Annular cutter in Mill

[slow-poke]

Annular cutter virgin here....

I see it's recommended to have a spring loaded drive when using an annular cutter, , anyone try this without the spring loaded gizmo. Would the cutter not simply retract and then if the plug is inside the cutter, just tap the pointy pin in to pop the plug after removing the cutter from the mill?

 

[PeterT]

For the most part I don't use the spring loaded drive. The slug will kind of stay up in the ID if it has any thickness, but its generally not a big deal to remove. Now if its thick or gummy material it could be more difficult. Or if you are doing a lot of holes, then fiddling around can get old. I've done 1" thick aluminum successfully. I think I had a slug that was stuck a bit firmer & I tapped it out with a rod but you have to remove the cutter to access the pin hole.

 

[slow-poke]

Okay, done and I'm impressed, 1.0625" cut like butter (cold rolled steel) 1'' depth

I picked one up on sale at PA just to try. I will definitely be picking up a full set when they are on sale again.

Way less drama than using large S&D bits.

 

[PeterT]

And you have a resultant slug of material to use for another project vs a bunch of swarf in the bin! haha

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Okay, done and I'm impressed, 1.0625" cut like butter (cold rolled steel) 1'' depth

I picked one up on sale at PA just to try. I will definitely be picking up a full set when they are on sale again.

Way less drama than using large S&D bits.

Yep! Use them all the time at work. Only cautionary note, I blew up a 1” one on some brass. It was brand new, razor sharp, and I lowered it in with the quill on a knee-mill. Dove into the material as soon as it made contact, and bam. Now I use the knee to bring the work up in a controlled manner, or at least keep two hands on the quill lever, one pushing down and the other applying a little back pressure.

 

[phaxtris]

i also do it often in a standard collet when the mag drill just wont work, heck my mag drill only pops out the slug like 60% of the time anyhow so its not much different LOL

 

[PeterT]

I blew up a 1” one on some brass. It was brand new, razor sharp, and I lowered it in with the quill on a knee-mill. Dove into the material as soon as it made contact, and bam.

That might be analogous to drilling brass or bronze. Both contain copper which can be very grabby on regular drill geometry. Those materials can suck the drill right out of a chuck once spudded. That's why the point geometry typically needs to be 'dubbed' which means reduce the rake angle from positive to something less. But that would be a PITA on an annular cutter. Sometimes pecking helps but it can still be a risky proposition on larger diameters.

 

[Tom Kitta]

Okay, done and I'm impressed, 1.0625" cut like butter (cold rolled steel) 1'' depth

I picked one up on sale at PA just to try. I will definitely be picking up a full set when they are on sale again.

Way less drama than using large S&D bits.

You can get them even cheaper from Amazon - even Amazon US.

Main issue is sharpening them is far more work than a drill bit.

 

[Susquatch]

Okay, done and I'm impressed, 1.0625" cut like butter (cold rolled steel) 1'' depth

Never used the spring or the pilot. I've done 2" without problems. If I did buy a set, I'd be looking at longer ones.

 

[Aliva]

The cutter can be used without the center pin. It has 2 purposes as far as I know. 1 to locate the cutter over the center of the desired hole and 2 to help remove the slug . I've used cutters with and without the center pin. The cutters I've used do not have spring loaded pins the spring is located in the spindle of the mag drill.

 

[Ironman]

My morse 3 adapter has a spring and the pin will eject the slug out through the headstock bore and hit the wall

 

[djberta]

Interesting this just came up. Artisan makes has a video on using the annular cutter instead of trepanning. I was also waiting for a good sale on them from PA or on amazon.

 

[mbond]

Interesting this just came up. Artisan makes has a video on using the annular cutter instead of trepanning. I was also waiting for a good sale on them from PA or on amazon.

There must be another meaning for trepanning. The only one I know is cutting holes in the head as an ancient medical procedure

 

[Susquatch]

There must be another meaning for trepanning. The only one I know is cutting holes in the head as an ancient medical procedure

They might be related or have a common history.....

Cutting a hole in the head with a saw wouldn't be very friendly to the brain underneath. So they probably scraped or carved the piece of skull away.

That's essentially how the metal process works.

 

[kstrauss]

See https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/...repanning_of_the_skull._Wellcome_L0016675.jpg for a lovely drawing of the skull cutting flavour. Looks rather like an annular cutter but no spring loaded ejection pin.

 

[slow-poke]

How many of you guys are using trepan tool, instead of annular cutter?

I'm guessing they are not inexpensive but replaceable cutters sound like a great solution to avoid sharpening.

Anybody try this Vevor set of annular cutters?

https://www.amazon.ca/VEVOR-Diameter-High-Speed-Portable-Magnetic/dp/B0CJRG345B/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=290XP0CE6IUPU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UJ35k438sMFuP-LTgAdhbeM_xEJDxzUZbmgBixdR4puWcDQqGyRc2bpujmxIOc8vTbXUFYuwOk1CaRk4k8eTP4uZfP6fdvbhSE72BsWxvLPZsgkpiZgWQPWdbYlcN6DRVzbBV2AM88lXG8ulBhaShms54d1pkH4po6ztf1p6TFqODYu6zd7imZXAEKXoViCAnHW_N2Av4tW5RLFanJBun3OLEqjX9sS4amaCOgbCQf9-2TzmDSZNJr60groD6nWFzteJhJFiITTo6MuatJbDV1xb1U_ITuR5Rw-pSID_z10.PFUivh-sPQbg7vD4p_coR_HbJDUZHR4zHgMxxNBJYwU&dib_tag=se&keywords=annular+cutter&qid=1716057656&sprefix=annular+cutter+set%2Caps%2C344&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[phaxtris]

i buy lots of the accusize annular cutters, i imagine they are probably the same Chinese cutters that vevor sells, i have no complaints, i get plenty of life out of them for the price

i do have a whole drawer full of dull cutters (some domestic ($$), some Chinese), one of these days i will splurge on a sharpener as there is quite a bit to sharpening an annular cutter

 

[Susquatch]

How many of you guys are using trepan tool, instead of annular cutter?

I use both. I frequently grind my own HSS trepanning tools. But I'd rather use an annular cutter if I have one the size I need.

Not always successfully.... I just made one a week ago that bombed big time! LOL!

 

[slow-poke]

i buy lots of the accusize annular cutters, i imagine they are probably the same Chinese cutters that vevor sells, i have no complaints, i get plenty of life out of them for the price

i do have a whole drawer full of dull cutters (some domestic ($$), some Chinese), one of these days i will splurge on a sharpener as there is quite a bit to sharpening an annular cutter

I don't drill large holes all that often so hopefully they will stay sharp for a while. My drill bits stop at 1", anything larger I just program a CNC circle. I just ordered the Vevor set and will probably use them instead of S&D bits because in comparison they just cut a lot better and require much less power. I would imagine they will remain sharper longer than an equivalent size S&D bit for the same number of inch-holes?

I'm curious

 

[Susquatch]

I would imagine they will remain sharper longer than an equivalent size S&D bit for the same number of inch-holes?

I'm curious

I'd take that bet in a heart beat. Except for abuse, it's hard to imagine a situation where they wouldn't outlast a drill bit of the same size.