To rout or not to rout...

[Steelforbrains]

Has anyone ever tried using a standard woodworking router for doing weld preparation? I have looked at some of the bevelers on the market and some of them just seem like overpriced routers. One of the bevelers that I found had a 1 hp motor and had the perfect depth of cut for what I was trying to do except it will not do inside radii, which I need to do. I can buy a 3 HP router for thousands of dollars less, which can do inside radii. It seems that lack of power should not be an issue.

I know that I would need to use carbide tipped/solid carbide bits in a variable speed router. Do I need to use special bits? I have tried to search for router bits specifically designed for cutting steel but I haven't found any.

What would be the proper speed for cutting steel with a 135 Brinell hardness?

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[MintJulep]

Typical woodworking routers spin the bit at around 30,000 rpm.

It's been many years since I actually used a metal milling machine, but I recall the tool rotation being somewhat slower.

 

[Steelforbrains]

I have seen several that are variable speed and range from 8000 rpm to 25000 rpm.

 

[berkshire]

Steelforbrains (Mechanical)
Most bevelers use a single blade cutter with a replaceable carbide insert. If you can find or make the tool holder and you have a router that can stand a certain amount of light oil it should work.
B.E.

 

[BillPSU]

Depending on the size of bevel I believe you will find the forces need to be applied router to the part will be relatively high and hand application will be very difficult or impossible to accomplish.

 

[MintJulep]

Power = torque x rpm

 

[Steelforbrains]

Heck Industries makes a beveler that will bevel 45 deg. angles 7/8" deep (which is what I need). The beveler just rests on the plate (it is not self feeding). They have a demonstration video on their website and it appears that it cuts rather easily. It is basically a 1 HP motor with a carbide cutter and a guide.

E=mc^2

 

[GRoberts]

The heck beveler has about a 2" diameter cutter with about 20 carbide inserts. I think a router would get torn up pretty quick. The heck beveler is pretty heavy duty, but it still gets torn up, and the carbide inserts need replaced often.

 

[StoneCold]

But how many rpm are they turning? I don't know how fast a beveler turns but a drill press turns much slower than 8000 rpm and most of the machining I have done was in the 200 to 1000 rpm range.


regards
Stonecold

 

[unclesyd]

I never seen wood router used on steel but did see one tried on Al using a 60° beveling tool. It lasted about 45 seconds. I didn't get to checkout the failed machine but it looked like the bottom bearing failed first. During the short test the router got extremely hot. I haven't seen but one of the high speed, 60,000 rpm, milling machines working with Al. The head on this machine was very large for the size of the cutter.

The only wood working tool that I've used on Al is the gear driven "Skil" type saw. I picked this up in 70's from a crew building a large Al tank.

 

[GRoberts]

I don't remember the RPMs, but it was a standard AC motor without a gearbox.

 

[SomeYahoo]

I've used routers on Aluminum with good results. Just be careful of pressure and feed and you won't have a problem.

As for steel, I would be careful of assuming 3HP is sufficient. The router makes 3HP at 30,000 rpm... the beveling machine likely makes it's 1HP at a much lower RPM (i.e. more torque... thanks MintJulep).

I would guess it would be a tough row to hoe.

 

[AbelGus]

A five axis laser will do all of the beveling you describe very quickly and efficiently. Parts can be drawn in AutoCad and converted to DXF files which the machine will read. The five axis laser costs about 1/2 million dollars, but shops that own this equipment will subcontract the work at surprisingly low prices, since they need to keep such an exensive tool running all day to justify the cost. The kind of weld prep you are discussing is a real pain and not to be attempted with a router for many of the reasons listed above - power verus rpm, bearing life, vibration (which makes to toll impossible to guide), lack of heft of a wood router. The one area where a router will work is edge beveling aluminum (in fact lasers have difficulty with aluminum for optical reasons related to molten aluminum). Lasers are cost effective up to 1/2" thick material.

 

[tomwalz]

Woodworking router bits are typically designed with carbide grade roughly equivalent to a fine finish grade for steel. In addition router bits for wood and similar materials are designed to cut fibers. The hard edge will be fracture prone in this application and the sharp edge will be prone to grab.

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

 

[berkshire]

steelfor brains,
Have you looked at the Nitto bevelers. NITTO KOHKI USA. INC. Their HB-15B might do what you want.
I was taking a closer look at our beveler and the bottom bearing is massive compared to a wood router, also the one we have is pneumatic.
B.E.

 

[Steelforbrains]

berkshire,
That is almost identical to the beveler that I was looking at from Heck Industries. It doesn't look like you can do an inside radius though. Is there an attachment that you can buy to do an inside radius?

 

[berkshire]

Steelforbrains (Mechanical)
I do not know. All we ever use ours for is to angle bevel for welds and to put an outside radius on plate corners.
When we do that the straight carbide insert is exchanged for a radiused insert.
Why don't you ask Nitto what they have?
B.E.

 

[griffengm]

I often use a Dremel tool with a carbide burr to cut or shape welds and to dress mold cavities. I do try to get carbide made for steel cutting.
One thing bothers me about using carbide on aluminum though. If the tool chips or flakes in an area to be welded you will likely have an inclusion from the chip embedding.
One other nasty result is the generation of small slivers that get into and on everything including skin. Eye protection and covered skin!!!
On aluminum, the bigger frustration will likely be clogged burrs and/or build up on the cutter edges even with light feeds because you have so little indication of heat build up at even 8000 rpm.
Not saying it cannot be done just that as a production option it leaves a lot to be desired.

Griffy

 

[SomeYahoo]

For what it's worth, my experience has been that the 6000 series aluminums don't clog up the cutters nearly as bad as softer aluminums (5000 series, etc).