Profile Router Cutter on Aluminum

[@MakinSumthinFromNuthin]

That was an awesome selection of gears for a garage sale find, well done! The mention to my situation is much appreciated Chris. Now lets see the gears put to work! Thank you my friend. ~ Richard

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Rich - yes, not a bad find for not much - now perhaps to see if I can dream up something to make use of some.! Fingers crossed for the GFM being successful. ATB.

[@MakinSumthinFromNuthin]

I am sure you will come up with something!

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

I do not remember what channel but I saw a fellow using the carbide router bits on aluminum and they looked to be cutting very well. I imagine the carbide ones would cut steel as well. The gears and pulleys have a lot of potential. I have a few stashed away myself.

[@fuzzy1dk]

most carbide tipped wood working tools work just fine for aluminium. like circularsaws bandsaws and chopsaws

[@ChrisB257]

Hey Harold, The result on Al seems quite encouraging but not sure I'd risk on steel. The latest 'junk' was quite nice except - where to put it all :)

[@poplarhouse]

Those pulleys were a find, Chris. I went to buy a small one recently and was shocked at what they cost. Thanks for sharing.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Charles - yes, pretty useful and as you say - going to buy a pulley can be a cost shock! Probably find a use for one or two of those at some point. :)

[@pgs8597]

Check out Tom Lipton etching press hand wheel 7 video where he uses a carbide router bit on steel, very interesting how he mounted the large wheel also. Cheers Peter

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Peter - hadn't seen Tom doing that - must admit I don't feel so inclined to run on steel compared to aluminum - maybe better try it sometime! :)

[@MaturePatriot]

Hey Old Man, glad to see you. We have been cleaning out my parents place in preparation for sale. I have kept every pulley I've found. Never know when you'll ned a pulley or gear for a project.

[@ChrisB257]

Hey! Thanks - good to see you drop by. Maybe now, apart from finding somewhere to store the new bits (not easy!) - I'll be able to dream up something to make use of some of it! :)

[@EverettsWorkshop]

I was surprised to see how well the router bits worked on the aluminum. Considering the cost of corner rounding end mills, the router bits sound like a good idea for aluminum and perhaps brass! Nice haul on the garage sale box too, that's definitely "usable junk!"

[@ChrisB257]

Hey Everett - well, works good enough for the odd occasion I reckon - and as someone else mentioned might be Ok on brass too as you said. Have to see what I can do with the new 'junk' :)

[@HellSpawn722001]

Hey Chris the brass pulley is for a block and tackle. Great video.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Charles - thanks. I think you are right re the pulley.

[@enzo8745]

Yes, thanks for the reply. I've also used them on 4140

[@ChrisB257]

4140 as well - impressive :)

[@danharold3087]

Agree that 1/2" shank router bits would be more rigid. On the small cutter I would have made a few passes instead of taking it all at once. Not unlike the lathe where we make rough cuts and a finish or spring pass to get it nice.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Dan, Thanks. If I had some 1/2" shank cutters I'd probably be more adventurous! I did actually take the small cutter in two passes - though the main bit on the video was after a trial part cut - admittedly the point where I stopped the cut was full depth and it coped fairly well. The larger cutter for sure, bit at a time. I certainly take your point. :)

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

Good idea. I've seen circular saw blades used on sheet metal, instead of wood, with good results. Blade life is reduced. Those gears and pulleys are nice finds.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Jeffry, Thanks - now to see what I can conjure up to make with my new 'junk' - sometime. :)

[@Xynudu]

Hi Chris. I've had/bought/sold three of those cheap two stroke gennies. Not much to go wrong with them. They must IMHO produce the dirtiest/most unstable electricity possible. But great for power tools. No so good for lights as even fluro's flicker and carry on - typical two stroke engine hunting issue. Things smooth out under full load. Worth having though. I liked the wood router idea on ally. Reading the comments some suggested slow speed is better, but I would have spun it fast also, and used lube to avoid corrugations in the finish. If it had more blades then I would slow down. I suppose more experimentation is in order. Interesting video. Cheers Rob

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Rob - must get to looking at your gen'y video - I'm in catch-up mode. Yes, these small units are a bit basic and in my case the problem was a crappy carb. The company in UK 'generatorguru.com' has a huge parts selection and found a carb from them. More experimentation with router cutter will be useful. ATB.

[@mattinkel7342]

Radius router cutters work well on brass too, clicksping does it from time to time.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Matt - ahh yes, might well be handy on brass... must try that sometime.

[@mattinkel7342]

@@ChrisB257 I've had good results myself ..even the cheap tct cutters from china do the job if you take several conservative passes

[@CreaseysWorkshop]

I've been using router bits on my mill for ages. I just use light cuts and they work great. I've even used them on steel no problems.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi John, I had never tried that so needed a test run - am pleasantly surprised that you and one or two others say it does OK for steel! have to try that. :)

[@txsviking]

Router bits are pretty tough for the cost. I really need to get my generator out and start it up. Its been about 10 months or so. Pulleys are always handy :-)

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Terry - well, seems some cutters can do an adequate job. As for gen'ys - it's all too easy to forget to run them now and again - I know I am guilty of that!! ATB.

[@dalejones4186]

Great video Chris. Thanks for sharing.

[@ChrisB257]

Thank you Dale - best, Chris.

[@michaelmurray9154]

Looks like the wood bit cutters are viable. I wouldn't worry too much about a perfect finish. I've never had perfection with hss cutters meant for metal. I look at it as using them to rough in the shape and if required, finish with a quick touch with a file and a bit of emery cloth. Anyway nice experiment, I'll keep that trick in mind! 😊. Mike

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Mike, Yes, these can do an adequate job on Al - and as you say, a bit of finishing work may be all that's needed. ATB :)

[@Daledavispratt]

"You never know..." That phrase is the hallmark of every good pack rat out there...including me! :-)

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Dale - haha you are so right. :-)

[@pierresgarage2687]

Keep the wood cutters lubricated with kerosene or WD-40 or even ol, it helps AL welded deposits from sticking to the carbide... Nice stash of gears and pulleys, inspiration for projects... ;)

[@fuzzy1dk]

I find the best lubricant aluminium to be ethanol

[@pierresgarage2687]

@@fuzzy1dk I know that, but I've always been reluctant to use alchool to lubricate during machining or where fire could be a issue, mostly cause the flame is almost invisible and affraid to discover too late that something is burning... Not that I've heard about many of those fires, though... possibly just an unjustified fear... ;)

[@fuzzy1dk]

you don't need to flood it a few drops will do ;)

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Pierre - I was lazy not using any WD but chips were flying without too much clogging. Normally I would have used some sort of lube. The gears and pulleys do produce the thought - ''what can I make out of those" :)

[@pierresgarage2687]

@@ChrisB257 Yap, got boxes full of "future" projects of all sorts... lol

[@skiptracer8703]

We used radius bits like that on aluminum without problems, never tried it on steel. -jim

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Jim - good to know others make them work. Apparently one or two folks say they will work on steel!

[@RobiSydney]

Ox Tool used a 1/4 round carbide cutter on his milling machine to profile the edge on the steel hand wheel for his wifes press.

[@gh778jk]

Chris, Use a bit of WD40 and above all lower your RPM. That cutter is quite big in diameter to be cutting metal at 2200 n/min... All the best Paddy

[@WB8MHE]

Chuck Bomaito, "outsidescrewball'" used these carbide profilers extensively on mild steel in one of his project about 2 years ago . ...................Dick

[@chieft3357]

I guess I should have watched this video before commenting on your generator carb problem. I did a bit of waffling on it, LOL.

[@ChrisB257]

Haha - no probs Jim :) ATB.

[@dannywilsher4165]

Nice haul sir!

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Danny - yeah, not too bad for a few bucks! :)

[@chieft3357]

You'll find a use for your gears and pulleys somewhere, I know I would.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Jim - yes, probably find some uses - just need to find space for it all!

[@nowayjerk8064]

lipton used a 1/2 shaft router on steel for his wife's press hand wheels

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Monte - yes, someone else mentioned that - I'd either missed it or totally forgotten. :)

[@enzo8745]

1/2 inch shaft works on steel...I've done it many times...even stainless

[@ChrisB257]

Hi - I'd feel happier trying that with 1/2" shaft I think - the 1/4" is a bit weak. Stainless eh - impressive. :)

[@robertburns2415]

I think the burr is because the cutter is ground without enough clearance for the chip to clear before the second blade starts cutting.L

[@ChrisB257]

Hi Robert - you could well be right on that - plus I think my tool height was possibly a couple of thou too low.

[@RockingJOffroad]

Thanks for mentioning Richard’s problems, I noticed earlier this evening that we are helping getting some funds on Gofundme.

[@ChrisB257]

Hi John - I sure hope Rich gets some useful help.

[@afpienaar4604]

Use kerosene based coolant