Milling a shaft.

[addjunkie]

I have been asked to cut a splinned shaft on my mill. Normal splines ive done before using a 90 degree cutter, set at center height. Cut slot, turn using indexing head, cut etc.

Now this job i have been asked to do is to fit a motorcycle drive sprocket to a jack shaft to transfer the drive from one side to the other on a chopper project. Something like this.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WR-125-R-...590495?hash=item1e86808cdf:g:wQkAAOSw5ZBWQNj7

Measuring sure i can work something out, but what cutter. Im open to ideas.

 

[MattH]

I'd of thought you'd have to custom grind an HSS bit for the job.

 

[nickk]

end mill,you might even find one the correct diameter to be able to do it in 1 pass.

 

[addjunkie]

That was my thinking, but there must be a proper way to do it, from the old days before cnc

 

[MattH]

You don't cut it as with an endmill. You slot it with a slotting head or in the lathe with a properly shaped bit.

The other way would be with a side cutter gear cutter but I doubt you'd find one with the exact profile you need.

 

[Pete.]

That was my thinking, but there must be a proper way to do it, from the old days before cnc

Horizontal mill and an indexing head.

 

[Shox Dr]

I'd of thought you'd have to custom grind an HSS bit for the job.

Horizontal mill with a profiled cutter


Edir; Pete beat me too it, phat fingers

 

[nickk]

That was my thinking, but there must be a proper way to do it, from the old days before cnc

as i haven't got a cnc m/c i would do it on my manual v/mill

 

[addjunkie]

So basically with out a purpose made correctly sized spline cutter, im bodging, thought so. When he turns up with the bits, ill just have to see whats what. A slightly modified woodruff key cutter is currently sitting favorate.

 

[lotus 30]

You chaps talk on here i have a very basic idea as an amateur but i do get frustrated not fully understanding all the different cutters that are available and the way you all approach jobs some great skills out there i need another life to learn more.

 

[500e]

We aren't going to live long enough to assimilate all the knowledge on this site L30

 

[Gritineye]

I've made a pair of half shafts and my retired machinist mate is kindly going to cut the splines on his Bridgeport, he's thinking cheapest way is to fly-cut them with a special grind hss tool.

Set up as per PDGs method.

 

[Kent]

end mill,you might even find one the correct diameter to be able to do it in 1 pass.

When I learnt an end mill did exactly that (milled ends on stuff) and a slot mill did slots into stuff. I believe there are new cutters out now?

 

[Screwdriver]

If it's going to be a custom shaft, why not find two good ends and weld them together?

 

[addjunkie]

Its a jack shaft for a 1 off custom bike!

 

[outofthefire]

If it's going to be a custom shaft, why not find two good ends and weld them together?

One better than me i'd have welded the sprockets on

 

[Screwdriver]

Its a jack shaft for a 1 off custom bike!

Yeah but it's not getting a one off custom sprocket is it?

Just weld on the end from a splined output shaft.

 

[addjunkie]

Also once all welded together how would he replace the bearings!

 

[Screwdriver]

Also once all welded together how would he replace the bearings!

Exactly the same as he would if you machined the splines in the existing shaft.

Chamfer the edges, grind down the weld or turn to spec.

 

[scott0031]

Is the original shaft not hard?