Using a slitting saw on a Sherline Mill

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Hi Guys,

My aim is to cut approx 1.5 mm deep cuts in a 6mm dia by 20mm long piece of mild steel that is part of a longer thinner length of stock to enable clamping.. This is just practice to see how I get on. The purpose is to learn how to remove as much metal as possible before using a single fly cutter to make a pinion. Single fly cutters are fine with brass but wear rapidly with harder steels.

So my question is:

Can anyone / does anyone have experience on the best set up to use a slitting saw for this purpose. I should add I have several thicknesses of saw and have learned to go slow and plenty of lubricant. I will be using the Sherline arbor which has no key way.

Chris

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Set it up as you would for gear cutting then the work stays in the same place when you change the saw to the gear cutter and you don't risk loosing the indexing.

[Chris TickTockParticipant @christicktock]

Posted by JasonB on 23/08/2020 12:31:41:

Set it up as you would for gear cutting then the work stays in the same place when you change the saw to the gear cutter and you don't risk loosing the indexing.

Jason can you confirm just in case there is something I don't know that as a slitting saw is a circular saw the teeth must point in the direction of rotation (clock wise when viewed looking down from the front on the Sherline mill).

I have read so much negative stuff on using slitting saws that I am checking everything before starting. Things like climbing up the work etc and not straight cuts do little to comfort a novice to the procedure.

Chris

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

It's a;ways one you have to think twice about as when you mount the saw on the arbor you are more than likely going to be looking at the bottom end so the teeth face the wrong way when viewed like that.

Pic below shows how it should look above with red arrow being direction of rotation and teeth facing forwards. Depending on which side of the machine you have your dividing head or indexing fixture you need to feed the work towards the advancing blade as shown by blue arrows. So if fixture is on the left have the work towards the front and the table moves from left to right. If fixture on the right of the table then have work towards the rear and table moving from right to left.

It will be the same with the gear cutter.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Chris

Can't think of anything else to add to what's been said, you know to go slow and add lubricant, Jason has provided set to centre advice and the direction of cuts so you should just sail away with the job.
Just one other thing always cut towards the chuck which is more solid than a centre.

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 23/08/2020 19:01:25

[Author]

Posts