by Raymond » 30 Mar 2010 0:06
Howdy Zeke79,
I believe that one of the most common and frustrating duplication errors comes from SPACING and not depth adjustment. This maching is using a double angle cutter as designed for general duplication and depth key code cutting. If the guide is too small the cuts will be too wide and vise-versa. If he put on a single angle cutter it would not cut the ramp on one side. Most file cutters are slightly rounded on the point. The original tracing point should match this exactly. If he switches to a milling cutter with sharp edges, the rounded guide will cause bad space cuts and rough ramps on one side.
The diameter is the easiest variation to fix by simply adjusting the depth screw. I think you answered part of your own question. If you used simularly shaped new cutters on your old machine and they worked well then the angle and shape of the cutter was probably designed for that general type of duplicator. Several companies made the cutter wheels and it is the same as buying after market car parts. The parts are engineered to fit and match. I'm certainly not saying that they always do match but that is the intentional design objective.
I once changed from a double angle cutter on an old Ilco Minute machine to an HPC Sharpie narrow cutter with a flat side. After I made a new gauge and sped up the pulley it worked perfectly. I had very little trouble with rough ramp stepping. But, I had to correct the guide tip.
If the guide angle is good and the spacing is still off he may have to use shim washers on the cutter shaft.
This is not a subject I have learned from any accredited instructional source. It reprersents only my opinion and is based on many years of experience.
Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool. Wisdom is not just in determining how to do something, but also includes determining whether it should be done at all.
