# Annular cutter holder for use in a mill



## altobe (Aug 3, 2011)

I made this tool a while back for cutting holes on our mill. These annular cutters are really amazing hole makers and until now we had to use it with a magnetic base drill. This limited us to cutting only steel that the magnet would stick to. Now we can use these cutters for virtually any material.

 Normally on mag drills there is a pin that goes in the center of the cutter, this pin is placed in a center punch hole and guides the cutter.

I found that by creating a holder similar to an endmill holder, its possible to cut very effectively on the mill with no pin.




I turned and bored this from 303 stainless, I probably should have chosen a more suitable material and had it heat treated, but this is working well. The shank is 3/4" and it fits perfectly in a 3/4" endmill holder.







Not shown in these pictures is a flat spot that was milled on the shank where the set screw in the endmill holder grips it. At first I was just going to use a collet, but the holder is faster. I have a dedicated 3/4 endmill holder just for this.

Enjoy


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## Tony Wells (Aug 3, 2011)

Had to do a number of holes in ss electrical enclosures once....used those cutters....great stuff! We had been pulling chassis punches through, but ditched them quickly.


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## Highpower (Aug 3, 2011)

What makes those different than just using a normal center-cutting end mill?

I'm guessing more clearance in the "gullets"?  ??? 
And if there is a pin in the center, I'm assuming it works more like a hole saw? So if you aren't using a center pin, how do you get the "slug" out of the center of the cutter afterwards?

Could I possibly ask any more stupid questions? lol.


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## Highpower (Aug 3, 2011)

> author=DaveH link=topic=2945.msg20528#msg20528 date=1312378236
> 
> Highpower,
> 
> There is not a big hole in an end mill &lt;snip&gt;


Why, I aughta ......... ??? Ahem.

_Just kidding Dave_. I happen to like your sense of humor. We are too much alike!  

*Alex:* I'm assuming that is not your _home_ shop. If it is, you have one SERIOUS hobby budget with all that equipment! lol.

Edit: Oooops - sorry, wrong thread.
I was still thinking about this one: http://hobby-machinist.com/index.php?topic=2946.msg20517;topicseen#msg20517


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## 525isx (Aug 12, 2011)

I just use a end mill holder to hold annular cutters.  I put the centering pin in without the spring, I can tap the slug out by removing the cutter
                                 525


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## Highpower (Aug 12, 2011)

Ahhh! So the cutter and the shank are separate pieces then?
Sneaky devils...


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## Tony Wells (Aug 12, 2011)

There is a variety of those "slugger" type cutters.

http://www.jancy.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.showProducts&amp;cat=27


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## Starlight Tools (Aug 23, 2011)

Good work on the adapter. 

These are available from places like KBC Tools, I got one with the R8 shank on it so that I can use it in the mill without any extra bits. 

Also available is MT2 and MT3, 1/2 and 3/4 with 3 flats for use in a drill chuck and the 3/4 with two flats. They can be gotten in short about 2" or long 6" or 12" for reaching into deep pockets.

One thing I like about these cutters, even though they look a bit like a holesaw is that they cut a really clean hole and they can be overlapped to move a hole that needs to be elongated. I will drive a plastic or wood slug into a hole if I need to layout a new centre mark.

Walter


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