Slitting Saw and chatter

[redvan22]

Hello again,
I bought a 1/16" HSS slitting saw for a project where I need to make a clamping fixture to hold a rod in place but still allow adjustment.

During the project process, while milling flats on a piece of steel round bar, I was getting a rather poor finish while using a new 4 flute 1/2" cutter and some chatter. When I applied a little more pressure to the gib using the table locking lever, the chatter minimized and the finish improved somewhat.

This got me thinking; if I'm using the HSS slitting saw and I encounter chatter, will the saw bind and/or shatter becoming a dangerous flying projectile. Since it's HSS I presume it could be run at a high speed steel speed to provide adequate cutting. However, this chatter issue has me concerned.

Thoughts?

Mike.

 

[JimDawson]

I would not expect that to be a problem. Assuming a 3 inch hole saw cutting mild steel, HSS speed would be about 120 SFPM, so you would be turning the spindle at about 150 RPM. If the saw binds it will most likely slip in the arbor. I only had one bind and that was in plastic. Just broke the blade, but nothing went flying.

 

[projectnut]

Hello again,
I bought a 1/16" HSS slitting saw for a project where I need to make a clamping fixture to hold a rod in place but still allow adjustment.

During the project process, while milling flats on a piece of steel round bar, I was getting a rather poor finish while using a new 4 flute 1/2" cutter and some chatter. When I applied a little more pressure to the gib using the table locking lever, the chatter minimized and the finish improved somewhat.

This got me thinking; if I'm using the HSS slitting saw and I encounter chatter, will the saw bind and/or shatter becoming a dangerous flying projectile. Since it's HSS I presume it could be run at a high speed steel speed to provide adequate cutting. However, this chatter issue has me concerned.

Thoughts?

Mike.

I would agree with Jim as to a minimal possibility that the saw would bind. I rarely use slitting saws on a vertical mill, but do use them quite regularly on a horizontal mill. Most of the 3" HSS ones are run at speeds similar to what Jim has suggested for a hole saw. Over the years I've broken a few thin ones (.015" - .030"), but there's never been a catastrophic failure where pieces fly all over the place. At that speed you usually hear a sharp snap and see a tooth laying on the table, or a crack in the cutter. All of mine are keyed on a 1" or larger arbor, so there's no slipping. If they bind, are taking too deep a cut, or too fast a speed they're usually history.

 

[benmychree]

Agreed! I have broken several slitting saws over 50+ yeas of working, and have never had pieces go flying; I nearly always key the cutter to the arbor, and have even had the saw shear out a notch in the arbor key.