Any good suggestions for broken insert screws. I just bought the 38mm Face mill and had two insert screws break off. One I could get out, the other doesn’t have anything to grab onto.
Since the inserts are most of the profit sometimes the vendors will replace the face mill for free if your buying inserts from them. Cutwell does mine here in the UK but I havnt tried it yet. I just saw the advertisement last year. Other than that drill it and tap it. But I don’t know what they make those face mills from. I doubt it’s that easy. You could always run it missing one tooth if it’s got several.
Usually the back side has a torqx in it.
I use the little tools that come with the insert tool holder. I think they are copper and no way you’re going to break a screw using those little tools to set the screws. Do others use those little tools or a full size torqx driver?
It sounds like they may have used the cheapest screws known to man. I have stripped out the threaded holes on a face mill before or had the insert break and continued milling with the screw in tact but I have never broken one of the screws. The screws are made of super strong stuff to resist abrasion from carbide and whatever you are cutting as well as insane loads from cutting. I would recommend replacing all those screws.
Think you’re confused. I also use the tool that comes with the face mill. The problem is the screws snap off in the tool while running in a part.
I agree. Screws are junk. The problem is, one has snapped off flush to the part. I can’t grab on to it to remove it.
I think it might be time to find a decent face mill - like a kennametal or Ingersol or the ones Tormach sells - even Accusize of amazon is not horrible
This is the Tormach 38mm face mill.
There are quite a few ways to remove snapped screws, from the ever popular left handed drill bits, grinding a slot, careful tapping with a sharp punch, to welding on a stub all the way to EDMs. Some looking around home machining forums should turn up something compatible with the tools you have.
What depth of cut were you using when screw failure happened?
I use various face mills in a 1100mx every day
Never seen a failure like that, other than a crash
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If the screws are soft you should be able to drill it out and then run a hand tap through it to clear out the old screw. Maybe you could tap a hole into the back of the screw and push it out with another smaller screw. There are lots of options. Worse come to worse it’s low rpm so you should be able to run without a tooth
Does the screw go through or is it a blind hole? If it goes through you could go after the other end with a regular drill and see if you can screw it out.