Got a call today from JTS saying they didn't ship my Dorian 60 degree carbide insert dovetail cutter because their website had the old price. The new price is around $80 higher. I told them thank you for informing me of this a week after I placed my order and I cancelled the order.
I dug around for other places to order it from and found it at KBC tools for $208 and the non-coated inserts are about $10 each, coated $13 each. The tool needs 3. Not sure what radius is best 1/64 or 1/32, or if I should go coated or uncoated?
I am going to be machining 4140 steel on a very rigid cnc bedmill. This is mostly a "for fun" project so I can take as long as I want. Is there a cheaper solution than spending ~$250 for this tool and 3 inserts? The right size import HSS dovetail cutter from Enco is $60, but I am not sure if it would even last through this one piece of 4140.
I have been researching carbide inserts for the past few hours...lot of confusing information and numbering out there. How hard would it be to make a three insert shell mill dovetail cutter if I could find some suitable ebay inserts? It sounds like a fun sub-project, but I don't really know where to begin or what insert style to design around. Any websites with info?
Thanks,
Rick