Cutting mazac

[PenrithBeacon]

For the most part cutting mazac isn't an issue, I can file it, saw it and, given an appropriate choice of cutting speed, drill it. But cutting it with slitting tools using a minidrill doesn't work for me at all.

 

Does anyone have any advice, please

 

Cheers

[AdamsRadial]

I suspect the softness of the metal causes it to clog up the disks, much as aluminium melts into full-size angle-grinder disks. You could try diamond coated disks, they don't have pores that can clog, but reducing the speed of the tool might be necessary to try and keep the temperature down.

[PenrithBeacon]

Thanks for that, I've used diamond impregnated discs without success, I wonder if the mini drill has enough power, but it's difficult to estimate the cutting speed for the diamond cutter.

Cheers

[ROSSPOP]

The diamond impregnated discs that I use are no godd cutters of thick material.

 

Get yourself some of the grey or black carborundum discs and they will cut anything just about including mazak.

 

 

I used some very cheap ones on this lump and although I needed to use three discs ( cos they wore down ) they worked fine ..and I use a very cheap variable speed minidrill.

 

 

John

[polybear]

And wear safety glasses, whatever you do - those things shatter if you stare at them too hard

[Il Grifone]

And spray tiny particles of metal and grit about. Totally enclosed googles are best.  (Personal experience!)

[PenrithBeacon]

Still not having much luck.  Have been successful in using slitting cutters to part off brass, mild steel and silver steel but cutting through this mazac casting isn't working. The diamond cutters lose the diamond particles very quickly and The carborundum saws just polish the surface. All very odd.

I've ordered some pretty course piercing saw blades from Eileen's, when they arrive I'll have another go.

Thanks for the safety advice, I've been using water as a lubricant so there isn't a problem with swarf flying around.

Cheers

[Paul_sterling]

On 21/11/2019 at 19:39, PenrithBeacon said:

For the most part cutting mazac isn't an issue, I can file it, saw it and, given an appropriate choice of cutting speed, drill it. But cutting it with slitting tools using a minidrill doesn't work for me at all.

 

Does anyone have any advice, please

 

Cheers

 

Hi,

 

If you are using grinding type cutting tools, the mazac is likely too soft and clogging the pores, a toothed-type cutting tool should be more successful, but you need to keep the surface temperature down. 

 

Thanks, Paul. 

[PenrithBeacon]

1 hour ago, Paul_sterling said:

 

Hi,

 

If you are using grinding type cutting tools, the mazac is likely too soft and clogging the pores, a toothed-type cutting tool should be more successful, but you need to keep the surface temperature down. 

 

Thanks, Paul. 

Thanks for that, I came to much the same conclusion this afternoon. Squires have a good range of HSS slotting saws, Eileens less so.

http://www.squirestools.com/files/12-08.pdf . Page 127 is where the slotting saws are.

 

Cheers