Small Diameter Slitting Saw

[tornitore45]

I had no luck looking for a Slitting/Slotting Saw 0.5" diameter 0.040" thick to cut fins 0.15" deep that are not complete circles
If one comes with an integral shank it should be less than 0.2" diameter and have a stick out reach of 0.6" (plus the length inside the collet)

I remember seeing something suitable but failed to capture the source.

[SteveM]

There are little saws available for Dremel. They are very thin. They attach to an arbor (you could easily make your own).

The ones I have are about 3/4" diameter. Maybe there are some smaller.

Probably not good for cutting steel, but might work on aluminum.

Horror Freight has them as small as 3/4"
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-piece-h ... 67224.html

Steve

[jcfx]

Does the saw have to be .50 diameter ?
McMaster has slitting saws that are .040 but they're 2.75 dia.
Victor Machinery has them in 2" dia - https://www.victornet.com/subdepartment ... /1592.html

[choprboy]

MSC has some 3/4"x0.040", but they are pricy. McMaster has some 3/4"x3/64" (0.047") as well. Micromark has some for Dremels/ertc that are 3/4"x0.15". I would have thought LittleMachineShop would have some, but they only seems to have a handful of larger sizes now... 1/2"D is pretty small. I may have one of those HF saw sets around somewhere I picked up for an experiment, I'll see if I can find to and measure the smaller blades.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/02114049
https://www.mcmaster.com/slitting-saws

[Harold_V]

Jewelry supply stores may be a source for thin, small diameter saw blades. That was the case for me when I was actively machining, and was my source of choice due to quality and cost. Check the yellow pages in your town.

H

[Rick]

Look at woodruff key cutters. McMaster has a 3/64 (0.047)thick 0.5 dia. Don't know if that is close enough for you application or not. I have taken woodruff key cutters and ground the thickness to what was required on a surface grinder. Clamp them in a v block in the vertical position and grind as required.

[Harold_V]

Rick's trick of narrowing works, but the typical Woodruff has relief ground on the sides, which is now removed. For a shallow cut, you may enjoy success, but if there's any question, it pays to reproduce the relief, which is nothing more than a (shallow) hollow grind. It may not be apparent to the casual observer that it even exists.

H

[Rick]

Thanks Harold
Yes forgot to mention relief. Some I have done worked without having to relieve others had the be relieved. Just have to try it and go from there.

[tornitore45]

Smallest I could find, even on jewelry supply, was 0.75" dia.
Woodrooff cutter are not a solution because the reduced shank portion is very short and I need to cut 7 fins.
I have decided to make a few to cut fins in aluminum, for 5 cylinders of a radial engine.
I made similar cutters before and worked well.
I drill six 1/8 holes into a 0.75" drill rod blank at a calculated hole circle to give me 12 degrees rake at 0.5" dia. Then I turn down the cutter to final size exposing the teeth; then mill a straight relief behind the teeth. The blank can be easily made hollow ground, it looks like a washer and mount on an arbor. Harden without even temper it.
Is not difficult, just not worth the trouble if a cutter can be bought for a few bucks.

[SteveM]

I drill six 1/8 holes into a 0.75" drill rod blank at a calculated hole circle to give me 12 degrees rake at 0.5" dia. Then I turn down the cutter to final size exposing the teeth; then mill a straight relief behind the teeth. The blank can be easily made hollow ground, it looks like a washer and mount on an arbor. Harden without even temper it.

Please post pictures of the process, if you do it. I'd like to see that.

Steve

[tornitore45]

Steve, I am leaving for the NAMES show on Wednesday, pulling the travel trailer on the way to final destination Buffalo.
Wont be back until September and the shop is "closed", cleaned, oiled, power down. Will try post pictures when get back and actually do the cutter.

[whateg0]

If you are going to the trouble of making a cutter, which I do from time-to-time if the need arises, why can't a woodruff key cutter be modified as described, then the shank reduced in diameter to what is needed?

Dave