r/machining • u/Future_Let_5097 • 10d ago
Tooling Thin parting tools
Hey everyone I have a project coming up and I need to make 2 very small grooves on some stainless steel. The groove is .7mm(.028”) wide and .5mm deep. The only parting tools or cut off blades are much thicker. Any advice on how to make my own?
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u/clambroculese 10d ago edited 10d ago
We have some around that width here for our Swiss lathes, I can’t go check at the moment but they’re probably iscar. If you want to make your own just grind one, only grind one side and make sure it’s a bit of a relief, but hand ground inserts are a pita for production runs.
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u/Punkeewalla 10d ago
Bench grinder.
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u/Future_Let_5097 9d ago
I know this part lol but im afraid something that thin will snap/bend
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u/Punkeewalla 9d ago
Well, that's what I would do. You’re not going very deep so I can't see it snapping when you are making it.
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u/zacmakes 10d ago
one of the weirdest but most useful tips I've gotten for grinding lathe tools is to stick a thin, reinforced cutoff wheel on a bench grinder - it feels so wrong but it works beautifully for roughing out HSS tooling.
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u/maillchort 10d ago
What diameter? I've done similar many times in stainless (which alloy?) both inner and outer from 6mm to 40mm with hand ground carbide tooling. But I have an Agathon grinder (diamond wheels).
Some good suggestions for off the shelf stuff already, but Horn makes awesome small carbide tooling. Usually called PF Horn.
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u/Itchy_Morning_3400 9d ago
If it's only one part(or even only a few) grind up a tool. If it's lots of parts probably go down the ready made insert route.
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u/Future_Let_5097 9d ago
Yea I’m more inclined to make my own but afraid it’ll snap/bend when grinding
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u/Itchy_Morning_3400 8d ago
Are you using it in a CNC? Probably go with a insert if it's just in the manual lathe, grind one up. And if it is CNC plunge in first before you try to radius the corners (if you can) and your tool won't flex anywhere near as much.
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u/Charming-Bath8378 9d ago
very good comments here. but im almost ashamed to say that they sell slitting saws by the 0,0005" and you can chuck them up if you orient them properly. it has been done:/ you do what you gotta do:)) good luck
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u/Dudds_Doo 9d ago
Kennametal NG2M050RK KCU25 - EDP# 4109685 They're .5mm wide and can go .6mm deep.
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u/Antique_Job7725 9d ago
I've defintely ground down worn out grooving inserts by hand for things like this on 1 or 2 off jobs. Did one a while back that needed some small grooves (I think about the size you mentioned) like that in a shaft and I just used an old .0625 wide insert.
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u/jaymauch 5d ago
.028” is the thickness of the Stanley 24Tx10” hacksaw blade teeth. I used to use these for parting stock on my floor drill press before I got my Sherline 4400. If you cut the end of the blade off and press the teeth side to side so they align straight with each other, or grind all except one tooth off, it should work well as a .028” parting tool. Mount the blade end in the vice on the cross table or with a bolt through the mounting hole to the side of the parting tool stand.
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u/harcorshe 10d ago
ThinBits Owned by Kaiser Tool