interesting glass blowing mold from solid graphite.

[knight_toolworks]

this was a rush job (nothing new there) that I was only told about on the way to work. well my customer buys this big block of solid graphite. it was about 24"x13"3/5" thick. one face and two edges were flat and straight. the top looked like a lava flow. I wish I remembered to take a picture. but I was stressing on this as the material was 1500.00 the stress of cutting this was pretty high. likely I had cut this before in wood so I just used the same settings. I just used wood blocks around it to keep it in place. weight kept it down. I had to shave of 1/2" to get it flat. nothing like 100.00 or so of dust in my dc. I bet 400 or so of dust wasted. well anyway I just have pics of the roughing and finished. I roughed with a 1/2" bit and finished with a 1/4" ballnose and 4% stepover. these are 12" long bottles and they are just a mold for the first test bottle.

[zeykr]

I surprised we don't see more black dust in the picture. I figured it would be everywhere machining graphite!

[knight_toolworks]

I surprised we don't see more black dust in the picture. I figured it would be everywhere machining graphite!

very good dc with my replacement dust boot. the powder is pretty light so it sucks up easily. my hands were stained every time you touch it you are stuck with the mess.

[sean_adams]

Did you use carbide bits? How long did the job take? From what I've heard, the slower the better to avoid heat build up in the bit.

[knight_toolworks]

all carbide. but the stuff cuts easily and it is self lubing. I felt the bit right after it was done and it was hardly more then room temp cooler then normal. but I don't know if it dulled the two bits I used.