Milling a 45 degree ‘v’ slot

Advert

Milling a 45 degree ‘v’ slot

Home Forums Workshop Techniques Milling a 45 degree ‘v’ slot

Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 68 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #473257
    Lee Jones 6
    Participant
      @leejones6

      I'm currently attempting (with varying degrees of success) to replicate my T1 Dickson tool holder.

      The next step is to mill 4 'v' slots (see the image below).

      Looks like you can buy insert tool holders which cut 'v' slots at 90 degrees, which would suffice if I mounted the work end-up. However I'd like to avoid buying tools I'd only use once or twice.

      I'd it we're just one tool holder I'd be happy to just shove it on the vice BUT the goal is to mill say 4 at a time from one piece of stock before chopping them up.

      The current plan (unless convinced otherwise) is to hold the work at 45 degrees and use an endmill to make the cut.

      How would *you* hold such a piece?

      img_20200520_131906.jpg

      Advert
      #16164
      Lee Jones 6
      Participant
        @leejones6
        #473260
        John Baron
        Participant
          @johnbaron31275

          Hi Lee, Guys,

          Whilst your picture shows one way of getting a 45 degree angle, its not a good way of holding work for milling. My recommendation would be to buy a proper inverted cutter and secure the work to the mill table properly. At a pinch you could use a 45 degree HSS or carbide countersink and take it easy with the cut.

           

          Edited By John Baron on 20/05/2020 14:58:32

          #473263
          duncan webster 1
          Participant
            @duncanwebster1

            one of these? Check you have enough headroom before parting with money!

            adjustable angle plate

            #473267
            Lee Jones 6
            Participant
              @leejones6

              Don't worry John, that setup was just an example of how I need the work oriented.

              I have been looking at those Duncan. Is that the canonical answer?

              #473268
              JasonB
              Moderator
                @jasonb

                You have a tilt head mill so why not use it, tilt head 45deg and mount the block flat and solid to the table with the vee you want to cut along the Y axis. No special tools of fixtures needed.

                You can also cut the Tee slot at the same setting which should help keep all cuts running parallel

                I would suggest the longer edge of the Vee is cut with the side of the tool, you paid for long cutting edge so best to use them.

                Edited By JasonB on 20/05/2020 15:10:38

                #473271
                Anonymous
                  Posted by Lee Jones 6 on 20/05/2020 14:41:40:

                  How would *you* hold such a piece?

                  I've used the method shown for non-critical work. But given that the position and accuracy of the Vs are critical to the locking of a toolholder I'd use a tilting angle plate:

                  gear_bracket_machining.jpg

                  The table would be set with a precision clinometer, not my cheapo digital angle of dangle meter.

                  Andrew

                  #473273
                  Lee Jones 6
                  Participant
                    @leejones6
                    Posted by Andrew Johnston on 20/05/2020 15:11:02:

                    Posted by Lee Jones 6 on 20/05/2020 14:41:40:

                    How would *you* hold such a piece?

                    I've used the method shown for non-critical work. But given that the position and accuracy of the Vs are critical to the locking of a toolholder I'd use a tilting angle plate:

                    gear_bracket_machining.jpg

                    The table would be set with a precision clinometer, not my cheapo digital angle of dangle meter.

                    Wow! What a setup.

                    Posted by JasonB on 20/05/2020 15:05:07:

                    You have a tilt head mill so why not use it, tilt head 45deg and mount the block flat and solid to the table with the vee you want to cut along the Y axis. No special tools of fixtures needed.

                    You can also cut the Tee slot at the same setting which should help keep all cuts running parallel

                    I would suggest the longer edge of the Vee is cut with the side of the tool, you paid for long cutting edge so best to use them.

                    I don't think the cross-traverse is long enough to use the tilting head, which is why I passed on that idea.

                    What do you mean by the last sentence? What long cutting edge did I pay for?

                    #473277
                    JasonB
                    Moderator
                      @jasonb

                      lee taking your photo as an example.

                      If the upper Vee was cut you would more than likely use the full width of a cutter and maybe 2 or 3 passes at a shallow depth, this tends to wear the bottom of the cutter particularly the corners so you end up with a cutter with ablunt end and unused sides..

                      If on the other hand you were to mill the lower vee the tool would best be brought in from the side taking a tall cut and moving inwards each pass, much like when you widened the groove on your toolholder when the tool slipped. This makes use of more of the side flutes and spreads the wear over a greater area prolonging too life.

                      here is a video I did some time ago for another forum member to show two ways to cut a 10mm x 4mm rebate, the first method makes better use of the cutter

                      #473280
                      Tony Pratt 1
                      Participant
                        @tonypratt1

                        Tilt the head & hold the parts in a vice using a stop for repeatability.

                        Tony

                        #473287
                        Lee Jones 6
                        Participant
                          @leejones6
                          Posted by JasonB on 20/05/2020 15:27:46:

                          lee taking your photo as an example.

                          If the upper Vee was cut you would more than likely use the full width of a cutter and maybe 2 or 3 passes at a shallow depth, this tends to wear the bottom of the cutter particularly the corners so you end up with a cutter with ablunt end and unused sides..

                          If on the other hand you were to mill the lower vee the tool would best be brought in from the side taking a tall cut and moving inwards each pass, much like when you widened the groove on your toolholder when the tool slipped. This makes use of more of the side flutes and spreads the wear over a greater area prolonging too life.

                          here is a video I did some time ago for another forum member to show two ways to cut a 10mm x 4mm rebate, the first method makes better use of the cutter

                          Ah yes, I see what you mean now. Will do. Thanks for the tip.

                          #473288
                          Lee Jones 6
                          Participant
                            @leejones6
                            Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 20/05/2020 15:33:29:

                            Tilt the head & hold the parts in a vice using a stop for repeatability.

                            Tony

                            Can't hold it in a vice in the correct orientation. It's too large.

                            #473290
                            JasonB
                            Moderator
                              @jasonb

                              lee, also meant to say that the roughing cutter you said you ha dis best used where the side is doing the work as if you just use the bottom couple of mm you may as well be using a standard one.

                              Would have thought you may just get 4 holders in along the Y axis, what are they about 45mm? say 3mm for a saw cut and clean up and that comes to 189mm so with a 10mm cutter you will just be able to clear each end with the 200mm travel that you have.

                              #473291
                              JasonB
                              Moderator
                                @jasonb
                                Posted by Lee Jones 6 on 20/05/2020 16:06:08:

                                Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 20/05/2020 15:33:29:

                                Tilt the head & hold the parts in a vice using a stop for repeatability.

                                Tony

                                Can't hold it in a vice in the correct orientation. It's too large.

                                Mount vice long ways so jaws run in Y axis.

                                Myself I would fit stops to the table but wither way will work.

                                Edited By JasonB on 20/05/2020 16:14:13

                                #473292
                                Lee Jones 6
                                Participant
                                  @leejones6

                                  Sounds like I might be able to squeeze it in the Y – then I don't even need the vice.

                                  It will mean hand feeding though. Old skool. laugh

                                  #473372
                                  Lee Jones 6
                                  Participant
                                    @leejones6

                                    NB: This is the test piece (not full size).

                                    Whose crazy idea was this:

                                    img_20200520_193518.jpg

                                    Let's see how this goes:

                                    img_20200520_195320.jpg

                                    #473389
                                    old mart
                                    Participant
                                      @oldmart

                                      Leave the power on when you leave tonight and the moose will finish the job for you. cheeky

                                      #473390
                                      Lee Jones 6
                                      Participant
                                        @leejones6

                                        Morris is a better machinest than I'll ever be!

                                        #473405
                                        John Reese
                                        Participant
                                          @johnreese12848

                                          I made long Vs by first milling a slot at the centerline deep enough to go past the apex of the V. I milled the V using an M A Ford 6 flute 90* countersink, carbide tipped. It gave a far better finish than an end mill ground to a 90* point. The big advantage is eliminating the need to tilt the work or the head of the mill. Just set it in the vise, using a work stop if making multiple parts.

                                          #473406
                                          Harry Wilkes
                                          Participant
                                            @harrywilkes58467

                                            there's a guy on youtube made some maybe bigger than yours but showed at lot of his setups there's around 12 videos in all here a link to the first

                                            H

                                            #473407
                                            not done it yet
                                            Participant
                                              @notdoneityet

                                              Seeing the head at that crazy angle reminds me that the Abwood tilting vise was a good buy. Only used once, so far, but is not eating anything.🙂 I hate moving the head from good tram, just to do one job then have the aggro of re-tramming it….

                                              #473456
                                              Lee Jones 6
                                              Participant
                                                @leejones6

                                                Holey poop! 12 videos @ 45mins each. That guy really needs to learn to edit!

                                                Yeah, I really didn't want to tilt the head either but;

                                                a) I've never done it before, so it'll be a learning experience

                                                b) I'm not sure how trammed it was already anyway

                                                #473460
                                                Lee Jones 6
                                                Participant
                                                  @leejones6

                                                  This was last night's progress (obviously my work is underneath):

                                                  img_20200520_205552.jpg

                                                  #473465
                                                  Michael Gilligan
                                                  Participant
                                                    @michaelgilligan61133

                                                    Go for it, Lee …

                                                    ‘though it’s interesting to ponder how much simpler it would be to cut the vees on a shaper.

                                                    MichaelG.

                                                    #473470
                                                    Tony Pratt 1
                                                    Participant
                                                      @tonypratt1

                                                      Nice one Lee, you will learn some much from 'having a go', rigidity in machining is one of the key elements & your set up is better than a tilting vise in that respect, as for re-tramming you will also learn from that experience & hopefully become a better machinist.

                                                      Tony

                                                    Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 68 total)
                                                    • Please log in to reply to this topic. Registering is free and easy using the links on the menu at the top of this page.

                                                    Advert

                                                    Latest Replies

                                                    Home Forums Workshop Techniques Topics

                                                    Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)
                                                    Viewing 25 topics - 1 through 25 (of 25 total)

                                                    View full reply list.

                                                    Advert

                                                    Newsletter Sign-up