Setting Up For A Radius Cutter

[Wreck™Wreck]

Doomed if I do and doomed if I don't. The thing that drives me crazy about these cutters is to my eye they appear to curve back in on the bottom or top wall. Both the cutters were ordered from McMaster-Carr.

I understand your chagrin, regardless of however careful one may be there will be a visible mark at the tangent line without question. Remove the offending lines with abrasive cloth afterwards.

 

[nopriors]

I understand your chagrin, regardless of however careful one may be there will be a visible mark at the tangent line without question. Remove the offending lines with abrasive cloth afterwards.

That is what I usually do and I always end up happy with the result. It is just a quirky technique to master. Thanks to all for the replies.
Peace
Greg

 

[Billh50]

Here is how I do it. First I touch of the outer top edge on the top of the part. And zero the Z axes. Then touch of the side on the Y axes. and zero the Y axes Then stay 2 or 3 thou from zero. I hope that makes since.

+1

Also you will always get that line you see because the sides and top have different directional milling marks. These will show the line until everything is polished or sanded to blend better.

 

[Monk]

Thank you guys for this post and follow-up. I always thought I was doing something wrong. I looks like it's just a matter of getting better at getting it close, and polishing out the imperfections, then?

 

[rowbare]

Here is a pretty good video on using corner rounding end mills:

To make it simpler moving forward, take a few cuts in a test part till you have a suitable finish, zero your DRO, the touch off the body and end of the end mill and note those values. They will be your effective radius and depth. In the future all you need is to touch off and back off the amounts you have saved. If your DRO has a tool table, you could store them there.

bob

 

[nopriors]

Here is a pretty good video on using corner rounding end mills:

To make it simpler moving forward, take a few cuts in a test part till you have a suitable finish, zero your DRO, the touch off the body and end of the end mill and note those values. They will be your effective radius and depth. In the future all you need is to touch off and back off the amounts you have saved. If your DRO has a tool table, you could store them there.

bob

Boy Bob this is excellent. I was doing a small brass part that only needed a 1/16 r on one edge. I was moving the part on the y-axis. I brought the cutter down on the edge with a .004 feeler gauge then walked over the x-axis until the radius gauge checked good. A few swipes with a little kerosene and 320 looked great. Now with this video I know the proper way. Thanks to all for the contributions.
Peace
Greg