Asking for knowledge for spline cutting tool for milling machine

[tim81]

Hi guys,

I watch e very nice YouTube video and he used a mill tool to cut 6 spline axle. What kind of cutter it that and how does one calculate it.
Tim

 

[benmychree]

Depends whether it is an involute spline or a parallel sided spline, if involute spline it needs to be identified and a cutter bought or rented, if parallel sided, it can be milled to with ganged slitting saws, then a center cut to remove the intervening material between the parallel sides.

 

[tim81]

Depends whether it is an involute spline or a parallel sided spline, if involute spline it needs to be identified and a cutter bought or rented, if parallel sided, it can be milled to with ganged slitting saws, then a center cut to remove the intervening material between the parallel sides.

I think it was parallel sided spline it was a old tractor cel on the transmission I belive

 

[markba633csi]

If it was parallel sided I imagine you could use a single end mill provided it was a standard size, although the bottom/root of the spline would be flat

 

[verbotenwhisky]

I think it was parallel sided spline it was a old tractor cel on the transmission I belive

Tim it depends on the material. if you are cutting external splines you can grind a round piece of HSS to a proper shape cutter and use that new dividing head to cut it. Even parallel splines will have a slight tapper but if you are careful they can be cut with a slitting saw, it may require slight adjustments in angle though.

 

[tim81]

If it was parallel sided I imagine you could use a single end mill provided it was a standard size

It looks cool to make shafts, maybe I had too much coffe.

 

[benmychree]

I have cut a number of splines, both straight sided splines and involute, I had a pair of 3/32 or 1/8 slitting saws that were ganged up on an mill arbor with appropriate spacers to set the width of the spline, all the splines were cut and the (flat) root was cut with another slitting cutter of appropriate width, if a nicer job with round root is desired there are rental tools available that will cut the whole tooth and root form in one cut. For involute splines, there are also tools similar to a woodruff cutter (with integral shank) that cut the whole form of the tooth space.