Have any of you guys had experience with cutting holding tabs on a part. My problem is everthing goes well till I get to the backside of the programed tab. Even with center cutting end mill it puts the tool into a vibration tizzy.
Making the plunge down the other side.
I was wondering if a 60° drill mill with bottom offset would be a better choice?
This sounds more like a programming problem more than anything. Can you share a screenshot of the part you are trying to cut? We can make suggestions for how best to machine it.
I’ll do that in the am. I appreciate it.
It’s hard to visualize what you’re trying to accomplish, but you never want to plunge an end mill in steel even if it is center cutting, you should always helical or ramp into the part if necessary.
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Seems like I remember a video by John Saunders, where he said that pre-drilling was a key to success with the tabs?
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Programed in six holding tabs around the part. All goes perfectly till it starts to cut out the tabs. Mill picks up over tab and comes down hard on the backside. I’m home now so i can’t show you the program
Thanks, I watched the video. It was very good. I don’t machine hard steel very often. Losing a $ 80 end mill sucks though.
Yeah based on my read of the scenario, it sounds like your plunging the end mill straight down and that’s something you definitely want to avoid doing.
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Change tabs to triangular shape, it is a setting where you choose tab shape, then play with their heights and widths to get the tabs geometry correct.
Tool will ramp upwards and then back downwards as it encounters the tab area.
Tab location will change depending on your top height and bottom heights.
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I’ll try it. I had them rectangular. Thanks so much for the help.
Triangular works like a champ. I sure appreciate it. Doesn’t even change sound on the backside. 
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