Long Ball Tools

[Chris Rizzo]

Anyone making long ball tools? HSS, I'm talking 3/4" - 1" dia, OAL 12"+. Cutting mdf molds so they don't have to be too sturdy. I can't believe niagra doesn't have anything.

[yorx57]

ISCAR makes a great product called "FLEXFIT". You can basically "build" any length that you need. One of the optional "heads" available

is a collet chuck so that you can tool up your HSS (providing you have the clearance for the nut). Unfortunately, the system is pricey, but

if you are doing this type of work alot it could definitely be something to look into.

[mkd]

my tool involves long balls, but come up short for 12 inches before or after the Niagara.

(yes this was translated from Mandarin)

[AshM]

I think that most of us suffer when it comes to our tools and balls falling short of 12 inches... Just remember that the key to this is that if you are adept at using your tool, the length becomes far less important than the diameter. The balls themselves only need to be suffiently sized to get the job done in all cases.

 

Additionally, remember that the tool will always benefit from a nicely lubricated workpeice and that rapid entry into dry work can have detrimental effects on tool life.

 

Frequent servicing of the tool by skilled workers helps to keep them ready for action. Finding a good job for each tool is a common challenge, so offer your tool around as often as you can to build up interest.

 

Remember that there are also many products out there that will help to maintain your tools rigidity. This is especially important if you plan to engage in long periods of plunging and probing. Niagra don't do any of these products themselves, but I am sure there is a sister company that does some well tested stuff... can't think of the name tho...

 

Good luck!!!

[Chris Rizzo]

Add to that the material is rather abrasive, so there will be some serious chaffing on my balls.

[Pilot Plant Supervisor]

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!

[AshM]

I've thought some more about your predicament and have some extra advice...

 

Firstly, if you are experiencing too much abrasion and chaffing you might be going into the work from the wrong side. Try flipping it over and going in again gently. Remeber that in the words of a wise man... "theres always time for lubricant."

 

In most cases try to avoid working on work pieces which are excessive in mass... Go looking for work which appeals to your tool and you will find the results more satisfying.

 

If you do find yourself in situations when you only have the choice to do a larger one, take a possitive approach and use the opportunity to push your tool into the work from as many angles as you can, you might learn more about your tool.

 

Occationally you might find yourself committed to larger work. In these situations you need to be careful about how you handle yourself. In these circumstances the work is often a little too soft, try to harden the work up a bit through regular cold working to avoid any tempered situations.

[DavidJackson]

the iscar multimaster stuff is great but limited by d.o.c, also the need for greatly relieved shanks is not really catered for. best solution i have used so far for big horrible blocks of udf with massive amounts of stock removal so far has been brazing tools such as http://www.linbide.co.nz/product.php?p=4 into arbors of a slightly less diameter, (obviously they are reground afterwards) then using iscar multimaster stuff like http://www.iscar.com/Ecat/familyHDR.asp?fnum=1671&app=59&mapp=ML&GFSTYP=M&type=1〈=EN to rest rough/finish.

 

Im sure its not doing wonders on spindle bearings at 15000rpm and a (billion mm/min), but it moves a ton (literally) of material & is cheap enough to throw away/make a new one for every job.

[mkd]

linbide; nice resource! never heard of it b 4

[DavidJackson]

After using stuff from onsrud etc, linbide tools are some nasty stuck in the 80's xxxx i happened to have the tab open so

used it as an example, dont go out of your way to order them

[GF8er]

Chris, do they need to be hss?

 

 

 

Dylan

[wesmcgee]

I rough and finish a lot of big mdf and tooling board on a 5 axis onsrud. The longest I have gone is a 1.5" core box bit mounted in a .5" ID heatshrink in a 1" heatshrink HSK63F. 12" from gage. IMO you better take really light cuts if you try to do it with just a 12" 1" dia ball end. If you must, try frogtool . They are made for foam ( as no sane person would try in anything else but are HSS TiN coated. Pay cloase attention to MAX RPM. It is maybe 9000? I have heard of people over reving these and breaking them off(ballistic missile style). Nice thing about heatshrink is even at that length I was taking .5" DOC at 800 IPM, 18000 rpm because of perfect balance(and the tapering holder doesn't deflect. In fact pushing it hard I found was more a risk of a servo error on the rotary.

[Millertime]

I think that most of us suffer when it comes to our tools and balls falling short of 12 inches... Just remember that the key to this is that if you are adept at using your tool, the length becomes far less important than the diameter. The balls themselves only need to be suffiently sized to get the job done in all cases.

 

Additionally, remember that the tool will always benefit from a nicely lubricated workpeice and that rapid entry into dry work can have detrimental effects on tool life.

 

Frequent servicing of the tool by skilled workers helps to keep them ready for action. Finding a good job for each tool is a common challenge, so offer your tool around as often as you can to build up interest.

 

Remember that there are also many products out there that will help to maintain your tools rigidity. This is especially important if you plan to engage in long periods of plunging and probing. Niagra don't do any of these products themselves, but I am sure there is a sister company that does some well tested stuff... can't think of the name tho...

 

Good luck!!!

 

 

 

That some funny sh-t right there

[Greg Williams]

Some of your best work Ash

[mkd]

Some of your best work Ash

yep good advice for sure.

don't forget about the guy who started this awesome thread going into the gutter...

accidentally hit the neg vote (instead of positive) button on Mr Rizzo's funny post. my bad.