Staggered Tooth Side Milling Cutters

[benjaminh]

How well do side milling cutters such as the ones in the link below work?
https://www.toolmex.com/CatSearch/24...taggered-teeth

I'm considering getting one for cutting a bunch of slots, but I've never used one before. What's the surface finish like with these? Can a mill/drill handle a cutter like this?

Benjamin

[boslab]

I use them on my little denbeigh horizontal, I find them better than straight gash teeth, quieter too, it's just personal, I don't have any kind of scientific reason to prefer them, they just work better for me, mine are 1" bore, where a bouts are you located?
Mark

[J Tiers]

Just like any cutter. The difference is they rarely bog in a cut, because they can cut their way out of trouble. May not go the way you wanted, though, if something gets cocked.

[BCRider]

Those would be a good size for a mill drill. I would not want to go too much larger or you risk spinning the collet or arbor in the spindle from the torque they can generate.

My old mill drill had a couple of notches in the end of the spindle to engage keys on the face mill that came with the machine. If you're making or buying an arbor to hold cutters of this sort it would be worth using a design that would similarly engage the notches if you have them on your own mill/drill.

Seems like it was not uncommon with the Morse Taper spindles but not so much with the R-8 spindles. But if you have the option I'd go with it. Spinning the arbor would really ruin your day... and the spindle taper.

[benjaminh]

Mark: I'm in southern British Columbia, in the Greater Vancouver area.

How is the surface finish with these? Can you get a nice clean looking surface?

[Mcgyver]

How is the surface finish with these? Can you get a nice clean looking surface?

likely better than any milled finish you've seen so far....in a horizontal mill. Main advantage over a straight cutter is as Bob says, they don't hammer. They are awesome cutters.....but really, unless used in the smallest and lightest manner, they are horizontal milling cutters and you will not get the benefit of them outside of a horizontal mill with its rigidity, slow speeds and torque. Think of using a 3" fly cutter in your mill - how gentle you have be with it re DOC etc.

I you do you use them in a horizontal mill, especially nice is you can go full depth, need an inch deep slot, not problem.....away you go and finish is excellent.

i'd recommend for your mill/drill a good endmill. If you're having finish issues, i wonder if you know not to use the cutter to cut to width if you want good accuracy and finish - ie, use a 3/8 cutter to make a 1/2 slot and plan for a 5 though finish cut on each side. Keep a stream of air going into the slot so chips aren't jamming up the slot and you can get really good results from an endmill....it just takes more futzing around.

[BCRider]

I find a lot to agree with in McGuyver's reply.

But one thing where these would stand out is if you need a slot in the end of a long piece and you want square corners. It's hard to stand a longer piece up so you can mill a slot of that sort with an end mill. That is where one of these in a suitable arbor would shine.

I could see 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 inch versions being very handy. But after that it would be multiple passes for any wider slots. At least that's how I see it so that it doesn't overload the holding power of taper in the spindle.

[benjaminh]

OK, I think I'll stick with endmills. Thanks for all your answers!

[Ohio Mike]

Also avoid slotting with 2 flute endmills. They will wander more.

[CCWKen]

I've cut keyways with a drill press so these and a heavier machine should be a cakewalk.

[BCRider]

Also avoid slotting with 2 flute endmills. They will wander more.

That only works with more than 2 flute cutters if they are the center cutting type. Or if you are careful to keep the cutter moving along the cut as you plunge. But if you plunge too fast with a normal clear center style end mill you risk metal getting into the center pip where it locks the cutter in place. Then you risk snapping the cutter.

2 flute end mills are the right tool for slotting in the big majority of cases because they are intended to plunge and move. I've found that if they give a poor cut it's usually because the chips can't clear fast enough or that I got greedy with my depth for the diameter

[J Tiers]

The stagger tooth cutters hammer just about as much as any other cutter, unless they are wide enough that the cutting edges of the teeth overlap. They are a little better because of the angled edge.

When you are using in a mill drill (import, or Bridgeport), you cannot have any serious slamming or hammering, as it will cause things to slip. Think of an impact wrench.

For a mill drill use end mills. You CAN get center cutting 4 flute, they have a flute that goes across center. But the best idea is to use a smaller end mill than the slot, go down center, then come back and clean up to dimension. That way wandering on the first pass is less of an issue. After that they won't wander, but you might have to take a spring pass.

If your slot is only 0.062, then you HAVE TO use a slotting cutter. If much narrower, slitting saw. I think my thinnest side cutting saw is 1/16".

[Mcgyver]

The stagger tooth cutters hammer just about as much as any other cutter, unless they are wide enough that the cutting edges of the teeth overlap.

its smoother because the ends of teeth are a helix (at least all that i've seen). A straight cutter hammers like crazy when starting, less when its loaded and underway, but the staggered tooth is a lot smoother right from the start because the tooth enters at an angle rather than all at once

[J Tiers]

its smoother because the ends of teeth are a helix (at least all that i've seen). A straight cutter hammers like crazy when starting, less when its loaded and underway, but the staggered tooth is a lot smoother right from the start because the tooth enters at an angle rather than all at once

you meed to quote the whole statement.....

The stagger tooth cutters hammer just about as much as any other cutter, unless they are wide enough that the cutting edges of the teeth overlap. They are a little better because of the angled edge.

........

In any case, the angle on the teeth is small, and the narrower the cutter, the closer to straight they act.

Now, on a slab mill, the teeth overlap, and then it really smooths out.

I have never noticed much less slamming with a stagger tooth cutter, unless it is wide, because the teeth just don't have much angle. Like I said, it IS a little better. But it can still "impact wrench" your head setting off-angle in a hurry if you are not careful.

Works great on a real horizontal mill.

[Mcgyver]

Works great on a real horizontal mill.

yeah, the angle tooth bit didn't register. A full sized machine is where I use them and notice a pretty much night and day difference, I'd trade 4:1 or morefor staggered. It might be less black and white if you weren't going full depth and loading up the system....but I've found the difference very substantial