Thread: Dovetail Cutter

Hello Dean,
If it is of interest, I have seen a few DIY indexable dovetail cutter projects written up - for example http://www.cnccookbook.com/MTMillDovetail.htms.
Cheers,
Bill

Originally Posted by WCD

If it is of interest, I have seen a few DIY indexable dovetail cutter projects written up - for example http://www.cnccookbook.com/MTMillDovetail.htms.

I have been throwing around the idea of making an indexable dovetail cutter myself. Another reference is: http://yyao.ca/projects/indexable_dovetail_cutter/

I have used the CTC variety and others (Ebay) and they are all the same. Made of cheese. One needs to be careful and take light cuts in steel. I turned one into mush making 7 BXA tool holders. I limped it through to the last tool holder, but it is pretty much junk.

If I get around to making and indexable dovetail cutter it will have at least 2 inserts to try to cut down on the chatter.

dovetail_break_5.jpg IMG_2966.jpg IMG_2968.jpg diy_BXA.JPG

too dear from there
i got mine..THE SAME MAKE from an aliexpress dealer..for around 1/2 the price
they did the job i wanted
joe h is going to try one out and give an opinion compared to say a non chinese make
details are somewhere in this site as to where i got them from...try the sticky tool supplies?
( i am using mobile and too hard to
go and find the link.. and post ...my apologies)

I have made some CA sized holders...

My experience on cutting the dovetail is you need one hell of a stout milling machine to handle the cut that you need to do...

I had a UK made dovetail cutter.... It got destroyed when it grabbed the work..

I bought a CTC one and it was just as adequate for the job....

Then when CTC tools started selling toolholders I bought ten from there with surface postage...

Originally Posted by variant22

I have used the CTC variety and others (Ebay) and they are all the same. Made of cheese. One needs to be careful and take light cuts in steel.

If you think about the shape of the cutter and how the cutting edge is supported, light cuts are probably appropriate. When cutting a dovetail I always do at least 2 passes to avoid snapping the tip off the cutting edges. My cutters are still going fine.

Michael

Originally Posted by Michael G

If you think about the shape of the cutter and how the cutting edge is supported, light cuts are probably appropriate. When cutting a dovetail I always do at least 2 passes to avoid snapping the tip off the cutting edges. My cutters are still going fine.

Michael

I have only ever broken them off at the neck, not the tips. And that has been with pretty light cuts.

Dean, you have a shaper, you can do all the dovetails you could ever want easily of it!

Ew

Originally Posted by Ueee

I have only ever broken them off at the neck, not the tips. And that has been with pretty light cuts.

Dean, you have a shaper, you can do all the dovetails you could ever want easily of it!

Ew

Shaper is the way to go cheap tooling and can make as many blanks as your table can clamp on even if it takes you a few hours more and think of the ease of mind about a D T cutter snapping off The wallet yelps i can assure you.If you have surplus stock of blanks they can be made up at a later date but you know the dove tail is uniform for all.
Ewan nailed it in 1 was ready to say shaper last post said it. Cheers John.

Originally Posted by j.ashburn

Shaper is the way to go cheap tooling and can make as many blanks as your table can clamp on even if it takes you a few hours more and think of the ease of mind about a D T cutter snapping off The wallet yelps i can assure you.If you have surplus stock of blanks they can be made up at a later date but you know the dove tail is uniform for all.
Ewan nailed it in 1 was ready to say shaper last post said it. Cheers John.

Shapers have an ability to bring peace tranquility whist it rasps away.Mesmorising at times.Never fails to entertain spectators if not familiar with their operation.All for the price of a 10 dollar chunk of tool steel a few drops of oil and some contribution to power bill.
the tool steel will last too. J A.

Originally Posted by Michael G

If you think about the shape of the cutter and how the cutting edge is supported, light cuts are probably appropriate. When cutting a dovetail I always do at least 2 passes to avoid snapping the tip off the cutting edges. My cutters are still going fine.

Michael

I was doing 4 passes at minimum per side of the dovetail. They were just not up to the job. Possibly made for cutting AL? I took it real slow and light. Just grabbed at times and off flew a tooth. That being said, I did get 7 tool holders done from a single cutter. So I probably did not fare too bad.

Originally Posted by Ueee

I have only ever broken them off at the neck, not the tips. And that has been with pretty light cuts.

Mine twisted at the neck first.. I managed to get some more life out of it by clamping the remaining ~4mm with the ER. It saw me through.

I though these were cheap.


http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=wedge

or are they too cheap! I found him good to deal with.I had the QCTP and purchased Er 40 collets and ,chuck and backplate.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Grahame Collins

I though these were cheap.


http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=wedge

or are they too cheap! I found him good to deal with.I had the QCTP and purchased Er 40 collets and ,chuck and backplate.

Grahame

$300 which includes 5 holders is as cheap as I have seen, but once you add 6 or 8 holders and freight it will not be cheap, and think of the experience that I will get making them.

I typed a post earlier, but the internut was crazy for me. I waited 15 mins for a forum page to load and gave up. Lost the post. I started saving them on my computer for later.

Ueee. I thank you for your reminder (John as well although you had not posted then). I will look into using the shaper, when it is back together and working. I will also consider making an indexible dovetail cutter. Thanks for the ideas guys.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

I intend to make a QCTP for my lathe. It needs either a CXA or CA size. Buying these is a very expensive proposition.

There is a cheap one here http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=aprcxa that might suit.
You would probably need to be quick.
Bill

Originally Posted by WCD

There is a cheap one here http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=aprcxa that might suit.
You would probably need to be quick.
Bill

Thanks Bill, but see my previous post. This one does not come with holders, so they would be extra. My options are open at the moment, but my budget is closed, almost. I have some things I need to buy and when I have done this I will not have enough money to buy a QCTP. So I make one now or I buy one later. It depends on whether I get around to making one one before I have saved enough money to buy one. I am waiting on a quote for the steel (1045?) to make one.

I do want to say that the 4 way tool post on my lathe is 110mm square. I was thinking of making a QCTP at around this size. Any comments that could be relevant to this are welcome. I want to make sure that I don't make the QCTP too small. I am being conservative. I don't want to find later that I have made it too small.

Dean

Dean I find CXA a good size on the Graz, which is 14 x 40. I think your lathe is a similar swing? I reckon CA would be too clunky. Remember it gets wider when you put a holder on it, and you're comparing to one with 4 holders integral.

That TP linked above looks the same as mine. It is a piece of poop. Don't get me started. I will be interested in what you make because I'd like to make one too.

PS: Lots of people use Chinese toolposts and are happy with them. I guess I just got the short straw.