When operating a machining or fabrication shop, every dollar counts. Most shops have a bandsaw in their equipment lineup to alleviate the cost of getting custom-cut lengths from a metal supplier. While having a bandsaw is useful, it can still be a drag on your checkbook because of the manual labor required.

 Cutting threads is an important element of machining. Even if you aren’t into making your own, custom-sized threads, it still helps to know how to create them. We’ve seen customers get pretty creative with their machines and cutting methods, but with a Tormach mill, there are three main ways to cut threads.

Every machinist knows things work a whole lot better when turning if you can get your tool tip right on the centerline. During a trip to Tormach to test their CNC lathe before I got one years ago, I saw this first hand. I “eyeballed” a tool tip to center and made an OD turning pass. The cut was fine, but the finish seemed poor. So, we set the tool on centerline using the ruler trick:

Have you ever tried a button cutter for milling? If so, you’ll know that these versatile tools can really do a good job for you. They’re commonly used for pocketing, die/mold roughing, face milling, slotting, step milling, and even helical interpolation of holes.

Just launched my this month’s video with Cutting Tool Engineering for my “CNC Chef” column (a playful reference to the CNCCookbook). In the first video, I covered the subject of tool rubbing.

Selecting the right coolant for the job may seem straight forward, but there had to be a reason there are so many options, so I started digging around. Here’s what I learned: