Slitting Saws/Arbors?

slowneasy

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How many members use a slitting saw on their mill? I'm thinking about picking one up but really have no need for one at the moment. Do you use them regularly and for what purpose? Do you use HSS blades or Carbide? Are they noisy? Is a cutting fluid required? Things that I can think of that I might use one for are "French Borders", serrations etc. So likely "V" blades.
 
I have bothe carbide and hss, just a hobbyist and I think these are a good item to have. I have used to relieve a hole in a part to put a screw to tighten a in the hole like for an indicator. slice a part in two cleanly. I have used it to make a slot for a screw driver. good tool worth having.
 
How many members use a slitting saw on their mill? I'm thinking about picking one up but really have no need for one at the moment. Do you use them regularly and for what purpose? Do you use HSS blades or Carbide? Are they noisy? Is a cutting fluid required? Things that I can think of that I might use one for are "French Borders", serrations etc. So likely "V" blades.

There are two kinds of members - those who use slitting saws and those who will if they currently don't.

How often you use them depends on your needs. When you need to cut a slit/slot or precision cut thin stock then you will pull it out. These saws can be used to cut slots in the end of things, cut slots into the side of things, trim/dimension stock with fair precision and are invaluable when you need to cut a slot in the side of a bore to close that bore to hold a tool.

Most slitting saws are HSS but carbide saws are available for harder materials. Most hobby guys go with HSS or cobalt HSS.

Noisy? Not too bad. Haven't taken a decibel meter to one, though.

Cutting fluid is definitely required. It cools the cut and helps to flush out chips from the cut.

When you need a slot, nothing else will really do as good a job as a slitting saw. If you don't have one yet, you eventually will.
 
There are two types of saws, slitting and screw slotting, slitting saws have coarse teeth, screw slotting have fine pitch teeth, both types do best aat what the names imply.
 
Arbors; depends on what machine type that you have, Bridgeport types would likely use a stub style R-8 with a screw and washer on the end to retain the cutter, a horizontal mill would likely use a milling arbor with spacers and nut on the end to tighten/ retain the cutter; generally, keys are not used, especially with small thin saws, which if used with keys are liable to break the cutter if something hangs up in the cut.
 
Great replies, I enjoy learning. Thanks everyone. I will be keeping my eyes open for one from now on. My mill uses R8 collets so I'd like an arbor that fits that directly.
Blade thickness probably depends a lot on what the cut is to be used for, but what about blade diameter? Is there a "rule of thumb" for that in general or if I picked up some 2" diameter blades, I'd be mostly okay? Just feel like if I get the arbor I might as well get a few blades too. I'd probably be making cuts in steel alloy/tool steel, maybe mild steel and likely aluminum and brass. Higher number of teeth for harder material and fewer teeth for softer sound right? I'll probably look into carbide and cobalt HSS.
Thanks everyone!
 
Most of the smaller diameter saws are 2- 3/4" diameter, numbers of teeth are pretty much standardized; if you want to break very expensive saws, get carbide, I'd only consider them for abrasive materials, and although I have many dozens of slitting saws, none of them are carbide.
 
It a nice project to make one, not to difficult. I made one several years ago and Alan H. drew up the plans in a nice PDF file posted in this thread. Do not really need to harden it, but a black oxide finish is nice.

I have an assortment of blades from a little over 2" to 5", mine are all HSS, the larger ones have staggered cutting teeth and I think have some relief on the sides. I made my arbor out of O1 rod, but could use something like 1144, 41XX series or similar, they fit in a 3/4" R8 collet. I have used mine several times for slitting, often when I want to add a screw clamp and also for key ways.
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How many members use a slitting saw on their mill? I'm thinking about picking one up but really have no need for one at the moment. Do you use them regularly and for what purpose? Do you use HSS blades or Carbide? Are they noisy? Is a cutting fluid required? Things that I can think of that I might use one for are "French Borders", serrations etc. So likely "V" blades.
I use them once in awhile. A must have for slitting so a collar can be clamped to a shaft. I've got several in different thicknesses & diameters. I have a store bought arbor but it is too clunky. I made one that is much nicer to use. The problem is the retaining screw gets really tight when in use. They always seem to wobble some. They are hard & brittle. I bound one up and it shattered like glass. Use lots of lube or coolant.
 
I may have 100 or 2 blades with all size arbors both R8 and home made alike . Haven't used them since 99 other than weighing down a drawer in one of the big boxes . I did use them quite alot with the right angle head or when straddle milling on the BP . I could see where they would be very handy on a CNC mill for internal grooves . On the BP I go with the facing heads instead .
 
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