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Thread: Annular Cutters

  1. #1
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    Default Annular Cutters

    I have a need to drill a squillion (well nearly...) 16mm holes in 16mm mild steel plate for my welding table top. I want to purchase an annular cutter to use in either the Bridgeport R8 or the Fexac 50 taper mill. So far all I am seeing are cutters that fit mag drills. I assume cutters are available that can mount in collets or tool holders? Would love to be able to find something in Adelaide for this weekend.

    Is an annular cutter even my best option?

  2. #2
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    You can get holders with straight or taper shanks. Is that what you need?
    Nev.

  3. #3
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    More after the right annular cutter to fit a collet (ER32) or a 50 taper holder. I guess I am asking if these cutters come with a plain straight shank or if they all are set up for mag drills?

    Sorry, I continually show my newness to all this stuff so apologies if I am asking silly things......

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mk1_Oz View Post
    More after the right annular cutter to fit a collet (ER32) or a 50 taper holder. I guess I am asking if these cutters come with a plain straight shank or if they all are set up for mag drills?

    Sorry, I continually show my newness to all this stuff so apologies if I am asking silly things......
    they are only setup for mag drills, i think you can grab them in a er40 collet but its not ideal.

    Morse taper to annual cutter adapters are available.

    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/D9...oaApslEALw_wcB

    Try RE tooling or General tools

  5. #5
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    A quote from another source -

    FWIW I've used 40 mm annulars in ER32 on a 30Int taper - with no problem at all

    Nev.
    Nev.

  6. #6
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    All mine have a 19mm shank with 2 flats at right angles to each other (weldon shank, I think?), and a through hole for a pilot/ejector pin. They work just fine in a 19mm ER32 collet (my biggest cutter is 36mm from memory).

    At 16mm holes might not be that much in it timewise between running an annular cutter or a drill bit though. Advantage of the drill bit is you can resharpen it if you break the edge, whereas the annular cutter can lose half the cutter if it jams up or if the setup moves at all. They're pretty durable generally speaking, but you have to respect the fact that they're only maybe 2-3mm thick in the walls. And knocking the slug out will get pretty old if you have a lot to do and don't have the ejector pin. Especially since in that size you'd probably have to pull it out of the collet and knock it out from the top, the bigger sizes you can normally tease it out from the bottom.

    I love the things, but probably wouldn't be my first choice for that that size and job. 25mm upwards, annular cutter every time if I've got one to suit. Also work real well for 'partial' holes on the edge of something.

  7. #7
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    Interesting J&H. Maybe a new drill bit is the way to go. I was thinking that an annular cutter might be more accurate but maybe not. I guess I could use a 5/8" drill bit then ream to 16mm if I need the accuracy. Hmmm would the 16mm table holes need accuracy?

  8. #8
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    Hougan do series of Rotabroaches, which are basically the same thing. I have a metric set to 18mm and an imperial set to 3/4". Kits include an arbour, numerous bits, centrepunch, and spare pilots. Not cheap but work well in a drill press, should work in a mill. You can buy replacement cutters, arbour, pilots etc which may be the way to go for a one off job. I have sets with 1/2" depth capacity, but they also do 1" depth bits as well. Available through industrial supply stores.

    Arbour shank is 1/2" with 3 flats for a drill chuck to grip, but it would not be hard to make a replacement if you decide you need full circle contact with the collet.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mk1_Oz View Post
    Hmmm would the 16mm table holes need accuracy?
    That's a question only you can answer! Lol.

    Yes, annular cutters give a clean and pretty accurate hole. Not having one in that size, if I wanted a better hole than I was getting off a nice sharp 16mm drill, I'd punch through with a 14mm ish drill bit, and clean up by plunging a 2 flute 16mm endmill (and have done this before). But assuming the holes are just for clamping purposes, I'd imagine a stub length (reduce any flex) 16mm drill would give perfectly acceptable results.

  10. #10
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    I've used them directly in ER collets and it worked well - until it didn't. As a result I made up an adaptor as pictured below.
    I came unstuck because the radii at the transition between the shaft and cutter butted up against the corner of the collet bore. These things are hardened, so brittle and enough pressure and it shattered. The adaptor is a blind hole so that that can never happen. So far it has worked well.
    DSCN7824.JPG DSCN7823.JPG

    Michael

  11. #11
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    As others have pointed out you can use the cutters in standard collets just fine, or buy adapters. But I would highly recommend buying carbide tipped cutters, not HSS ones.

    A carbide one even though more expensive, will last you forever used carefully. One of my slugger 30mm TCT cutters has done many dozens of holes and is still like new, whereas the HSS ones chip and wear on the edges if they have just the slightest play or wobble in use.

    And the carbide cutters just eat up the metal easily!

    There's some good sets on ebay too at not bad prices, this is one I bought and have used extensively:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/19361013...IAAOSwSRVezIuV

    I finished this mobile stand for my fly press not long back, and used the TCT annular cutters to drill around 120 x 13mm holes through 1/8" sheet steel over 4mm steel square tube, and around 60 or so 22mm holes so I could fit a metric crapload of nutserts.

    I did start with the drill, and very quickly gave up and went to the annular cutters, so much easier and faster, and no cutters were damaged during the work.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  12. #12
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    Just for interest's sake: I can supply M&G HSS or Cobalt(M42) annular cutters at a better price than M&G. Just PM me.
    Cheers, Joe
    retired - less energy, more time to contemplate projects and more shed time....

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mk1_Oz View Post
    Is an annular cutter even my best option?
    I’d say it’s a pretty good option. The holes are usually better quality than with a twist drill.

    I’d be thinking through the use case and working out whether I want nice smooth holes to a high accuracy or just a grid of holes. Then I’d be determining what accuracy is required.

    A carbide broach does give better durability and you see less decline in finish quality throughout a series of operations as a result. However, the quality isn’t as good as that from a reamer.

    It really depends on your goals. You could broach the holes and then debur and call it good. If you’re broaching on the mill then the size of your mill is going to determine the order of operations and efficiency. A big mill being more efficient here as you won’t need to change setups as frequently.

    I don’t know know how thick this steel is but a more precise option might be to use a series of screw machine drills set in collets to slightly undersize and then finally ream to size. More individual operations here but, provided you have good indexing, better potential accuracy and finish.

    if you go with the broaching approach coolant is pretty important. There are broaching sets that facilitate both internal and external coolant flow which give better tool life and more consistent finish.

    You can always ream after broaching. Either way you may want to debur/chamfer on the mill to give a consistent depth of chamfer so there’s at least three operations per hole already.

  14. #14
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    If you can adapt your 50 to MT2 I have an MT2 to annular adapter you can borrow
    I would choose an annular cutter over a drill bit for what you are doing, A it’s cheaper to buy, and B they will do the job faster. If you are gridding the top of your welding bench then a cutter is plenty accurate, no need to ream them. M&G have 50mm deep German made HSS cutters in 16mm with a free centre pin and free post for $20 + GST. I bought a 14mm reduced shank drill from General Tools a few weeks ago to use in a collet, it was $48

  15. #15
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    I just use a home made arbor like MichaelG posted earlier.
    Not an issue for 16mm but if you make one make sure the locking bolts/grubscrews tend to pull the cutter shoulder against the end face of the arbor or are perfectly aligned with the recesses in the cutter.
    The one I made wasn’t - the screws were tending to push the 32mm cutter out from the arbor slightly and the flex when cutting partial holes loosens the screws.

    If you’re making a single piece bench top how are you planning to get to the middle holes without a mag drill?

    Steve

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