Question: mounting slitting saw

I recently purchased a milling arbor having a 22mm shaft. As it happens, it was necessary to purchase the slitting saws from a different supplier.

As one can plainly see in the photo, the shaft of the milling arbor is keyed and the slitting saws have completely round (keyless) holes. Hmmmmm.

I have already tried to remove said key by 'gentle' pursuasion with a pair of large pliers, but it is seems to be quite firmly seated.

The question then is as follows. Is my best solution to simply grab rotary tool and file and cut keyways in the slitting saws or (alternately) is there some special trick that someone can share with me to prise that extended key from the shaft of the milling arbor when I wish to use the slitting saws.

Gentle heating, in the domestic oven, might loosen the key.

MichaelG.

I would hazard a guess that the key has a drop of glue on it, gentle heat might loosen it. Standard way is drill and tap the key in a couple of places and jack it out.

I'd try Michael & Gordon's approach and leave the keyway reusable - but of course you could also simply (and carefully) turn the key off.

Regards,

IanT

I've got perhaps two dozen slitting saws and they've all got key ways cut in them. Where did you get your slitting saws from?

The slitting saws were obtained from RC-Machines in Luxembourg.

.

**LINK**

Hold the key along its whole length by gripping in the top of your mill vice, it will grip better than pliers and not damage the key. Pull the taper or give a gentle tap with a softblow hammer.

If all that fails drill and tap and ease it off by screwing the screw in.

Clive

Gosh, they're expensive!

Stephan Gotteswinter has a couple of videos on youtube about making slitting saw arbors. They are very low profile and are on my to do list. As with all of his projects they are very well executed.

Regards.

David.

I have seen arguments both for and against keys in slitting saws. The view of some people is that if no key is used then in the event of the saw being grabbed it will slip on the arbor so will not be destroyed. It does assume manual feed rather than power feed so operator response is rapid. I have no view to push either way regarding key or not but thought I would let you know the use of a key with slitting saws is debatable.

Martin

@Vic. There are perhaps cheaper suppliers in the UK, but since I'm located here in Belgium the cost of shipping tends to be a bit on the high side relative to a small order. That sometimes makes all the difference in choice of supplier for any particular order.

Do also note that the slitting saws I ordered were thinner - 1.5mm & 2.2mm - and were only € 9.60 a piece and not the € 38.00 listed for that 5mm thick blade.

Interesting Martin. I've bought all my slitting saws from one or other of the model engineering shows over the years and I've not seen any without the key way before, all mine have them. Of course you don't have to use it provided the key on the arbour is removable.

Hi Ignatz, in my experience it is quite common for this type of key to be tight in the key way and I doubt that it will be glued in. A simple way to remove it, is to hold the shaft in a vice with suitable soft jaws to stop it being damaged and using a small cold chisel, gently tap the rounded end of the key upwards. You will need to dig the chisel into the key slightly and the key will need dressing afterwards and you must watch that you do not damage the shaft or threaded portion in the process. This method will be frowned upon by many people, but it does work and you can then drill and tap the key, if you wish, with a little more ease for the next time you need to remove it.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 29/12/2015 11:52:24

The Arbors are made with a key not for slitting saws but for milling cutters! I would never use a slitting saw with a key fitted. Regarding purchase of slitting saws, visit Ebay and you will find many bargains there. I think manual feeding of a slitting saw is absolutely necessary as you can feel the bite and control it, as slow as possible also!

Clive

If the arbor is fairly soft you could drill from the side opposite the key and tap the key out with a drift.

Hi Ignatz, I would try Nick's method with a small shafted cold chisel, having been in the motor trade there is no way you be able to drill and tap a key or drill the shaft from the other side.

Les

Gosh, you guys are super for giving me all of these great suggestions and tips. The weather here is a bit 'iffy' today, but hopefully I'll find time to step out to the garage (my workshop area) and give it a try tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens.

Hold the key in a vice and tap the arbour upwards with a soft copper or lead hammer,I have seen the result of slitting saws overloaded and trying to slip,a narrow saw will put a neat slot in the arbour key,or break, a thicker saw usually breaks,it either collapses in a heap or bits start to fly, I was never a safety maniac ,though goggles should be worn but not in my early days ,when using thin saws, we were instructed to remove keys, When using small saws the arbours did not have keys,they were used to cut hundreds of double slots on microscope eyepiece tubes,the narrow tab between the slots was gently squeezed in to give the eyepiece a nice sliding fit. Nearly all work was handfed I can remember one job was power fed as it involved cutting off rectangular brass bar about 60mm x 10mm about a hundred batch,(though there was a job sheet giving the speed and feed to use.(Victria horizontal mill) never thought at the time that I would have similar mill in my shed 50 years later.