Tapered Tang using Mini Mill

[Sean O'Hare]

Okay thought I'd start a new thread instead of highjacking another thread.

J. Higgins mentioned in another thread using a Sine Plate on a mill to taper tangs. What is a sine plate? How do you do this? What type of cutter do you use?

I've got a mini mill with a cheap vise (ie. not adjustable) on it right now but am looking at buying a better vise for it. What would I need to start using my mill for tapering tangs?

Thanks,
Sean

 

[jhiggins]

My apologies for not jumping on this sooner, Sean, but I saw it just as I was getting ready to leave for work.

A sine plate is nothing more than a big heavy-duty (and precision) hinge. Yes, a hinge. Go to Enco or MSC sites and look up the word sine and you'll get the idea. The setup I use for tapering tangs is a sine plate and a magnetic chuck designed specifically for use in a sine setup. The chuck attaches to the sine plate, and I set the sine to approximately 1-1.25 degrees, or mayeb more sometimes if the tang is very thick. Using the milling cutter, and some coolant I then taper one side. After one side is done, I reset the sine to approximately 2-2.50 degrees, or exactly twice the original sine. Then I mill the final side.

This is an expensive method of tapering, and I only do this because I have the equipment. The qualifier is that it is almost foolproof, and the tapers come out perfect - every time. The caveat is the cost. Not including the cost of the mill, you can spend nearly 1000 clams to get set up to got this by the time you buy the indexable milling shell, the arbor, the sine plate and the chuck. Even the indexable bits for my setup cost $12 each, and the shell I got takes six of them.

 

[Sean O'Hare]

Okay good information to know. Way too many other toys on the list for this to be a possibility any time soon though given the cost!!!

Thanks very much for the info though. Would be interesting to see a tutorial on this some day. I know you don't have the time right now but some day.

Thanks again,
Sean