I’ve blown most of my workshop budget now, some of which I spent on a really good pillar drill. I can only dream of owning a milling machine for slot cutting. Would I get away with cutting slots with a slot drill/endmill in the drill at top speed of 3150rpm or should I try and scrape the money together for a decent router and build some kind of stand for it. Any other ideas would also be welcome.
Cheers
Bob
There’s something to be said for low-tech solutions (not to mention relatively low-cost). Did Row(e)some cut slots with a milling machine?
Hi Bob;
I don’t think the router “route” is the one you want to go. Keyslot cutting with some sort of mill generally requires multiple passes with very fine depth adjustment (and width adjustment too, in many cases). Workholding of finished chanters and regulators is tricky too, unless you use some sort of dual chuck or chuck+tailstock arrangement…
Which leads one to cut keyslots in the lathe, which is what I think most makers do; you mount some sort of spindle in the cross-slide (of your metal lathe or, possibly, modified wood lathe) and feed the cutter from that, perhaps with a vertical slide attached as well. You could use a flexible shaft tool instead, by building a mount for the handpiece that affixes it to the cross-slide.
You might find that you can modify your pillar drill to do this, provided you can fit some sort of very-fine-adjustment for vertical travel (essentially converting your drill into a mill). You’ll then need a long cross milling vice or table with feedscrews for 2-axis travel, and some sort of chuck and/or tailstock to support the chanter (you don’t want to rely on clamping the chanter from the side). All in all the lathe-based solution is probably more attractive.
It can be done by hand, too - unless I am mistaken Geoff Wooff cuts keyslots by hand with chisels, or at least did - a tricky business but possibly the way the old makers did it.
Best regards,
Bill
billh wrote:
“Which leads one to cut keyslots in the lathe, which is what I think most makers do; you mount some sort of spindle in the cross-slide (of your metal lathe or, possibly, modified wood lathe) and feed the cutter from that, perhaps with a vertical slide attached as well. You could use a flexible shaft tool instead, by building a mount for the handpiece that affixes it to the cross-slide.”
A picture speaks a thousand words…
This is how I do it. What you see is a purfling router body - the Waverly Purfling Jig - (bought from StewMac.com in the USA) mounted on a Dremel* (and the router is custom made for the Dremel, approx. $30), and then fixed in a vertical slide. Router bits are widely available for a Dremel, and the whole shebang is governed by the cross slide feed and the tool rest travel. I mounted the jig in a piece of aluminium ( n.b. English spelling!)
Depth increments can be a couple of thou or so, and speed is infinitely variable, so the whole job is quick, clean and noisy.
Regarding Dremels, I think that it’d eventually be worth spending a bit more to get a slightly higher-spec flexible shaft machine. It makes the attachment of the handpiece a bit more secure and stable as well. Makers include Foredom, Milbro, Seco, and Axminster does a decent one in the “Axminster White” house brand (which is what I use). I used a Dremel on my first chanter but it was not so steady, secure, or robust.
Bill
You guys are making it too complicated: I mount the chanter in the lathe, then grind a piece of 1/4” tool steel to the proper width of the key, mount the tool in the tool holder, adjust the height, adjust the cross slide to the proper depth and then using the carriage I roll it forward and “scrape” the key-way by hand. Each time I make a scrape I advance the slide a small amount until I reach the desired depth. It takes only 15-20 passes to cut the key-way. You do not need a milling machine or a Dremel.
All the best,
Pat Sky
Yes, Pat’s right of course - all you need is good work holding, tool holding, and a good sharp tool - rotary movement is not essential.
You do still need some sort of toolpost/cross-feed on the lathe of course, for this method.
Bill
We do it like Geoff. Cut each side with a small modeling or dovetailing saw then knock out the centre with a big hammer and small sharpened screwdriver - any fine adjustments are made with a file or chisel or by glaring at it til it gives in.
Using a file except very carefully tends to leave one with slightly )( shaped channels - luckily, hand filing keys often leaves one with slightly )( shaped key shanks!
I’ve tried milling with a good pillar drill and cross-vice and don’t advise it, you can wreck a chanter at the 11th hour and then it won’t just be the vice that is cross.
Trust in your steady hands and save some money.