Machinist

[Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>]

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/slitting-saw-help-276651/

1. Econdron

   Plastic

   Join Date

   May 2013

   Location

   Illinois

   Posts

   35

   

   Wow great info guys! Thanks so much. So due to the depth of my cut, I'm definitely leaning towards a staggered tooth blade. What's a good source? I've only found a couple places that sell this type of saw. MSC sells them for $200+ which I'd like to avoid. Field tool supply is selling a 9/32" thick, 5" diameter, staggered tooth saw for $44 on closeout but that's a little thicker than I'd like. Will the thicker blades work just as well, or do they cut slower?

   • Like
   Reply   Reply With Quote         
2. 12-11-2013, 12:53 PM #7

   stephen thomas

   Diamond

   Join Date

   Jun 2001

   Location

   downhill from Twain\'s study outside Elmira, NY

   Posts

   6,665

   

   No doubt it is obvious to be sure that how ever you clamp it, the clamp or vise is not pinching the saw cut area.
   
   However, as a further note, if that 1018 is cold rolled, it will distort and could pinch the saw as the cut progresses.
   
   Also, if your machine is not in perfect tram, a cut that buries the blade on a vertical mill may cause it to diverge as the cut progresses over a 12" distance you mention, and eventually crack the blade causing that expensive crunching sound and a small explosion.
   
   For that reason, on the first part, with a side cutting or stagger tooth mill, I would only score the work about 1/8" to 1/4" deep (or at least no deeper than the side cutting part of the teeth). If it is a plain slitting mill, stick to 1/8" deep for first pass.
   
   Then I would step in the depth of the teeth, and make another pass, etc, to be sure the blade is tracking well. Once the cut is about 1/2" deep, it will guide the blade, and based on what happened in the first 2 or 3 passes, you can decide to go deeper with following passes.
   
   If the blade cuts the first part "effortlessly" and proves the machine to be in perfect tram, you can decide to take much heavier passes on the rest of the parts. On 12" length of cut, though, I would still tend to make the first pass no deeper than the cutting edges of the teeth, and then maybe bury it for a final pass. Keep lots of cutting oil on it.
   
   If you have a heavy shaper, that cut can also be done on it with a parting blade as another poster shows above.
   (be sure to block the end of the part on a shaper or planer so it positively can't slide)
   
   smt

   • Like
   Reply   Reply With Quote         
3. 12-11-2013, 03:55 PM #8

   sfriedberg

   Stainless

   Join Date

   Oct 2010

   Location

   Oregon, USA

   Posts

   1,920

   

   Econdron, if you're not in a hurry, milling cutters can usually be picked up on eBay for about $10 or $15. Obviously, the selection is hit-or-miss at any given time, but I've picked up a lot of new, practically new, or freshly resharpened shell mills and side-tooth milling cutters there.