Cutting slot in 20mm Steel Rod

[sploo]

@sams93 Just had a rummage through my stock pile and I have a suitable length of 20mm bright mild (clocks in around 19.97mm diameter, and seems pretty consistent). I'm quite happy to have a crack at cutting the features into one end and if you think it looks OK I could send it for cost. Based on my local supplier's bright mild steel rates, it'd be under £10 + whatever the postage comes to.

 

[sams93]

@sams93 Just had a rummage through my stock pile and I have a suitable length of 20mm bright mild (clocks in around 19.97mm diameter, and seems pretty consistent). I'm quite happy to have a crack at cutting the features into one end and if you think it looks OK I could send it for cost. Based on my local supplier's bright mild steel rates, it'd be under £10 + whatever the postage comes to.

That sounds perfect! I’ll message you

 

[sploo]

Progress...

 

[Daniel2]

Progress...

View attachment 156475

Looking good so far @sploo
Please keep posting progress photos, as I'm following this conundrum
with interest.
What speed do you run your slitting saw at ?
And do you cut dry, or do you use a coolant ?

 

[sawtooth-9]

This is really a job for a mill.
You can do this "by hand" ( drill / file ) but good luck with the accuracy.
If you don't have access to someone with a mill, it would not cost much for someone to run a couple of simple slots.
My guess would be less than 25 pounds. Set up and cutting time - a total of about 30 min.

 

[sploo]

Looking good so far @sploo
Please keep posting progress photos, as I'm following this conundrum
with interest.
What speed do you run your slitting saw at ?
And do you cut dry, or do you use a coolant ?

"Medium", and CT-90 from a can respectively

If I recall correctly that is a 3" diameter slitting saw with a 1/32" (0.8mm) thickness. I was running the mill at maybe 500rpm because my little mini mill doesn't have a lot of torque low down. Probably a bit fast, but I took 5mm widths of cuts each time, repeatedly brushing the blade with the CT-90 "gunk" to keep things moving.

 

[Daniel2]

"Medium", and CT-90 from a can respectively

If I recall correctly that is a 3" diameter slitting saw with a 1/32" (0.8mm) thickness. I was running the mill at maybe 500rpm because my little mini mill doesn't have a lot of torque low down. Probably a bit fast, but I took 5mm widths of cuts each time, repeatedly brushing the blade with the CT-90 "gunk" to keep things moving.

Thanks for the info'.
I know what you mean about the low speed torque. I have the same
problem with my Weiss.
Please keep the photos coming.

 

[sams93]

Progress...

View attachment 156475

Looking great! Thankyou!!!

 

[sploo]

The good news is that the rod is done, the "bad" news is that I've realised the curved washers will foul the slots, so I'll have to machine a bit more off them...

 

[sams93]

That looks perfect! Thanks so much for doing that. The washers are great too, how did you go about machining those out of interest?

Thanks

 

[sploo]

That looks perfect! Thanks so much for doing that. The washers are great too, how did you go about machining those out of interest?

Thanks

I drilled the 8mm hole into the end of the rod on the lathe, then clamped the rod between some sacrificial material (a soft metal may have been better, but wood worked OK) then drilled a 20mm hole through the middle. The longer piece of rod was then put back on the lathe and a section turned off to make the second washer.

I've machined a bit more off the washers now, so they fit without fouling the slots:

 

[Daniel2]

That's all looking terrific @sploo .
Give the man a beer....