Slitting Saws??

Michael J. Spangler

Michael J. Spangler

Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
2,181
hey guys... i just got a few slitting saw blades... i believe to be the following specs. .051 thick 2 3/4" diameter and a 1" hole with 56 teeth made from HSS. would this be of any use for slotting guards and cutting locks? i know stever johnson used one in his video on sub hilts... looked like it worked out well.

but i basically don't know anything about them. anyone have any guidelines on cutting with one? what number of teeth for what thickness stock etc? thanks again guys much appreciated
 
Mike,
You can use them for cutting the long part of your linerlocks. For slotting guards why not just use an endmill?

You need a MacHinists' Ready Reference Manual.

OR,

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Just think of the machinery you would have access to, bridgeports, CNC machines, surface grinders!!!
 
hey chuck.

i hear ya why not use a mill? but i happened to stumble onto about 50 of these slitting saws for nothing so i figured they might ne nice for single branch guards.

yeah i went to voc for high school... took culinary arts though. i keep trying to talk myself into taking that course. and let me tell you that school does nothing but spend money on the newest best technology for all of their shops, they are top of the line and i know they have sooo many toys to play with, well worth the 150 bucks

thanks a lot man
 
It is my opinion that to properly utilize a slitting saw, you'd need a mill. Do you have a mill?

Guidelines for using one, based upon my experience, which is not that great.

You need a rigid set up because these things tend to chatter, normal surface feet per minute (which will equate to a fairly low RPM if it is very large) shallow depth of cut (don't try to do it all in one pass), less chip load per tooth than you'd use on an endmill, and I wouldn't try to climb cut with one without CNC, I'd keep it down cut on a manual mill.
 
Hi Mike. Yeah, what Nathan said :thumbup: + the arbor you choose is very important. Don't even consider the cheap multi size capability arbors. They're junk and you'll have serious run out problems. BTW, I'm talking about using these in an R8 type arbor in a bridgeport type mill, verses a horizontal type mill where the arbor is captured at the spindle and in a tailstock, as in a gang saw set-up. Thin, large diameter (<~3") slotting/slitting saws are also prone to "walking" off in their own direction if everything isn't "just right" . Unlike e-mills where you generally choose an e-mill smaller than your finished slot size I have found that especially for smaller slitting saws (up to ~ 1/4") best results for me have been acheived by using the correct size right of the bat. One pass for width, in other words, if you try to mill a .060 slot with a .030 saw you'll have "issues" when you move to open the slot up, especially if it is a deep slot. Unless the tool is a rigid, thick saw (say < .250) it will flex. Sharp tool is a must also. Dull teeth, especiall on one side of the kerf will compound problems with walking. Slotting/Slitting Saws are great in the right application with the right machine tools. If you're improvising they can be made to work but it can be a fight and there is a real good chance you'll be making some scrap. I definitely would not have turned them down. Heck, I'll take almost any tooling, machine tools or whatever, if someone is giving it to me ;) Let us know how they work out for you :thumbup: FWIW, many of the larger tool makers like Sandvik, Valenite,Kennemetal etc. make insert type slotting saws that are awesome ! For the most part they're designed to be used in very rigid CNC machine tools, but man, do they mill a nice slot :thumbup: ;) FAST !
 
Hey Spangler,
wanna unload a couple or 10 of those slitting saw blades cheap? they would look right pretty on my old Burke horizontal mill :D

-Page
 
so basically unless you buy one for exactly what you need its not worth messing withtrying to make it work. for the price of one of the arbors i might as well just but a nice slitting saw with carbide teeth to go with it right?

i'll keep a few to mess with but i guess if anyone is interested let me know i can send em to ya.

page email me and send me your adress i'll ship em out.

take care guys and thanks a lot
 
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