Parting Poll

[BFHammer]

Select your preferred method of parting. Feel free to leave comments below to expound on your choice or to offer others I may have overlooked.

 

[jbolt]

I use all of the above depending on the circumstance.

HSS, and HSS Cobalt T-type cut off blades in a BXA tool post holder for most metals up to 2" in diameter.

ISCAR type insert blade in holder for most materials over 2" in diameter or harder materials

Carbide insert type tool holder that is used for thick wall tubing up to 3/4" wall.

Nikcole Mini-System parting and grooving tool for thin wall tubing and ring grooves.

I have a few custom HHS parting tools that part and chamfer.

Good ole hacksaw for rods up to 3/8" when precise length isn't important.

 

[Btroj]

HSS cutoff blade in cutoff tool specific holder.
It is what I have, all I have used, and mas been satisfactory thus far.

I did use a slightly different method once on a large diameter chuck of Al, larger than I felt comfortable with the length of extension required with the cutoff tool. I cut as far as I could with the cutoff tool and finished with the lathe off and used my reciprocating saw. Messy but it worked.

 

[gonzo]

My favorite means of parting is to send the lady an e-mail and move out of town!

 

[Cobra]

HSS in the dedicated blade holder for QCTP. One holder for 1/2" blades and one for 5/8".
Blade ground square with 7 degree relief. I would rather have to deal with remaining tit sometimes than have it cut a dish shape.

 

[T Bredehoft]

Proprietary HHS blade, (don't know how I'll replace it when its gone) in a home made holder, upside down to cut off with motor reversed. Works a treat.

 

[woodchucker]

have both, but use the HSS / cobalt blade most often. The Carbide when I have a need. I don't have a carbide grinder, so any touchup I do to carbide is on diamond plates. So it's much easier to keep a keen edge on the HSS / cobalt. Here's the type of carbide parting tool I have, not what you were thinking with an insert. I have those too. But this is awesome for difficult to part tools, as the whole shank is carbide, so it lowers the vibration a bit.

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

My favorite means of parting is to send the lady an e-mail and move out of town!

That is a parting gift.

 

[darkzero]

A 6" vise is overkill for a RF45 style mill. A 4" is more appropiate for that size mill & IMO 5" max. I have a 5" GMT vise on my PM45 & it's slightly too big. Not enough Y axis travel to make use of the 5" full capacity. Better to save your money rather than getting something too big & most importantly the weight. I take my vise of the table quite often, a 6" is still light enough for me to be carried by hand but I'm glad I have a 5". I also have a 4" vise as well. I prefer the 5" though.

But those GMT 6" Premium vises are pretty nice. I'd love to have one but don't need one on my current mill. But if you plan on upgrading to a full size knee mill in the future than the 6" will be perfect.


Here's what the 5" looks like on my mill.



I couldn't even complete this cut without my bellows & DRO scale getting in the way. Not enough Y travel & the 5" vise is not even maxed out.



Here's what a 6" vise looks like on another PM45 (gt40's)
View attachment 253544

 

[Wreck™Wreck]

If you want some free Widia/Manchester tools I can supply them, mostly trepanning and profiling tools for lathes and vertical boring mills. We no longer have any machines that will run such tools, my employer is in a throw it out mood at the moment.