Garys '68

I need to fabricate some aluminum parts. I know from experience that the aluminum clogs up grinding wheels, rasps, etc. Other than keeping the rpm low, what can be done to minimize this. I've heard that there's some sort of paste that can be applied to tools. If so, what is it, where do you get it?
Thanks in advance,
Gary

427V8

Cutting fluid helps...
But the biggest thing is use a high feed rate ( big chips) and keep the tool cool.

Just my opinion, I'm not a real machinest

tsw71

What exactly are you cutting(thickness of mat.?) and what type of equiptment are you using? We don't don't grind aluminum very often, so I have not tried any of the specialized products that are out there. For grinding, I use a thin layer of a sulfer based cutting oil. Water based coolant (such as KoolMist)will work too, but not nearly as well. If you're talking about using a cutoff wheel, then there really is nothing that I can recommend, but perhapes someone else will. All that you can do is try to keep the heat down, and even then, it will still load up the wheel. I try to avoid gringing aluminum at all costs. An endmill cutter will cut much better that any grinding wheel. If you tell me what tools you have at your disposal, then I can point you in the right direction for cutting tools and coolant.

Tom

ram82fire

Grinding aluminum is a different animal ffrom machining it . There alloys that allow cutting or machining without a coolant . The softer alloys can be cut easily without tool clogging by using any light oil ie: kerosene or even wd40 if you want to waste money . If you wish grind it e/mail me and I will be glad to supply you with more info !

G

norvalwilhelm

For milling use a 2 flute cutter not a 4 flute, in a lathe tapping compound, varsol, oil anything but keep the cutter sharp
For porting with a high speed burr use a bar of soap. I run the burr into the bar of soap, grind a little on the port, back to the bar of soap and so on.
We need more details

Garys '68

What I need to fabricate are some cooling system components for a marine ford 427 FE block (I know, off topic). The most complicated piece will be a thermostat housing extension/adapter. I've only got a drill press, cutoff saw, saber saw, grinder, dremmel, taps, etc., nothing specifically for milling metal. I'll probably be starting with a 2 x 4 x 4" block of aluminum for that piece. I have no idea about alloys, but aluminum sounded easier to work with than stainless steel or cast iron. Any other tips would be appreciated.
Gary

tsw71

Man, Good Luck!! :jester I can't imagine trying to do what you're about to do with a drill press, dremel, ect...., but it can be done. Chances are, you'll end up with 6061 alum. This is standard alum bar stock and will work well. I think the hardest thing that you face is simply cutting the material down to the size that you need. You will want to use a blade type cutoff wheel for alum. There are blades that have teeth arranged for specific materials. Use wax as your cutting lubricant(or soap as Norval recommended).Any machine tool supply store will have the cutters you need. I use http://www.mcmaster.com for shop supplies, or http://www.mscdirect.com They will have anything you will ever need, including the material itself. You will also need to drill a large hole for the thermosatat housing adapter. You could use a hole saw in the drill press or even wood working drills. This is not what I would use myself, but I'm trying to recommend things that will not cost you alot of money to get. Large machine drills will cost alot more than the job is worth. Use lots of coolant. For your contour work, you can use your dremel with some small 2 flute cutters as Norval suggested. For this, brush a thin layer of cutting oil onto the material as you work. This will prevent the cutter from loading up.

If you have anymore questions, just ask.

Tom

Garys '68

tsw71
Hey, I actually resemble that little guy in your message!
Actually, I've done more difficult pieces before. I start with a good square block and maintain the factory surfaces for the gasketed mating surfaces, no milling required. Rough cut the block to approximate size with the chop saw or sawzall. Bore the bolt holes and passages with my drill press. Then use a dremmel or grinder to cut reliefs or do the finishing work. Crude but effective.
I've used both metal and wood hole saws for aluminum before, but that shouldn't be too much of an issue. I'm setting up a preheat cooling system without a thermostat. Only a 1/2 -5/8" water passage is required and I've got drill bits up to that size, and a 5/8" chuck on the press.
My biggest problem is that I end up throwing away the cutoff and grinding wheels because they're so gummed up. And I have to use a wire brush to constantly clean out other cutting tools.
Anyway, excuse my ignorance but when you and noral say "soap" do you mean soap, Joy (lemon fresh) or Irish Spring? Now I really feel like the little guy at the top of your message.
Thanks again,
Gary

tsw71

Bar of soap. I prefer "Dial", but "Irish springs" will work too. Either one will have your blade smelling fresh in no time :jester Seriously though, the wax in the soap will act as a your cutting fluid. Wax is what is recommended for these type of blades, but a bar of soap will be good enough.

tsw71

Just to clarify, the soap/wax is for use on high speed steel cutting blades, NOT for abrasive type wheels. For cleaning abrasive wheels/grinding wheels as well as grinding with them, do as ram82fire said, which is use kerosene. This is what we use to clean our stones and other abrasives. I have never used it as a cutting oil when grinding since we rarely grind aluminum here, but it should do the trick.


[Modified by tsw71, 11:39 AM 2/22/2002]

ram82fire

tsw71 I use tallow to charge the grinding wheel when surface grinding aluminum ,,but wax can also be used I am sure . Are you using soap on milling cutters also ,,,it should make my bridgport smell good . I am going to give it a try . I generally use any thin oil I have handy if I get into any gummy alloys ,,,

G :rolleyes:

ram82fire

Gary ,,send me a basic drwing of what you need ,,, I have a nice side oiler setting in the shop !!

G :rolleyes:

Garys '68

Damn, I learn something new on this forum every day.
Thanks again for all the info guys. What's next weeks lesson?
Gary

Garys '68

ram82fire
I've got 2 of them in my boat. They're actually center oilers, but still have cross bolted mains, medium rise heads, solid lifters, and 9:1 CR.
On the marine setup the water pump housing IS the thermostat housing coming off the front of the block (thermostat is a "see through" from a 440 chrysler and is mounted horizontally). I'm changing the cooling system to eliminate the circulating water pump, and replacing it with my "custom" adapter to a marine BBC thermostat housing/water dump.
There are a couple other adapter plates I have to make for the exhaust manifolds, but they're just flat plates with a pipe fitting tapped into them.
I'm guessing the side oiler in your shop is going into a cobra kit car. My boat mechanic has a cobra with a 5.0 in it. When these engines get tired, he said he would trade me 2 new 454s for 1 of my used blocks. I guess a real 427 really increases the value of those cars.
While I'm at it, maybe I should trade the other engine to him for a 540 stroker to put in my 68 convertible.
Gary

tsw71

ram82fire,To be perfectly honest, I have never used soap(while machining) in my life, Only in the shower :jester Most of the aluminum work I do is for tooling fixtures, and the pieces are usually +- .0005", so grinding is not needed. I recommended the wax/soap as that is what was specified for the high speed steel wheel that should be used. When milling aluminum, I just use Kool mist or cutting oil. When I have ground aluminum in the past, I just grab whatever is around, like Sultex D(sulfer based cutting oil) and sometimes i'll mix in some kerosene to thin it out. The pieces are always fairly small, so not enough surface area to create much of a problem. Most of the work I do is building progressive dies, compound dies,deep draw, ect......so high speed steel (CPM15V,T-15,)and tool steel(A-2, D-2) are what I work with a majority of the time.

Tom

ram82fire

Gotcha ,,, lol !! :rolleyes:

Turbo-Jet

D2 is fun stuff isn't it :smash:

tsw71

Yup, but nothing is as bad as the CPM15V and Vanadis-4 or most other other high speed steels. I usually figure on needing 5 taps for 10 holes(sometimes it's 10 taps for 5 holes :eek: ). That stuff will chew up those high dollar coated taps faster than anything I have ever used. It's some really tough poopie :D I'm just glad that we don't do alot of Carbide work. I don't have the patients to work with that stuff. :cuss :D

This thread is turning into some sort of machinist convention. :D I did not realize there were so many of us on the Forum. So what type of work do all of you guys do. Tool & die, CNC , General machining, Prototype?????

Tom :cheers:

Turbo-Jet

i used to design custom diamond and CBN tools, mainly hi-perf grinding wheels. come across all sorts of challanging applications.



[Modified by Turbo-Jet, 4:02 PM 2/24/2002]

jpread

I started in the cutting tools and moved into general machining.
When I see you guys talk about CPM and T-15 I get a liitle teary eyed.
We are now making components for several Firearms Co's as well as some automotive stuff.
We do some for Sumit and Trick Flow