[Charles Lamont]

Originally Posted by pmdevlin

Hi all,

I have been asked to cut cooling slots in a small cylinder head from a rc plane engine. The slots will create the fins to aid cooling.

I am using 1.5mm cutters on my siege xl mill, and they are 4mm in depth.
Paul

How deep are the slots, and how deep a cut are you taking?

[bazmak]

If you are using small dia end mills then depth of cut should be less than cutter dia,and speed as fast as you can.Light feed and lots of wd 40 for alum
If you are using a slitting saw then full depth of cut in one pass with speed
as slow as you can.Assuming 1.5w x 4mm dp slots

[Alchymist]

Haven't tried it on an end mill yet, but when using a hole saw on aluminum plate in the drill press - Windex! Yep, the glass cleaner. Just keep spritzing it on as the cut progresses. Rolls the swarf out of the cut, and cools the saw at the same time. Works good when using the sabre (jig?)saw on aluminum also.

[llionellis]

Tap Magic is available through Amazon But £££££££££
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tap-Magic-7.../dp/B01M1F533L

[Toolguy]

In the USA, this is $16.32 US. + shipping for a 16 0z. bottle.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...agic+%2320016A
It's 55.27 pounds, look at the link above. Still too much though.

[pmdevlin]

How deep are the slots, and how deep a cut are you taking?

Ideally 1.25 to 1.5mm slots, 4 to 5mm deep.

Tonight tried the slitting saws I have for the first time on some scrap, I realised now why they where cheap! Anyway, it was much easier than I had thought, as stated neat and straight. I am using the fine feed for the distance between the slots, after taking out the slack with head locked I can now get the fins pretty much spot on, all the same thickness, so thanks for the info everyone.

Seems to cut better with a medium speed and wd40, going slower resulted in a jam twice. The cut was thicker than the blade, I seem to have a bit of run out caused by cheap saws, or at least the mandrel |(if that's the correct name)

Tapmagic is out at nearly £400!!!! I could buy a second mill for that

If you are using a slitting saw then full depth of cut in one pass with speed

so if the depth is 5mm, I have a choice of cutters, one has fine teeth, and rest are much coarser but smaller diameter, does the speed vary according to diameter? The saws say 20000rpm but the machine surely is much less than this?

[Cogsy]

Originally Posted by pmdevlin

Tapmagic is out at nearly £400!!!! I could buy a second mill for that

It comes up on eBay UK, just search Tap Magic Fluid. Prices were around 20 pounds but I'm in Australia so the shipping might be off.