[Gallchobhair]

This is something I will probably only use once. I want to drill 3/8 holes in a pattern. I kinda got lost in all the tool stuff. Here is the Bob file. I just need to drill all the way through.I will be using 5/16 inserts. I thought I could use a 3/8 drill bit but maybe that is not the way.

Don

[Ben S]

I'm not able to open your .rar file. Could you post a zip?

[magicniner]

I use a fairly minimal Windows install and so don't use RAR since Windows can create & open basic ZIP Archives.
If you use a suitable cutter with an OD that's is a bit smaller than your hole you can use a ramped profile strategy that will just spiral down through your material in a single pass per hole, I do this with Ally parts and use air with an oil mix to lube & clear chips but for wood chip clearance might be less critical or unneccessary,

- Nick

[Gallchobhair]

Ben S here is a zip file

magicniner

I have it worked out as for the tool Path. What would be a good drill bit to use. I will not be doing this often.

Don

[magicniner]

Don,
I'd go for a ramped profile with a slot drill (an end-mill that's capable of plunge cutting) that's just over half the hole diameter,
Regards,
Nick

[Gallchobhair]

magicnener do you have a link to a slot drill. The hole will be 3/8 so the slot drill should be 1/2 this or close to half.

Thank You
Don

[mmoe]

If you're cutting wood, you won't want an endmill of any kind. They look like they should work fine, but my experience is that router bits and endmills do not work anything alike in wood. Just use a spiral fluted router bit (guessing you have some already?), probably a 1/4" diameter would be fine. If you don't have a good bit, let me know as I have several of them laying around that are still in good enough condition for what you are doing, but not good enough condition to use for a job with lots of parts (it's just more economical for me to buy new bits for each job than to spend time changing half worn bits out). They would be 1/4" bits with a 1" cutting length in both upsheer and downsheer. Usually, they are from the last of a batch of parts I was cutting, and I probably felt they were only half worn out (I stick those kinds of bits into a box on top of my controller).

I also have some bits that I ordered for a client who then changed his mind about what he wanted (and still paid for the bits since they were bought at his request) that you could have several of, which are low angle downsheer center cutting 1/4" bits with a 3/8" cutting length (Vortex brand #4330). These would probably work very well in plastics that you may use. I have 4 of those which have never been put in a collet that I know I'll never use and you are welcome to have (they would run you $100 if you had to buy them). You could also dig though some of my specialty bits and take anything there are duplicates of. I'd like to keep one of each of them, but I really don't need 4 of each. These are custom profiled bits that you can't buy in the store which used to produce custom millwork for a local molding supplier. They have all been resharpened, coated with rubber protectant and have not been used since, and it's been years now. Some may be too large (3/4" shank), but there are probably 50 or so that I just don't want or need that might be useful to you. Many of them would be good for creating decorative edges around a carved piece of wood. I'm just across I-5 from the north end of Boeing Field on Beacon Hill, not far from you if I remember right. I'd be happy to give all these to a good home where they'll get used.


Vortex Tool: Two Flute Low Helix Downcut Finishers - Series 4300

[Gallchobhair]

mmoe

I sent you a message. I will have to look at the pattern again. I think I tried it once to get it to see the circles. I will try something else to get it to see the 224 holes.

Don

[magicniner]

If you're cutting wood, you won't want an endmill of any kind.

I'm sure that is entirely correct but I CNC inlet the back of 1911 wood grips to take the Umarex CO2 1911 retaining clip and use a 4mm 2 flute carbide slot drill running at 7000rpm, it makes a beautiful neat job requiring no fettling or finishing,
Regards,
Nick

[RAF.]

I'm sure that is entirely correct but I CNC inlet the back of 1911 wood grips to take the Umarex CO2 1911 retaining clip and use a 4mm 2 flute carbide slot drill running at 7000rpm, it makes a beautiful neat job requiring no fettling or finishing,
Regards,
Nick

And the exception to the rules are:

THE WRIGHT WAY ----- THE WRONG WAY ------ AND WHAT EVER WORKS

[jrmach]

"Slotting Drill" I don't hear that very often.Old Slang.........

[magicniner]

"Slotting Drill" I don't hear that very often.Old Slang.........

It's old but clearly defines the plunge cutting ability of a tool and is/was a technical term in the UK & not slang ;-)

SLOT DRILLS


Two nations divided by a common language eh? ;D
- Nick

[jrmach]

center cutting end mill
Walk into a Machine shop here and ask if they could slot drill a part,and you are sure to get a wide variety of responses.Sorry,I would consider it "slang" on this side of the fish bowl.And certainly an old school terminology.

[RAF.]

Slots or Flutes
Without them it would be hard to dig that hole

[magicniner]

Walk into a tool supplier here and ask for a Slot Drill or End Mill and they'll understand your English as per the link to a UK tool supplier I provided.

I'm aware of the USA's tendency towards "Verbing Nouns" but here we don't do that , in the UK you'd never ask someone to "Slot Drill" something, just as you wouldn't ask them to "End Mill" something, you'd ask them to mill or slot the part and leave it to them as to what machine & cutter they used as a basis for their quote ;-)

"Slotting" someone is something very different in Yorkshire though!

Sorry, it probably is "Old School" but coming from a background and nation that invented "The School" I'm quite happy with that

[jrmach]

"Sorry, it probably is "Old School" but coming from a background and nation that invented "The School" I'm quite happy with that
"

Oh Boy,here we go,,lol

[awerby]

It sounded like the OP just wanted to drill a bunch of holes. Why wouldn't he use a regular drill bit? He'd only need a slot drill if he wanted to go sideways with the tool.

[jrmach]

Drills leave a nasty "break out" when exiting the hole in wood.224 holes with splinters would be a very ugly mess.
Plus the drill point has to go somewhere ??

[magicniner]

Oh Boy,here we go,,lol

My Father worked for Firth Vickers Stainless Steels after the war, my Great Grandfather was a Forgemaster and was headhunted to Sheffield from the West Midlands.
It's a Yorkshire thing ;-)

Back On Topic another way to go would be to CNC through drill with a 3mm bit for the layout and then manually drill from each side with a spade bit using a depth limiter to go just beyond half way from each side,

- Nick

[jrmach]

Well,,,this may surprise you,,,I have Swedish,Scottish, and German in my blood.Shocking huh ??
So my ancestors went to those schools of old you invented,lol