[CadRhino]

I have a job where I need to make slits 1/4" wide by 2" deep in 1/2" x 1 1/2" 6061 aluminum flat bar and was looking at getting a slitting saw (Probably a Tormach TTS arbor).
Has anyone cut at such a depth?
I am thinking of getting a 1/8" thick slitting saw to do the job (though a 1/4" thick would make more sense). If I use a 1" thick arbor, I will need a saw that is at least 5" in diameter to do the job.
What were your challenges (if any)?
Any saw recommendations if I go this route?
I was a woodworker in a past life so I may be approaching this from that mentality. I could use a 1/4" end mill to cut in the 1 1/2" depth direction instead of using a slitting saw in from the side.
Thanks so much,
CR

[Ken_Shea]

Have never done that but in considering how I would do that my thoughts would be to use a table saw which sounds like you already have and make multiple passes to get your depth and width, you would use a carbide toothed blade. If I had a end mill with sufficient flute length then that would be the way I would go but not in a single pass.

Ken

[Steve Seebold]

I have a job where I need to make slits 1/4" wide by 2" deep in 1/2" x 1 1/2" 6061 aluminum flat bar and was looking at getting a slitting saw (Probably a Tormach TTS arbor).
Has anyone cut at such a depth?
I am thinking of getting a 1/8" thick slitting saw to do the job (though a 1/4" thick would make more sense). If I use a 1" thick arbor, I will need a saw that is at least 5" in diameter to do the job.
What were your challenges (if any)?
Any saw recommendations if I go this route?
I was a woodworker in a past life so I may be approaching this from that mentality. I could use a 1/4" end mill to cut in the 1 1/2" depth direction instead of using a slitting saw in from the side.
Thanks so much,
CR

That looks to me like a job more suited for a horizontal mill with about a 6 inch diameter 1/4 inch wide cutter.

[Don Clement]

I made my own slitting saw from a TTS machinable blank supporting a 3.5" diameter slitting saw blade shown cutting a 3/4" deep 1/16" wide slot in aluminum in the video below. I am sure one could make a similar arbor to hold a 5" or 6" diameter slitting saw that could do 2" deep cuts.http://vid72.photobucket.com/albums/...f/100_3185.mp4

Don Clement

[Ken_Shea]

Nice work on that Don.

The music.... well..... that's another story

[CadRhino]

Thanks for everyone's help.
Ken - I think I will try your suggestion first. I just bought some 1/4" end mills from enco that should clear 1 3/4" and will see how this goes.
Don, that is a pretty nice arbor you made. I will think about that if the em doesn't work.
Steve, you are probably right but I don't have access to a horizontal mill.
Thanks for everyone's input.

[Don Clement]

The music.... well..... that's another story

One of these days... from the Meddle album. Got wood?

Sometimes I just use a bandsaw in place of the slitting saw in non critical applications.

Don Clement

[Don Clement]

I made this video today using a 3.5" diameter 1/16" wide slitting saw @300rpm to make an 0.080" x 0.080" slot in a run of aluminum parts. For me this was faster than using a small endmill possibly having to use an auxiliary spindle. http://vid72.photobucket.com/albums/...psd7a47cb8.mp4

Don Clement

[CadRhino]

Hi Don
Thanks for posting this video. It really helps to see operations in video.
Wow, that is pretty fast.
The part looks very cool and complicated. What is it for?
I ended up ordering a 1/2" dia. slitting saw and some 1/8" & 1/16" HSS blades from KBC tools. I saw in an older thread that you liked them.
Best,
Nathan

[Don Clement]

Hi Don
The part looks very cool and complicated. What is it for?

The part is one of six identical articulating arms for a patented 3" telescope focuser product I manufacture.. BTW each arm has 32 blind tapped 4-40 holes that hold 8 SS flexures. A pair of identical arms fit together as one unit negating the need for two sets of different arms. The slot cut using the slitting saw forms the clearance under the rear flexures - see photo below. Each arm is completely made on my Tormach 1100 mill.

Don Clement

[CadRhino]

Very cool, Don.
Looks like something off of a space ship.
Looks like you put your procunier to use.
Do you do your anodizing in house?
I am trying to did a relatively non-toxic finish for aluminum that I can us for small runs of parts.
-Nathan

[mountaindew]

If you use cam software to develop tool paths I would suggest a very accurate tool holder definition
the picture below I designed the grooves to the maximum depth I could achieve and then backed off depth by 0.05
Still I relied on the software to inform me of collision "mathematically it was fine in real life it was very close!


Attachment 250462

Also a note if the above part was about 5" square and you slit 2" deep parallel to the x axis or all sides of part "like above" the tool paths will be very close or outside the travel of the Y axis!
something to consider or think about. when designing or cam operation setups
md

[CadRhino]

Hi MD
I am always impressed by your command of SC
I am really new to using it so I appreciate any advise.
I will check my tool definitions carefully before I try it
Thanks
Nathan

[Don Clement]

Nathan,
I do make good use of the Procunier in having tapped 10s of thousands of 4-40 blind holes on my Tormach. Breaking taps is very rare for me although on Saturday I did break a Balax 4-40 forming tap when I forgot to reset the 200% feed override used on a previous milling procedure. Nice thing about the Procunier Pro-quik quick change collets http://www.rockford-ettco.com/Downloads/Pro-QuikTap.pdf was it was quick and easy as pushing a button to replace the tap :-)

I have all my anodizing done by Aluminart Alumin-Art Plating Company, Inc. - Anodize in Ontario. They offer really good low reflectance Type II satin black anodizing process. AluminArt also does small runs but have a minimum charge.

Rather than a space ship I like to think of my telescope focuser as a time machine as one is really looking back in time.

"The echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand"
~ Meddle album- Echoes by Pink Floyd

Don Clement

[mountaindew]

Rather than a space ship I like to think of my telescope focuser as a time machine as one is really looking back in time.

"The echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand"
~ Meddle album- Echoes by Pink Floyd

Don Clement

Timeless music

Some very detailed design and fabrication there!
Space-time focuser would also be a good description. "a more modern description, so I read anyway"
Would maybe add " precision plane" in there but it was confusing
Of course you know this. you designed it.
Im Amazed these days how ground based optics and equipment complete observations as good or better then spaced based hst .

Anyway great work.
md