Milling a 45 degree 'v' slot

I'm currently attempting (with varying degrees of success) to replicate my T1 Dickson tool holder.

The next step is to mill 4 'v' slots (see the image below).

Looks like you can buy insert tool holders which cut 'v' slots at 90 degrees, which would suffice if I mounted the work end-up. However I'd like to avoid buying tools I'd only use once or twice.

I'd it we're just one tool holder I'd be happy to just shove it on the vice BUT the goal is to mill say 4 at a time from one piece of stock before chopping them up.

The current plan (unless convinced otherwise) is to hold the work at 45 degrees and use an endmill to make the cut.

How would *you* hold such a piece?

Hi Lee, Guys,

Whilst your picture shows one way of getting a 45 degree angle, its not a good way of holding work for milling. My recommendation would be to buy a proper inverted cutter and secure the work to the mill table properly. At a pinch you could use a 45 degree HSS or carbide countersink and take it easy with the cut.

Edited By John Baron on 20/05/2020 14:58:32

one of these? Check you have enough headroom before parting with money!

adjustable angle plate

Don't worry John, that setup was just an example of how I need the work oriented.

I have been looking at those Duncan. Is that the canonical answer?

You have a tilt head mill so why not use it, tilt head 45deg and mount the block flat and solid to the table with the vee you want to cut along the Y axis. No special tools of fixtures needed.

You can also cut the Tee slot at the same setting which should help keep all cuts running parallel

I would suggest the longer edge of the Vee is cut with the side of the tool, you paid for long cutting edge so best to use them.

Edited By JasonB on 20/05/2020 15:10:38

I've used the method shown for non-critical work. But given that the position and accuracy of the Vs are critical to the locking of a toolholder I'd use a tilting angle plate:

The table would be set with a precision clinometer, not my cheapo digital angle of dangle meter.

Andrew

Wow! What a setup.

I don't think the cross-traverse is long enough to use the tilting head, which is why I passed on that idea.

What do you mean by the last sentence? What long cutting edge did I pay for?

lee taking your photo as an example.

If the upper Vee was cut you would more than likely use the full width of a cutter and maybe 2 or 3 passes at a shallow depth, this tends to wear the bottom of the cutter particularly the corners so you end up with a cutter with ablunt end and unused sides..

If on the other hand you were to mill the lower vee the tool would best be brought in from the side taking a tall cut and moving inwards each pass, much like when you widened the groove on your toolholder when the tool slipped. This makes use of more of the side flutes and spreads the wear over a greater area prolonging too life.

here is a video I did some time ago for another forum member to show two ways to cut a 10mm x 4mm rebate, the first method makes better use of the cutter

Tilt the head & hold the parts in a vice using a stop for repeatability.

Tony

Ah yes, I see what you mean now. Will do. Thanks for the tip.

Can't hold it in a vice in the correct orientation. It's too large.

lee, also meant to say that the roughing cutter you said you ha dis best used where the side is doing the work as if you just use the bottom couple of mm you may as well be using a standard one.

Would have thought you may just get 4 holders in along the Y axis, what are they about 45mm? say 3mm for a saw cut and clean up and that comes to 189mm so with a 10mm cutter you will just be able to clear each end with the 200mm travel that you have.

Mount vice long ways so jaws run in Y axis.

Myself I would fit stops to the table but wither way will work.

Edited By JasonB on 20/05/2020 16:14:13

Sounds like I might be able to squeeze it in the Y - then I don't even need the vice.

It will mean hand feeding though. Old skool.

NB: This is the test piece (not full size).

Whose crazy idea was this:

Let's see how this goes:

Leave the power on when you leave tonight and the moose will finish the job for you.

Morris is a better machinest than I'll ever be!

I made long Vs by first milling a slot at the centerline deep enough to go past the apex of the V. I milled the V using an M A Ford 6 flute 90* countersink, carbide tipped. It gave a far better finish than an end mill ground to a 90* point. The big advantage is eliminating the need to tilt the work or the head of the mill. Just set it in the vise, using a work stop if making multiple parts.

there's a guy on youtube made some maybe bigger than yours but showed at lot of his setups there's around 12 videos in all here a link to the first

H

Seeing the head at that crazy angle reminds me that the Abwood tilting vise was a good buy. Only used once, so far, but is not eating anything.🙂 I hate moving the head from good tram, just to do one job then have the aggro of re-tramming it....