Good 60-degree Double Angle Cutter Recommendation

[Guncraft]

I am looking for a good 60-degree, double-angle cutter. Carbide would be nice, but I do not want to break the bank. Have one that you like and would recommend?

Thank you!

Andy

[Toolguy]

I have gotten some good HSS ones for cheap from Grizzly. Depends on what size you are wanting. I think their smallest one is 3/8" diameter.

[Guncraft]

3/4" or so would be fine. Any really big difference in tool life and quality of cut with the cheaper (not junk, just less expensive) double angle cutters and the $60+ ones from Niagara?

Thank you!

Andy

[LKeithR]

...Any really big difference in tool life and quality of cut with the cheaper (not junk, just less expensive) double angle cutters and the $60+ ones from Niagara?

As with most things in life, when it comes to buying tooling the rules don't change--you get what you pay for. Yes there are some decent and cheap cutters out there but I've never found any that were consistent in quality...

[Toolguy]

The ones I got a few years back have given good service. I have several Grizzly tools and am satisfied with all of them. Presumably the current crop is of equal quality but I have no way to verify that.

[lakeside53]

Buy a good end mill, and when it dulls or you mess it up, send it out for sharpening. 3/4 inch shouldn't be "disposable".

What are cutting? That will somewhat dictate the trade-offs.

Are you using this for chamfering or actually making a 60 V? If the former consider an insert face mill of the size/ angle you need.

[PStechPaul]

I was unfamiliar with a double angle cutter, so I found one from MSC for $36:

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/03196052

It's the Interstate brand which is usually imported, but the pictures shows that the COO is Japan, so it's probably good quality.



You might also be able to use a 60 degree dovetail cutter (for about $10) with the work or mill head tilted 30 degrees:

[RussZHC]

Based on replies so far, I assume you are talking about for a vertical mill?
KEO might have something, not sure of cost though...

Asked as if its for a horizontal mill, best place I have found to buy those is EBay and none I ever bought were more than about $15 US, Moon, Niagara and Dolfa (?, drawing a blank, Polish...) my sizes were to work with a since sold Atlas horizontal mill, larger will be more $$$ but not double I would think...if its not too wide, I have also seen what used to be flat cutters ground to that double angle

[10KPete]

So, what is a 'double angle' 60* cutter? Is it the one Paul showed or a dovetail cutter??

Pete

[Toolguy]

It's the one Paul showed in the first link. A dovetail cutter is a single angle cutter.

[10KPete]

It's the one Paul showed in the first link. A dovetail cutter is a single angle cutter.

That's what I thought! Thanks for the clarification.

Pete

[Guncraft]

Lakeside53,

I will be cutting 60-degree grooves like this example:



Thanks!

Andy

[Toolguy]

A thread mill of the correct pitch does a fine job of that. You can buy just the inserts and make your own holder or get a solid carbide one. Then you can cut all the grooves in one swipe. It's way faster and less chance for error.

[lakeside53]

You don't want a 3/4 inch diameter DA mill. If you want to use a single point mill, those groove are in the territory of the 1/8 inch Onsrud carbide engraving tools spinning at 8-15k rpm..... and the tips are extremely fragile. I wouldn't on your machine.

Do what Toolguy suggests above....

[Guncraft]

The picture I provided is but one example of the serrations that can be cut on the flat top of a 1911 slide. Flat tops can vary in width and therefore the layout of the serrations. Also, there can be different depths of cut on some of the serrations to give extra eye appeal. Some also stagger the start and stop points, etc. Most use a double-angle cutter for this process.

Andy