fin legth and stuff
 

I will be using a 1/32 slitting saw to cut some fins (actually the channels). Now obveously I have to be careful to make sure I have enough room to cut the chennels w/out cutting into the "outer walls" of the base. Here is where I am running into problems w/ how long I can make my fins.

So I am wondering if it'll be ok if I don't run the saw all the way though the fins. So there will be a small arc, which will go to a higher step in the base.Here is a drawing... kinda. The base in the center of the fins will be 1/16" but because of the blade size both ends will be higher (not sure how much). Do you think this will be ok? Any other ideas? I will be able to cut the center channels fine, but because of the radius on both ends I will start to hit that. I could make the ends square but I don't think that will be as good.

Thanks for you input.

I was looking through Grainger's catalog yesterday, and I found that industrial bandsaws typically use a 0.025 thick cutting band. That would be a smidge thinner than your .03125 (1/32).

A few bands are available at 0.020.

What type of band saw are you refering to? The one's we used at the fab shop do not cut level. The top slowly drops as it is cutting through the material. The top starts at about a 30 degree angle and slows drops to 0 degrees and that is when it cuts all the way through the material. It would be impossible to use a bandsaw (and I really mean impossible) to make fins accuratly in a peice of copper. The blade just has to much flex in it would be very difficult to make some type of jig at an angle to make such a cut.

But that is refering to the large metal cutting liquid lubed band saws.

I have the blade I am GOING to be using it is free for me to use and I really don't think it's worth it to buy anything else. I need you guys' openions on whether I should just cut short and raise the base of where the outlets are (like in the picture). Or do something w/ the radius of each side of the channel. Or something else. Just please let me know what you think will be better.

After looking around a bit more in the shop I found another slitting saw blade which is .045" wide (bit less than 3/64, 1.2mm). This blade has a smaller diameter which I think will work. But the channels will be bigger (were going to be .035", 1/32", .89mm).

So now I could either use this blade w/ larger channels. Or use the thinner one, and change something in the design which might make the block inferior (or intherior? :p). But then again the larger channels will also make it inferior.

WHAT ARE YOUR OPENIONS? I'm a n00b.

KILL THE POPUPS!!!...

The 'arc' you're showing in the popup, opps!, I mean pics is negligable. You could always make the block a tad longer so it does'nt cut into the outer walls, if your drawing is to scale a MM or two will do it. Alternativly you could make the outer walls part of the block TOP rather than bottom and have it screwed/bolted on through the baseplate...

This is the kind I'm talking about. I can see what you mean now Jaydee! Isn't it possible to add a tensioner to fix that?

That one wouldn't be bad. The ones Jaydee is refering to absolutely suck. Their good for a rough cut where precision doesn't matter.

Yes we have one of these band saws in our shop. But I wouldn't feel comfortable using it to cut my fins. I think I am just going to go w/ the "step". And see how it goes.