03-06-2014, 08:28 PM
(03-04-2014, 08:33 AM)Sunset Machine Wrote: I've been looking at some brazed carbide side mills. Very cheap, so much so that I'm leery: a 6" diameter, 1" wide, 6 tooth cutter for $20, brand new. Am I going to be able to cut a deep 1" slot in steel with it in a 2 horsepower horizontal mill?
Is that a slotting cutter? The brazed carbide ones are usually good for a few passes before the carbide needs resharpening. Then you need a good tool & cutter grinder with a diamond wheel.
Most have straight-cut teeth that use a lot of horsepower. If that one is that, better to hold off and look for a good alternating angle staggered tooth HSS cutter. Your mill will have more power geared down to speeds appropriate for HSS cutters.