Paging Snowyboy (and other cutaway makers)

[mhole]

I'm nearing the end of my 1st successful cutaway project, a Tri-Circle 365 padlock, basing my cuts on the very nice abus padlock snowyboy has posted a few times. I have completed the large cut in the body of the lock which shows the core, and the straight cut to show the spring and latches which retain the shackle, as well as the small (1.8mm) cuts which reveal the individual springs and security pins.

But, I still need to do the small cuts in the plug. How do you recommend doing these? I'm concerned as these cuts are pretty deep for such a small cutter, and I want them to line up nicely with the corresponding cuts in the lock body - do you line up the cuts with the plug in position? Do you pre-cut with a small saw or anything to work the cutter less hard?

Any tips greatfully recieved! I'll post some pics soon when I get the camera out.

[SnowyBoy]

Hey!

The cuts on the pin channels are 1.5mm. You should do more shallow sweeps than a few deep ones. Just be gentle with it and it will be ok. The noise coming off the cutter is a good indication as to what it's going through.

All my cut's are done by eye. It helps if you have a good light behind the lock and the cutter spinning. Always lock off the table on the axis you are not working on, this will stop drag and ensure your cuts are dead straight.

[mhole]

I locked the slides (you'd mentioned that in another thread) and it made a big difference, like you say, the noise of the cutter changes very obviously when something is moving, or not tightened down nicely.

I'm coming at this as a wood worker who has tinkered with metal work, so the gauging by eye is cool with me, but I'm mostly sweating the cuts on the plug and body not lining up nicely - I worry that I can do both by eye, and they'll look fine apart, but cockeyed when assembled.

[SnowyBoy]

Forgot to say that you should lap material away with the cutter.

I mean as in if you are approaching a face you want to mill on the left side of the cutter (with the cutter going clockwise), you have to put the cutter at the back of that face and mill towards you. You should never push the cutter into the point it is cutting at (in the direction of the spin).

The opposite applies if you are milling the face on the right of the cutter....... you should mill away from you.

I think I sent you a diagram of what I meant at one point?

[loki-aka]

Snowyboy is correct. One should feed material (object being cut) against the direction the blade or bit is rotating.
Tooling is designed with this in mind. Feeding with the direction of rotation is dangerous, as the blade can "grab"
the work piece (material) and send it flying as a projectile and maybe even "pull" your fingers into the blade path.

By the way, I hope others remember to use shop glasses when working. Even the most beautifi cutaway
isn't worth putting your eye out over.