+- MetalworkingFun Forum (http://www.metalworkingfun.com)
+-- Forum: Machining (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-5.html)
+--- Forum: Projects (http://www.metalworkingfun.com/forum-7.html)
+--- Thread: Log Splitter (/thread-2109.html)
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
Just trimming the 16mm thick base of the pusher to size.
I find the smoke trails from the chips ......... whatever
..................... so I took a photo. 
[attachment=10177]
DaveH
RE: Log Splitter - PixMan - 03-04-2015
What kind of tool are you using for the face milling operation? Looks like cold rolled 1018 steel and perhaps an insert cutter.
If the cutter is HSS, you're OK with the oil for cutting lube. If the cutter is an insert mill, cut it DRY! The thermal shock micro-cracks of hitting the oil will kill carbide inserts faster than just wearing them out.
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
The tool is this one, Although it is for four inserts I only use two.
[attachment=10178]
The steel is 100 x 16mm (flat bar) hot rolled steel. The only problem with hot rolled steel is the side edges tend to be "rounded" hence the milling operation to make them flat and square. Cold rolled would have been nice ............... didn't have any
I just think at 1200 rpm it doesn't gets hot enough to cause the micro cracks. Also using the cutting oil from the start helps from the point of thermal shock.
Looking at the inserts above they were pretty worn out. I did change them.
DaveH
RE: Log Splitter - PixMan - 03-04-2015
Cut it dry and see how tool life improves. The only thing a dab of oil does for carbide is make smoke and smell. Thermal shock to the inserts is caused by the intermittent application of cutting fluids, which is exactly what you get in a milling operation because the insert is "in and out" of the cut constantly. What leads you to believe a little oil helps? Quite the opposite!
What diameter is the cutter? It looks to be either 20 or 25mm judging by how much bigger it is than the 16mm width of the workpiece. I never run a cutter with missing inserts because you can easily damage the unoccupied insert pockets. Why do you do that? The heat of cutting is definitely enough to cause thermal shock micro cracks which are often disguised as tool flank wear because the edge erodes away the crack propagation. Heat is carried away by the chips (ideally), but it does get hot enough in the cutting zone just off the edge of the insert but is definitely hot enough to cause the edge cracking at 1200 rpm. Use all four and take a lighter depth of cut if HP is the limiting factor.
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
The cutter diameter is 25mm and Iscar call it an end mill and the insert makes it suitable for a (limited) face cutter. I don't use it as an end mill (in the true sense of an end mill).
The cutting oil also takes some of the heat away, and the cutting oil helps the finish on the steel the main reason I use it. If I could zip the speed up to plus 5000 rpm I'm sure the finish will be a lot better. I have to try to make the best of what I have and the cutting oil helps.
It is a normal practice in the home workshop with bench top mills to only use one or two inserts (in stead of all four). It does come down to the power required and in my case the lack of it, also the chip load per insert and the vibration plays a part. Another factor is I cut in conventional milling so the cutter is not used full face diameter but approx half at a time.
If someone wants to try using all four inserts then I would say try it see what happens then try two or one and then choose, see what suits your machine.
I've not damaged the empty pockets - it can't be easy Ken because I'm normally good at easy.
Ed, reduced the number of cutting inserts and found it was better so it worked for him as well.
At the time I bought this cutter with some inserts about 15 years ago this was all there was, maybe now there is better tooling for the home workshop. The tool I have was not really intended to be used on a bench type mill and I will bet money they never tested it to see how it would perform.
When I bought it from Iscar they were a little skeptical whether it work work satisfactory. A guy even came to my work shop to see if it would work, and that is why I always buy Iscar tooling and inserts.
As far as I know the dry cutting came from Industry because they wanted to get rid of the "mess" associated with fluids. As I understand the tooling companies do not say don't use cutting oil they say you can machine dry and if you want to use cutting oil use it from the start.
DaveH
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
(03-04-2015, 04:09 PM)PixMan Wrote: Cut it dry and see how tool life improves.
I'm not sure I'm going to live that long
DaveH
RE: Log Splitter - PixMan - 03-04-2015
Given that I do this kind of thing for a living (and have for over 35 years), I might be a rep for a tooling company because I know through extensive testing at a commercial level just what cutting dry does do. One thing the oil definitely does not do is take any of the heat away. That's what the chips themselves do.
Do whatever works for you. I don't live at your shop and can't guide you in the use of your machine. I'm sorry that I appeared to be trying to do that.
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
(03-04-2015, 05:40 PM)PixMan Wrote: I don't live at your shop and can't guide you in the use of your machine. I'm sorry that I appeared to be trying to do that.
No Ken it didn't appear to me like that at all
I wish you did live next door to me (free samples 
) and perhaps you would let me have a ride on your motor bike ( Don't tell my wife) I didn't see it or read that way at all nothing to be sorry about when trying to help.
Like you I'm a great fan of insert cutters even in the home work shop and I can remember guys saying it is not possible to use them in the home work shop on small machines - heck I use them on my Sherline machines
. It is just a case of using the correct ones. DaveH
RE: Log Splitter - EdK - 03-04-2015
I think my problem with using the shoulder mill was caused by the very sloppy lead screw nuts. Switching to using just one insert likely just masked the problem slightly.
Ed
RE: Log Splitter - DaveH - 03-04-2015
Certainly didn't help
I think when your mill is fixed try it out see what seems good for your machine. I'm just talking about facing on small bench top milling machines and although it is an end mill I've not used it for profiling or shouldering I bought it purely for facing.
But did you like them smoke trails
DaveH