Got paid today...tool gloat!
#1
Wink 
So if you remember back to Posts 2134 and 2476 in the "Today's Project" section, I had modified two brand new carbide insert milling cutters, two times (total of four) for a friend who is a commercial machine shop owner. What I wanted in return was not money, but a carbide insert 90º shoulder/facemill like the ones I'd sold to Ed and at least one other guy. Wrustle has a couple of these too, and they are the "dogs bollocks" for milling wider faces to shoulders (or not) as well as general purpose work.

Ed and Wrustle have the 2", 4-insert versions of the Walter F4041 cutter. The inserts have high axial shear and steep top rake angles, so lend themselves well to lower HP machines. There are six different grades, 5 different corner radii and two different rake angles available to cover machining virtually any material and/or part feature requiring flat or shoulders with a corner radius.

Today I received my pay for the work! It's a 2-1/2" (63mm), 4-insert cutter, so a little bigger than the other guys' 2" (50.8mm) cutters though same number of inserts.

[Image: IMG_2490-r_zps6ec99231.jpg]
[Image: IMG_2491-r_zps7a9ff428.jpg]

While I've got a spare 1-1/4" R8 shell mill holder, I need a 1" diameter holder for this cutter. Given the value of this new cutter is almost $500, I want a quality US made one if I can find one for a reasonable price. I got 4 inserts with it, the LNGX130708R-L55 in grade WKP35S, for steels.

As time goes by and tool money replenishes (or good eBay deals come up), I'll add the proper grades for 300 series stainless steels (WSM35S) and the coated or uncoated extra sharp LNGX130708R-L88 for aluminum (WK10 or WXN15.) Might be good to also have the most general purpose grade WSP45S, in case a superalloy falls into my shop.

All told, those cutter modifications was the best paying job I've ever done in my shop!
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#2
Very nice Ken!
Hunting American dentists since 2015.
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#3
(11-10-2014, 11:08 PM)Mayhem Wrote: Very nice Ken!

Smiley-signs064

  Cool
Willie
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#4
As do I. Smiley-signs064

I need to try mine again and try to figure out why I was having such a bad experience with it. It's a shame to have a nice tool and not be able to use it, probably from lack of knowledge.

Ed
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#5
Thanks guys. I had been keeping my eyes on eBay for one but the only one I found was a 3" for $386. That's just too much cutter for a 2HP machine. I have a 3" cutter with 45º lead angle, and the chip-thinning effect of the lead angle is the only reason I can take a decent cut with it. I had a 4" cutter at one time, that's in Wrustle's shop now, where it belongs.

I spent just about 5 hours modifying the Weldon shank cutter bodies, so this is fairly good pay for a home shop job.
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#6
(11-10-2014, 09:08 PM)PixMan Wrote: ...

While I've got a spare 1-1/4" R8 shell mill holder, I need a 1" diameter holder for this cutter. Given the value of this new cutter is almost $500, I want a quality US made one if I can find one for a reasonable price....

I got mine from Maritool but they don't seem to be making R8 shell mill arbors anymore. That's too bad because they make quality products.

How about this one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Shell-Mill-Hol...234148b056

Ed
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#7
Thanks Ed!

That looks like a quality tool and I may consider it. I've got feelers out to a local distributor of other brands and depending upon the pricing I get I'll make a choice. That one is definitely in the running.

BTW, I want to help you with any problems you've been having with your cutter. Please describe what you were trying to do and how it failed to perform. I can send you (or post here) some PDF's of pages from the Walter catalog which show recommended cutting speeds, feed rates, grade choices, approach angles, HP calculations, etc., all of which can help you learn to succeed and be as happy with the cutter as Wrustle is with his.
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#8
Thanks Ken. I'll have to try to remember what the issues were. I know that my mill was making a lot of noise when I tried using the tool. When I get some time, I'll have to try it again and see what's going on.

Ed
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#9
(11-11-2014, 11:46 AM)PixMan Wrote: BTW, I want to help you with any problems you've been having with your cutter. Please describe what you were trying to do and how it failed to perform. I can send you (or post here) some PDF's of pages from the Walter catalog which show recommended cutting speeds, feed rates, grade choices, approach angles, HP calculations, etc., all of which can help you learn to succeed and be as happy with the cutter as Wrustle is with his.

HEY......stop putting words in my mouth!

Who says I'm happy with mine??

Do you realize how many times I have to go deposit money in the bank every week due to the increased productivity that tool has provided.

It's pretty goddamn exhausting!!!  Does that sound like a happy guy to you.......does it?


Damn right it does!

Later,
Russ
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#10
ROFLMAO.....good one Russ!
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