First mill project - slitting tool advice

[RaisedByWolves]

Very true. Can't just blast through the material doing this. On the other hand, using a slitting saw in general is a somewhat slow process on my mill. I always have to feed slowly by hand or I get in trouble.

It’s not just your mill, it needs to be done by feel and fed slowly.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

What @mmcmdl says, but, when you are desperate you use what you have. I used a 1/16" slitting saw to make a valve core removal tool and found the slot was too narrow. So I offset the saw both plus and minus 0.010" taking separate passes to open up the slot by 0.020". It worked. In machining there are better ways but there are also alternative ways. They might not be efficient, but they can be made to work.

I have an 80mm Slitting saw that is 2.5mm thick that I use for these type operations.

 

[fixit]

You can get 2.5mm wide slitting saws , doing a 10mm deep slot with a 2.5mm end mill sounds like a very bad time indeed

Stu

https://www.amazon.com/Dormer-D74763-0X2-5-Slitting-Coating-Diameter/dp/B01M0OK3F2

 

[Old Iron Guy]

I vote for the slitting saw. I've used thin ones on my horizontal mill to slice up large flats of steel and iron at 1" depth with no issues. Just take it slow and make sure everything is clamped solid. I would use a clamping fixture.

 

[woodchucker]

I think you would need a slotting end mill rather than a slitting saw . Slitting saws are narrow with no relief . They work well but multiple passes to achieve a thickness would need a thicker tool .

the opposite.
Slitting saws are for sawing, slotting for screw heads. At least that's what I got when I referred to my slotting saws and @benmychree corrected me if I remember correctly.

that's a 2.25mm slitting saw.

 

[r-mm]

Hi all

Thanks for the help. I got by with the McMaster slitting saw. BUT. Like a dope I clamped the part in on the flats and cut the slit perpendicular to the flats not parallel. No big deal, this was a test piece.

Any advice on how to locate the piece as its shown so I can cut the slit parallel to the flats?

I want to know how to do it "the right way" but the truth is the parallelism isn't at a massive premium here. Its just holding a clock spring.

 

[woodchucker]

Hi all

Thanks for the help. I got by with the McMaster slitting saw. BUT. Like a dope I clamped the part in on the flats and cut the slit perpendicular to the flats not parallel. No big deal, this was a test piece.

Any advice on how to locate the piece as its shown so I can cut the slit parallel to the flats?

I want to know how to do it "the right way" but the truth is the parallelism isn't at a massive premium here. Its just holding a clock spring.

View attachment 468256

generally collet blocks, square or hex. but given the short length difficult.

I would use a v block to hold that. I would take a parallel or 2, put the flat on the parallel and clamp it in the vise.

 

[r-mm]

I have collet blocks both square and hex but only inch size 5c collets. Just ordered a metric set.

When I have the appropriate 5c collet I'm still not sure the correct way to align the work. The flats will be hidden inside the 5c collet. How do I then know the slit will be parallel?

 

[OTmachine]

I have collet blocks both square and hex but only inch size 5c collets. Just ordered a metric set.

When I have the appropriate 5c collet I'm still not sure the correct way to align the work. The flats will be hidden inside the 5c collet. How do I then know the slit will be parallel?

Align the flat using an adjustable parallel or level.
Put a locating flat on the boss that gets the slot prior to slotting.
Change your order of operations.

 

[r-mm]

Sorry to be dense but I'm not following. Here you can see the part installed in a 1/2in collet. The flats are not visible.