Want to mill T slots, need suggestions please.

[Dhector]

Well it sounds like as usual I got in over my head! Is there anyway to do a thumbs down on my own thread!!! Hehehe! I'm going to try it anyway. Funny thing is, I dont even need an angle plate for anything. Saw some plans online and saw a challenge so here we are!!!

I guess I'll find out what my table will do. I feel its tight, but dont have any other mill experience so nothing to compare it to. Cutting oil and air it is, possibly vacuum too. Will see how it goes. Mmcmdl, what is a g job???

I actually have a t slot cutter after seeing the picture. Memory tells me is was rather worn! Will have to look at again and determine if it's worth trying. I know I should probably just buy one but I saw a challenge and made an uneducated decision to conquer!! It took me a long time to cut the plate to even get to the part where the t slots are next, cant give up now! The steel plate I got was torch cut, talk about a while trying to square it up and face it to thickness!!!!!

Project nut, sounds like that's a smart way to approach this. I may go look fo t slot cutters and try to pick some up. With my free time in the next couple days I was hoping to get some of this done, but after reading the replies here, maybe I'd be better off!!!!

Thanks for the replies! I'll keep posting if progress is positive! Depends on plans this weekend on how much will get done!(and my ability)

 

[Dhector]

Waller, no flood coolant, only a mister. As far as making time, I'm probably already past "time"!!!! I'm excited to continue, but nervous now as well! I guess worse case scenario, I'll finish with a piece of scrap metal!!!! Silver lining though will be I learned something!!!! And in all reality, i am learning my mill already with the progress so far. Kind of "getting a better feel" for it already! Yay me!

 

[f350ca]

As a second option, would drilling and threading the top work. I made a tooling plate that gets used extensively.


Greg

 

[projectnut]

To add more Questions to this thread-

so what do you guys do with a used end mill? throw and replace? send to resharpen? where would you send to resharpen if that is the path to take?

Thanks,
Sharon

Waller, no flood coolant, only a mister. As far as making time, I'm probably already past "time"!!!! I'm excited to continue, but nervous now as well! I guess worse case scenario, I'll finish with a piece of scrap metal!!!! Silver lining though will be I learned something!!!! And in all reality, i am learning my mill already with the's best to progress so far. Kind of "getting a better feel" for it already! Yay me!

I don't think you'll have any problems if you have patience and go slow. There are a few T slot cutters available on eBay for around $20.00. If you go that route get either new in the box or "new other". Many people selling these cutters have no knowledge on the subject and can't tell a new one from one that wouldn't cut butter on a warm day.

I don't know what type of mill you'll be using, it's best lock the table on the axis you won't be traveling and put some drag on the table axis you will be traveling.

 

[Dhector]

Greg that plate is awesome! Maybe down the road. I've seen those and they look like a fun project, but I dont even know how to use it. I've never seen anyone or any videos of(havent looked either though, might be something to look at tonight)

Waller - it's an old MSC built in 94. Bought it from a machine shop, and the tools came with it. 9 x 49 if memory serves. It seems to be ok, and one of the old users of it said it was a good one and actually wished he had it. Hoping it's good. Like all my metal tools I've acquired, they need skilled operators more than anything!!!

 

[Bob Korves]

Use your mister with lots of both air and coolant coming out the nozzle, with the nozzle as close as possible to the cut. The more the better. Air to cool the work and cutter and blow out chips, coolant to also cool the work and to lubricate the tool. Adding the use of cutting oil with a brush and a blow gun would not hurt at all, if you have enough arms, that is... (Power feed?)

When you get all the machining done on the angle plate, please show us the pics. Then at some point, if you really want a learning experience, scrape it in on all four faces and all the edges to flat, square, and parallel to high tolerances everywhere. It will be beautiful, an accurate reference surface no matter how you use it, and something to be really proud of. It will continue to be usable during the process. It takes some real time and effort and learning to get there, but the end results are worth it -- in my opinion. It also fixes any bad surface finish issues... Then post the glittering image of THAT!

 

[Dhector]

Here's what I started with. Torch cut on 3 sides. Dont laugh, I kind of wanted to do a lot of work to "experiment" and try to learn different things. I realize it will take an excessive amount of time but I'm ok with that. Also with all the work, I'm kind of getting a "feel" for the mill. To be honest, I have no idea what metals are being used, what speeds are correct, what speed the machine is running at, what tool to use etc.



Here's wher i am now. The surface is not perfectly flat, but for what I'm doing i feel it is sufficient.



Bob K.
You mention scraping. I've read about that a little. Dont even have the tools to do it, but may look into it. I'd probably practice on another piece of scrap, instead of turning this piece in to scrap!! Hehehe! That is if I even accomplish what I want!

Edit. I do have a power feed Bob K.

 

[Bob Korves]

[QUOTE="Bob K.
You mention scraping. I've read about that a little. Dont even have the tools to do it, but may look into it. I'd probably practice on another piece of scrap, instead of turning this piece in to scrap!! Hehehe! That is if I even accomplish what I want!

Edit. I do have a power feed Bob K.[/QUOTE]

Something to try to achieve...

 

[NortonDommi]

Well Stefan Gotteswinter sets a high bar to hurdle! He does motivate to improve things though.

 

[Dhector]

Well I believe I earned my first beer today!!!! Its not like going to not have one anyway, now I have an excuse for one!! First T slot went very well. I had to cut it in 3 passes(math skills were absent!) Fortunately my first cut was lower than the top needed to be so I could still salvage it. Next three will be done in 2 cuts after I cut the .625 x .725 groove. If you look at the bottom picture there is a very small difference between where the end mill cut down to as opposed to where the Woodruff key cutter, cut. I just touched the tools to the top of the plate, zeroed the dro and went to cutting. No big deal Im sure but it is a little off. Maybe a thou, guessing.
I have a question though. The blueprints(found online) call for a wider T slot, but the t nuts I have fit very well. I'm thinking about leaving it as it is. Anyone see any problems with leaving it? Thanks for all the help from every body.