jlw, I think these are what you are looking for, they work great for stuff like this. http://www.harveytool.com/prod/Browse-Our-Products/Specialty-Profiles/Keyseat-Cutters_198/Keyseat-Cutters---Full-Radius_134.aspx

lol, yeah i can't see one area that could go wrong there

I have done this on parts (like the one in my sig) and it left a better finish in the corners, the tool does engage a little more stock so i did leave stock and did a clean up pass only taking a few thou.

IMHO I let the print decide, if its an aerospace part with 30 datums or a simple part with 3 datums. It really depends on the part. Mill turn is COR for me and most 4th axis is the part datums. I usually pick only 1 offset up and let angle macros calculate the rest of the offsets. If the part is on center of the table I use COR. I have found over the years that this topic it really a hotly debated one with no one right in all instances. I remember my tech school instructor always said "give the same print to 10 machinists and you'll get 10 different processes" this is no different. Everyone here has different parts, machines and requirements and there is not one way that works best for all.

Try ingersoll chipsurfer, screw on tips and a carbide shank. They work great and the tips are replaceable. http://ecat.ingersoll-imc.com/ecat/ModularSystems.aspx http://ecat.ingersoll-imc.com/ecat/ProductSeriesDetails.aspx?ID=348113

treat them the same

Also check out Korloy they are awesome for cutting AL http://www.korloy.com/newkorloy/eng/product/product0610.html http://www.korloy.com/newkorloy/eng/product/product0615.html

also check out the Ingersoll Proball, they screw on to the same extensions. http://www.ingersoll-imc.com/en/products/uc/0236_Profile_Mills.pdf

you can add extensions to the holders though to get what you need. just keep screwing them on. http://www.ingersoll-imc.com/en/products/uc/0720_Innofit_Top_On_Toolholders.pdf

We use the form master with the screw on style end. You can add extensions to get whatever length you need. http://www.ingersoll-imc.com/en/products/NEW-163-3_Form-Master-Shear.pdf

I'm don't know what your shop rate is, but making them for less than you can buy them for is going to tough (at least for us it would be). Not to mention that now your machine will be tied up not making you profit. But that's just me I guess. Also the talon grips work great between parts like this.

We have had good support from zoller, now that they have offices in Michigan, I believe that zoller is a little less $$ than Speroni when you get to the cnc models (which for zoller you need to do scanning)

I'm sure there are systems is different price ranges. I'm looking at the quote now and I stand by my original comment in regards to the price . The unit that we are getting is Venturion 600-pilot 3.0- Redomatic with RFID (That's a mouth full). I guess what i was saying is that you don't need to spend that much to get the capability, I also didn't mean to imply that you were making numbers up, i am looking at the quote right now for a 450, the only thing we wont get is the RFID right now. but its modular so we can add it later. and the price is half of what the 600 is i guess. I didn't want anyone to see those numbers and not even look at zoller, because they are amazing machines.

Our new Zoller will do just that, Robk i think you are a little off on price, like at least over double. The one we are getting has the scanning, side camera, and cnc measuring. Just drop the tool in and let it do its thing.

I used them in school, i think they have a good machine. They had a Mastercam rollout at the facility and we toured the shop where they made them. The use their own machines to machine all the parts, not even Haas does that. They even custom built a huge mill to machine the largest machine bases. I personally think they are better than Haas machines.

Ben, Check with these guys: http://www.ktoolinc.com/k-tool_doc_118.htm

NHX4000, NHX5000, and NHX6300 plus the DuraVertical 5100 VMC are made in Davis, CA also.

for your 2nd question, in the offset contour dialog box, there is a "Use new attributes" box. Tick that box and it will put the new geo on the current level, or even another level you choose.

Ron, which machine properties page? I tried looking but couldn't find it, i would also like to have this default to cat 50 or cat 40 holders depending on what machine def i am using

What is your entry method? If its helix I would change your helix radius to less than half of the flat portion of the endmill.

I was sick of this too, so I made a blank tool and set it to tool 500 so it stays at the bottom.

we have these instead of barrels, we drilled a hole in the side as close to the bottom as we could and welded a spigot and have a bucket underneath them. we make so many chips that if we had 55 gallon drums we would have 1 guy just moving them around all day. The pipe/vac idea actually sounds like it would work best for you. but you could weld a bung on the side and drain them into a pan, when they are drained just put a plug in them. http://www.wastequip.com/products/product-detail.cfm/category/materialhandling/subcategory/selfdumpinghoppers/product/heavydutyselfdumpinghoppers

Allan, i did that too, i got the same results. I finally got it to work, i took the initial install .exe of mastercam and started the install, this dropped the .msi file in the temp folder. I then copied the file. stopped the install and pasted the file back in the folder. Then the update worked just fine. I'm just not sure why the initial updater was not unpacking the files into the temp folder.

http://www.ktoolinc.com/k-tool_doc_117.htm I would see if these guys would make a 8" diameter for you.

this is directly from the mastercam updates, I didn't download any files.