Cutting Chamfers

[rleete]

I have started yet another project - big surprise, huh?

This one requires 2 fairly large (~1/4"+) chamfers on the end.  Do you guys generally use chamfer cutters, or would you rotate the vise and just use an end mill?  How often do you rotate your mill vise to accommodate things like chamfers and angles?

I do not have a rotary base under my vise, so I would have to rotate and fasten down, then rotate the other way to do the other side.  Luckily, the angles are both 45 degrees, so setting the vise isn't too big an issue, but what do you do when the angles are not so even?

I'm curious as to how others normally do it.

[EdK]

For large chamfers like that I'd use a chamfering tool and take shallow cuts.  

Ed

[Highpower]

90° combination drill/mill cutters for the smaller stuff, or a Valenite Mini-Mill S-VMSP 138R 45CF chamfer/face mill that I got from Ken (PixMan) years ago for the larger stuff.

For doing odd angles with a regular end mill a set of angle blocks, sine bar or electronic level to position the part in your vice helps. Sometimes you just have to get creative with how you position the part in your vise.

 

[TomG]

I have a 1/2" endmill with a 90° point on it that I use for such things. I've also hand ground larger ones but it's difficult to get both cutting edges working together but even so, it works pretty well. I only swing the head or vise as a last resort.

[rleete]

Here's how I ended up doing it:

   

Part is raised up at an angle (15 degrees) and vise is clocked at 45 degrees.  This puts the chamfers perpendicular to the top face, but at 15 degrees off the top clamping surface.

I made a P.V.C. angle block using my protractor to get the 15 degree angle.  Someday I'll buy a full set of angle blocks.

[EdK]

(12-08-2024, 12:42 PM)rleete Wrote: Someday I'll buy a full set of angle blocks.

Me to.

Ed

[Highpower]

(12-09-2024, 02:03 AM)EdK Wrote:

(12-08-2024, 12:42 PM)rleete Wrote: Someday I'll buy a full set of angle blocks.

Me to.

Ed

Surely you guys can just print a set can't you? Only us schmucks without a printer have to resort to buying them.

[rleete]

I might have, but printer is down. I got a thermal overload alarm and shut it off to cool down. Now it won't boot back up.

[Highpower]

(12-09-2024, 09:27 AM)rleete Wrote: I might have, but printer is down.  I got a thermal overload alarm and shut it off to cool down.  Now it won't boot back up.

Bummer. Sounds like you got a dose of my kind of luck.