Low profile slitting saw arbor

[mklotz]

I needed a slitting saw arbor that could get very close to the surface so I put this together.

The kit consists of four pieces - the arbor, the "top hat", a suitably sized SHCS, and, of course, the slitting saw...

The arbor is turned down to fit into a 3/4" collet and has flats so, if the saw hangs up and overtightens the SHCS there's something to grab to keep it from turning while you reef on the screw. The hole in the business end of the arbor is bored to a nice sliding fit on the crown of the top hat. There's a small shoulder there which centers the saw. These shoulders are turned to match the seemingly endless sizes of saw holes out there. The saw blade is a carbide-tipped version sold for small woodworking panel saws. (Yeah, I hate the brown stuff too but these saws work well and seem more durable than the ordinary metal slitting saw.)

The crown of the top hat is drilled and bored so the SHCS can be inserted into it with no part of the screw head protruding...

Then the top hat is passed through the blade and the crown inserted into the hole in the arbor, the screw is tightened and you're ready to cut metal...

The brim of the top hat is only 0.080" thick so it's possible to get within 0.1" of the vise while sawing without a problem.

[kbalch]

Thanks mklotz! I've added your Low-Profile Slitting Saw Arbor to our Metalworking category, as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Low-Profile Slitting Saw Arbor by mklotz

tags: arbor, slitting saw

[steamingbill]

Hey Marv,

Any known traps to look out for when using these carbide tipped wood blades ?

Am running mine - 3.5" diameter -at 200 rpm and it seems to work just fine on mild steel.

Bill

[mklotz]

Hey Marv,

Any known traps to look out for when using these carbide tipped wood blades ?

Am running mine - 3.5" diameter -at 200 rpm and it seems to work just fine on mild steel.

I haven't run into any "gotchas" yet so I can't offer anything to avoid. The fact that the blade tips make a kerf wider than the blade body means that the hangups so frequently witnessed with conventional slitting saws are naturally avoided. Your speed of 200 rpm works out to about 180 sfm which is a bit on the low side for steel but very reasonable.

[Paul Jones]

Marv and Steamingbill, thank for your RPM information for the small carbide tipped blades. I am always amazed at what the larger 14" dia. steel cutoff saws can cut at 1300+ RPM and not self-destruct.

[WNL]

I needed a slitting saw arbor that could get very close to the surface so I put this together.

The kit consists of four pieces - the arbor, the "top hat", a suitably sized SHCS, and, of course, the slitting saw...

The arbor is turned down to fit into a 3/4" collet and has flats so, if the saw hangs up and overtightens the SHCS there's something to grab to keep it from turning while you reef on the screw. The hole in the business end of the arbor is bored to a nice sliding fit on the crown of the top hat. There's a small shoulder there which centers the saw. These shoulders are turned to match the seemingly endless sizes of saw holes out there. The saw blade is a carbide-tipped version sold for small woodworking panel saws. (Yeah, I hate the brown stuff too but these saws work well and seem more durable than the ordinary metal slitting saw.)

The crown of the top hat is drilled and bored so the SHCS can be inserted into it with no part of the screw head protruding...

Then the top hat is passed through the blade and the crown inserted into the hole in the arbor, the screw is tightened and you're ready to cut metal...

The brim of the top hat is only 0.080" thick so it's possible to get within 0.1" of the vise while sawing without a problem.

[petertha]

Thanks Marv. I've seen a few of these saws used for metal work slitting now. Can you comment on the rake angle of the 'wood' saw blade vs. what would be normal for a metal cutting saw? Have you been using it in softer alloys like aluminum with no grabby issues? And mild steel seems to cut OK? Have you noticed any better tip run out? Seems like all my HSS slitting blades inevitably have a slightly eccentric contact even with very accurate center hole fit up.