milling deep thin slot

[dlenardu]

I need to mill a slot in aluminum that is 1.5" deep and 1/8" wide. This slot is about 5" long. What do you guys suggest as the best way to do this?

Thanks in advance

[Mitsui Seiki]

I'd use a slot cutter.
But it depends on if the slot is open or not,straigh or curved,tolerances,if there's enough room for it.

[dlenardu]

When you say slot cutter I assume you are talking about a slotting/slitting saw? If this is the case do you know of a good source. The only one I can find is .128" thick and 2-3/4" in diameter. I really need atleast a 3" in diameter cutter and that would depend on the size of the arbor. Then what do you do at the ends of the cut where they are curved instead of the 1.5" overall depth?

[stevo1]

What kind of material are you milling into? I would do as Mitsui had said. Use a disk cutter. I don't know if they make inserted disk cutters in this width. I have always used a carbide saw 3" in diameter. Depending on what you are cutting climb milling is usually a must.

We also had to remove the radius at the start and end of each cut. Most of our slots were only .042" wide and and about .25" deep so we used a spindle speeder to get the RPM needed to mill out the radius with and endmill. You pick away at it like a staircase starting at the top.

Stevo

[Torsten]

If you are doing just one it would be fastest to just mill the slot.
preferably from both sides so you only need to go down 0.75".
High spindle RPM and a Airmist coolant to blow the chips out.
Take no more then 0.05" depth each pass and also feed it back and forth.
SHould be easy enough.

[Mitsui Seiki]

Originally Posted by dlenardu When you say slot cutter I assume you are talking about a slotting/slitting saw? If this is the case do you know of a good source. The only one I can find is .128" thick and 2-3/4" in diameter. I really need atleast a 3" in diameter cutter and that would depend on the size of the arbor. Then what do you do at the ends of the cut where they are curved instead of the 1.5" overall depth?

Try this.

http://ecat.secotools.com/

Search for a disc cutter named R335.10

At the ends you can do a simple contour with a 3/32 endmill ,working your way down to depth.

[Konrad]

Slitting saws or cold saws work best,...but tooth form should be ground for alum. for best results.
For alum. you need coarse teeth.
On your .128" blade....grind down side to about .123"...it will cut oversize a bit.

Konrad

[PixMan]

For a slot that deep it seems to me you need a slotting cutter at least 4" in diameter, but even with that you'd need to have an arbor of less than 1" diameter. Not likely.

My Valenite catalog shows you'd need a 6" outside diameter one to get that depth of cut. Their V350 A 12 60 D14 would do the trick. It's got a 1.5" hole, so you need an arbor that size.

The 14 inserts you should get for it would be VSG 3.10 N 30-SC. Those are .123" wide, but the likely overcut would make your slot just about .125". If they run tight you could try the VSG 3.18 N 30-PG. Those are .125" wide, exactly.