Feb 5, 2009

Got any broken end mills or taps around?

Grind one of them to the size hex you want and put some shear on the end of it (if you can).

Drill a hole right at or even a little over the size hex you want if you can get away with it.

Swap your home-made broach in place of the drill.

Now broach your hex.

You can't go very large with this method but I've made more than a few special set-screws and such this way.

kb0thn · Feb 5, 2009

In this photo you can see what appears to be the cut edge from a laser cutter:
http://www.atwoodknives.com/home/19721054.php

Screwmachine · Feb 5, 2009

I've only made and used a wobble broach once but it worked great and the corners were nice and sharp.

Clive603 said:
Mike

I was told that only the "wobble drill" style systems of creating internal hexes can be clocked because the work-piece and guide plate are stationary so the angular orientation of the wobble can be set by their relative orientation. I don't know whether such systems are still produced or how good the shape is. The examples I saw were less than sharp in the corners and I was given to understand that this was typical of the process. Whether this is general or merely the specific example I do not know, the one I saw was used as a preliminary step before finishing off via EDM and so would have been an inexpensive variant.

Clive

Konrad · Feb 5, 2009

I would do this on my slotter,....shaper would work too.

Konrad

Dan from Oakland · Feb 5, 2009

How about a push broach from Dumont? There are small hex and square broaches on E-Bay frequently. The small sizes are not that expensive- even if you buy them new- hit one of MSC's 40% sales and it's even a better deal.
Dan

EDSELF · Feb 5, 2009

I was also going to suggest a shaper. I have thought about this before, I want to try to do it in a blind application.

knedvecki · Feb 6, 2009

Sinker EDM or Watts Drill will do hex holes also.

biometrics · Feb 6, 2009

Here is a method to turn old worn out endmills into hex broaches as presented by member Frank Ford on his website:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Tooling/BroachMaking/broachmaking.html

johnnyd · Feb 6, 2009

Watts Bros. manual

Watts Drill info & prices are posted on the metalworking dot com website.

KilrB · Feb 6, 2009

biometrics said:
Here is a method to turn old worn out endmills into hex broaches as presented by member Frank Ford on his website:

http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Tooling/BroachMaking/broachmaking.html

Yes, exactly what I meant.

Thanks.

David Carlisi · Feb 6, 2009

If someone has the time, and wants to take on an interesting project such as making a tool, Frank Ford's method is the way to go. If you do have a few extra bucks, and time is a bit critical, a hex broach from Mc Master Carr or MSC is the way to go. My vote is still for sinker EDM if time is not critical. I just had two pieces cut with a 14 mm internal hex, 1 inch deep by a member here, the cost was less than that of a hex broach and the quality was excellent. Turnaround was very fast, considering the shipping, but it still took 7 business days even with 2nd day air both ways.

rkward · Feb 6, 2009

I know for a fact that he uses waterjet and/or laser, I have conversed with him before on the subject. I was surprised since his site sort of indicates that he does all of the work himself and that most knife makers do all the work themselves. I'm sure he is capable and has done it before but just found that for what he does it made more since to send it out.

Ideas on cutting internal hexes

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