Which way do I feed the key machine??

[WOT]

Since the blade is angled to the right, it only cuts from the right...So you should start at the shoulder and trace it to the tip which would be left to right.

The smoothness of the cut is based on a good sharp blade, the RPM's of your machine and the speed at which you make the key. While you can't adjust the RPM's of your machine, if the blade is good, try making the key a bit slower.

Cutter turns at 1150RPM(1725RPM motor, 3:2 reduction) and the cutter is 2.25" around so i'm getting ~675ft/min linear speed. What's the typical linear speed?

[Raccoon]

if you still get a squeel then your cutting blade needs to be replaced. if your cuts are 10-25 thousandaths off or too shallow you need a new blade.......

10 thousanths is 1 hundreth or 0.0100". 25 thousanths, 0.0250". If your key machine is any more than +/- 0.0005" to 0.0010", you have a problem. That's as much as 1/50th of your recommended tolerence.

Cutter turns at 1150RPM(1725RPM motor, 3:2 reduction) and the cutter is 2.25" around so i'm getting ~675ft/min linear speed. What's the typical linear speed?

I generally hear cutters measured in horsepower of the motor. You can look at how many watts or amps it draws and compare to other cutters if no HP rating.

[ponsaloti]

If you want long blade life, you must cut using beval side of blade. Doing a reverse pass will will check you have duplicated correctly.
I can see from photo that your cutter is worn/ dull on the biggest diameter & I guarentee your getting alot of burrs on the trailing side of the cut.
If the machine is screaming (chattering) , its probebly dull cutter & not machine speed . If your cuts are to shallow but clean, its dos`nt mean you need a new cutter, it means your machine needs adjusting.

[maxxed]

In the poll there should be a spot for it doesn't matter. I have several duplicating machines and some I prefer to run left to right and others seem to work better right to left and all of these machines have a flat side on the cutter. I don't think it matters, the only thing is being consistent with your duplicating, do what works.

[zeke79]

Depending on the price of a new cutter go GilRay. Unless you have something like the 23RF's which are file cutters and cheap to buy.

[2octops]

What model machine is that? 045? If so, a new cutter is about $65 and I think David sharpens those for around $35 or $40.

He might have some different brand cutters the same size for less.

You can go to their web site and download the pdf for the owners manual that tells everything you will ever need to know about that machine. If you can not find it there, just call them and they will snail mail it out for free.

Cut bow to tip. Cutting the other way will ruin that cutter extremely quickly. That squeeling noise you heard, well, that was your machine screaming in pain