Need Help!- Advice for cutting .002" shim stock w/ endmill

[stipierreinc]

I've got to make some shims for a company out of .002" shim stock and I have to cut it with an endmill. So far I have had best results by stacking several pieces together and then cutting like normal but the end mill still ends up ripping the shim stock. Does anyone have any advice that might make my life easier?

[flannman]

Hi

I use sheet wax to hold down shim of this thickness and then use a solvent in an ultrasonic tank to completely remove it after machining. Try googling "mitee-bite" for one brand name i have personally used and it is excellent for this application.

Regards

Flannman

[jalessi]

Wttool stocks it.


http://www.wttool.com/category-exec/...nm/Mitee_Grip_

[scadvice]

...just captured and stacked the shim stock beween two 1/8 or 1/4 thick sheets of aluminum. Bolt or clamping them together. You didn't say what shape you needed to cut, but most of the time I've been able to use exsisting hole patterns or just put holes in places that it made no difference to the function of the shims. You can make some very complex shapes this way.
Steve

[NC Cams]

Life is too short

LASER CUT IT. ALl you need is a DXF file.

[stipierreinc]

I like the laser sutting Idea but If I outsource everything I won't have a job anymore so I used the wax stuff and it worked way better then sandwiching the shim stock with thicker stuff thanks for the advice everyone

[marksumner]

It has been my experience that laser cutting thin material will make it warp and you will not achieve any kind of flatness. You have to sandwich it between two pieces of aluminum and drill and tap holes to sucure the material, then machine it, you will end up with good parts

[little bubba]

This worked for .001 beryllium copper, may or may not work for what you are doing. Made a simple die. Some prehard 4140, milled out a male of the shim shape I needed, and instead of making a full on die, used some nylon drops for the female. Hit it on the hydraulic press. Didn't work perfect, and the nylon didn't last long, but got the job out and it was pretty tight tolerance. Anything that didn't shear off nicely was easily taken care of with an exacto knife.

[marksumner]

I did a job for Lam Reseach and tried the laser trick, it did not work, the parts came out like a banana, Have you considered photo etch. It is a cheap process, you will get a one time tooling charge about $125.00, this is a chemical process, that ecthes the material away and is very accurate, research it and let me know

thanks
Mark
Accu Machine

[NC Cams]

IF you try to directly cut the stock with laser, I could see lots of distortion potential, BUT if you sandwich it tween .005 or 0.03 hard steel shim stock, different story. WE cut valve spring shims all the time out of .005, .015 and .030 and they are perfect absolutely no distortion

Re post 6 - while you're struggling with the shim stock, the laser shop could be doing the work in parallel path sort of deal. You'd make a quick 15-20 percent for doing almost nothing.