Nail nick tips

Sean Yaw

Sean Yaw

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Feb 26, 2019
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416
I recently got a mill and single angle cutter (3”, 60-degree) to use for making nail nicks. I’ve done two test cuts so far and they look pretty good, but the corners are not super crisp. I went at a very very slow speed, fed it in very slowly too, and used Magic Tap as a cutting fluid. Does anyone that uses a similar cutter have any tips for crisp corners? Thanks.
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Three things.
First, it appears there might be some chatter in your cut. That could be a lack of rigidity in your setup.
Second, once you've walked in to depth, let the cutter pause there for a few revolutions to "spring cut" to full depth. It may also be necessary to walk a few thousandths in the other axis from your plunge, in each direction.
Third, if the flutes of your cutter aren't sharp, they will only cut the profile they're ground to.

I've used those type of cutters for other things in my machining job, but never nail nicks. Hopefully someone with more experience will weigh in.
 
I run my 2 3/4" cutter at about 260 rpm spindle speed. Feed slow, about a thou per cut, let it clean out then another cut. Once you hit final depth, like Keith said let it spin to spring cut final depth. Looks to me like you ran it too fast on your first try and burned up your tips. Once you do that you might as well get another one coming. Ask me how I know. ;) that said, your cutter is 3" so I'd probably run it about 225 rpm spindle speed to start. Most likely no more than 250 rpm.

Let me add Sean that I burned my first cutter up running it 300 rpm spindle speed. Once the tips were fried my cuts looked exactly like the ones you posted. That said, what are you using for a mill?
 
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Well, I'd love to say that I am not accustomed to expensive mistakes, but that would not be the truth...

I really thought I was using it super slowly, but I did not look at actual spindle speed, so I really don't know. I came up with a better work holding, but the ends are still not as crisp as I've see yours, Jason, and others'. Looks like I'll order another.

I've got a PM-728VT.
 
I use a hss lathe bit ground to shape, so it basically tapers to a sharp point. I had to experiment with the angle, but would guess it's between 50-60 deg. I mounted it perpendicular in 3/4" round stock, similar to a shop made fly cutter. I feed it slow at slow rpm, and they finally started turning out super crisp for me. I just started making some of these last year, and credit to Don Hanson for this tip. 20220319_023748.jpg
 
Sean Yaw said:
Well, I'd love to say that I am not accustomed to expensive mistakes, but that would not be the truth...

I really thought I was using it super slowly, but I did not look at actual spindle speed, so I really don't know. I came up with a better work holding, but the ends are still not as crisp as I've see yours, Jason, and others'. Looks like I'll order another.

I've got a PM-728VT.
Click to expand...
Your mill is perfectly better than fine. I guarantee you just ran your spindle speed too fast. Maybe even fed it too fast also. I made the same mistake on the 2nd nick I cut with my 45*. Grab yourself another cutter and go slower than slow. If your mill is belt driven make sure you have it in low gear. Spindle speed 225 or less and feed really slow. Like .001 per cut. You'll get a feel for it. It should take a good 2 - 3 minutes to cut a nick. At those speed your cutter will last a long time. Get the 1st cutter resharpened and you'll always have a backup too.
 
Live and learn I suppose. I’ve got a new one ordered. Before I bit the bullet and got the mill, I experimented with using a punch for nail nicks. I thought that maybe I could use it here to sharpen up these dull corners. I think that it turned out fairly well, all things considered.
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Tap majic is pretty thin stuff.

In Home Depot, the plumbing section.

Black sulphured heavy cutting oil - they sell it for lube on thread black plumbing pipe.

You can brush it on and it flings off less.

www.homedepot.com

RIDGID 1 Gal. Dark Pipe Threading Oil, Low Odor & Anti-Mist Formulation for Pipe Cutting Dies/Threading 70830 - The Home Depot

RIDGID thread cutting oils are free of chlorine and other halogens, PCBs and heavy metals. The oil cools threads and pipe during operation. It has a working viscosity to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. RIDGID -
www.homedepot.com
 
That cleaned up pretty well. Wanted to re-harp on the advice to run slow and feed slow....my cutter is hitting the steel a little faster than 1 hit per sec, just as an anecdote...that's just whatever rpm the low speed on my Bridgeport is. You can def run it faster, I just found something that worked.
 
I go as slow as possible as others stated. I can go a touch faster with my carbide setup but I don’t push it. Crappy HF mill. Haha. Slow feed and use whatever feedback you get from the machine and your senses. I’m sure you’ll have it dialed in soon.
 
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