A few unorthodox machining tips

Tips that shed light on some aspect of machining are tips worth mentioning. Following are some unusual methods of machining that have worked for me.

• Experiment with unorthodox cutting routines once in a while. However, these routines won’t always work, so be prepared. One day, an order arrived for about a dozen teardrop-shaped parts. I wondered how I was going to hold the parts for machining. After going through various planning scenarios, I came up with an unorthodox plan that would cover the entire job in one setup. Co-workers thought I was crazy. I even thought I was crazy, but the method worked. I chose to stand a bar of aluminum on end and then cut the profile very close to size with a keyway cutter while stepping down the cutter a little at a time. The bar of aluminum provided the rigidity I needed to make the cuts.​