Fabricated angle plate

[SteveG]

Made some good progress on my angle plate today.
Got it all nicely squared up. First time I've had to do any real clamping on the mill. Up till now everything has been in the vice.
Also the first time I've used up all my Z dimension. 

   
   

Question now is what to do about mounting holes/slots? I've had a look at commercially available ones online, but there's no consistent pattern.
Generally they seem to have slots, but some run parallel with the angle, some run perpendicular, and some have one side parallel and the other perpendicular.

Since I've never used an angle plate - any recommendation whether to go for holes or slots, and what sort of pattern you've found most practical?

Steve

[SteveG]

Inside has 2 welded in webs if that makes any difference to where the holes/slots should go.

   

Steve

[f350ca]

I made two like yours a while back, still haven't drilled or slotted them. I have one about 6 x 6 x 8 long, one face has slots vertical and the other horizontal. That actually works quite well giving options.
Have read they are to be considered as consumables, drill and tap as needed, kind of makes sense.

[Mayhem]

I'd probably slot horizontal on one face and vertical on the other between the webs. I'd put a vertical slot between the web and the edges if there is sufficient room.

[pepi]

Steve,
Enjoyed seeing the build progress......

Nice\Greg

[SteveG]

Well its now got slots. Not what I'd call good slots, but slots nonetheless.
Some vertical, some horizontal. I managed to take a photo that doesn't show how rough they really are

   

First time I've plunged with a slot drill, and it didn't go all that well. I had one flange clamped vertically in the vice, cutting the slots on the horizontal flange with a 10mm 2-flute HSS slot drill.
Locked the X and Y axis but still had the whole lot wriggling around on me and the plunge holes were quite oversize. I know you should't use a 10mm slot drill if you want a 10mm slot, but my max RPM on the mill is 1465 RPM so really only just fast enough to spin the 10mm. Also the slot size wasn't critical as long as it could take the 3/8" clamping studs that I've got for the mill so I decided just to go with the 10mm cutter.

Hindsight has me thinking that it would have been better to clamp it directly to the table (flange down) using some spacer blocks or machinist jacks underneath. Flange up wouldn't give enough clearance on the ER32 collet holder I'm using. Probably using an 8mm slot drill would have been better than the 10mm too.

As a milling newbie its been a really good learning project and will hopefully be a useful tool.

Steve

[f350ca]

Looks great !

[Dr Stan]

When ever you cut a slot it needs to be cut with an undersized end mill as they will pull off to one side and cut oversized.  A keyway cutter performs better, but will still pull & cut oversized.  This is especially important when cutting key seats in shafts.

BTW, the angle plate looks good.

[SteveG]

(01-15-2018, 01:00 PM)Dr Stan Wrote: When ever you cut a slot it needs to be cut with an undersized end mill as they will pull off to one side and cut oversized.  A keyway cutter performs better, but will still pull & cut oversized.  This is especially important when cutting key seats in shafts.

BTW, the angle plate looks good.

Thanks. I need to have a play around on some scrap stock and just cut a few more slots for practice.
Not 100% sure what you mean by a keyway cutter. You mean like a woodruff key cutter or is there a special endmill/slot-drill style just specially for keyways?

Steve

[Dr Stan]

(01-15-2018, 04:59 PM)SteveG Wrote: is there a special endmill/slot-drill style just specially for keyways?

Steve

There is a special cutter for key seats.  It is effectively an end mill with straight rather than helical cutting edges.  Does a better job of holding size and does not pull off to the side as much.  Typically used after the key seat or slot has been roughed out with an end mill.