November 19, 2010
September 6, 2010
North American Tool
General Cutting Tools presents North American Tool’s “Special Taps, Dies and Gages” catalog features popular special and blueprint special taps, threading dies, thread gages and other threading tools in an easy to read format. Many of the items can be manufactured and shipped within 24 hours. The catalog features a comprehensive engineering section relative to taps and threading applications.
It provides a complete listing of Popular Special and Blueprint Special taps, as well as threading dies, and an expanded line of thread plug/thread ring gages. Also featured in the new catalog are “Tru-Flo”™ thread forming taps, solid carbide taps and “Carb-I-Sert”™ carbide insert taps, “Cost Cutter”™ combination drill and tap tools, stock TiN (titanium nitride) coated taps, metric taps, pipe taps, coolant-through taps, extension taps as well as tap extensions, acme taps buttress taps trapezoidal taps, PG Series conduit thread taps, DIN-dimensioned taps, STI (Screw Thread Insert) taps, oversize taps, left-hand taps, “Smart Cut”™ tapping/drilling fluid and other industrial cleaners, degreasers and rust preventatives. Contact: (847) 677-8770 or info@generalcuttingtools.com
Below is a link to where you’ll find an online catalog.
General Cutting Tools is an authorized source for North American Tool.
For more information, or a quote, contact us at (847) 677-8770 or info@generalcuttingtools.com
September 2, 2010
Solid Carbide Taps and Carbide-Insert Taps
Cutting Tools Chicago aka General Cutting Tools along with North American Tool Corporation offer a complete line of Solid Carbide Taps and Carbide-Insert Taps.
These carbide taps can be manufactured with special design criteria to better suit customer-specific applications. North American Tool tool designers provide value-added solutions to meet the most challenging tapping requirements. Special carbide taps are available as: • 60° Thread Forms • Pipe Threads • Form Taps • S.T.I. (Screw Thread Insert) Taps
These precision, high performance taps are also available in popular decimal-inch sizes, pipe tap sizes, and metric sizes. Carbide taps offer enhanced strength and rigidity in high speed tapping applications. Carb-I-Sert™ carbide-insert taps are also available, and are an economical way to utilize the benefits of carbide with solid carbide cutting inserts brazed to a high-speed steel tap body.
The superior strength of micro-grain carbide offers excellent cutting edge wear resistance, and is ideal for high production runs allowing greater tapped part throughput.
Depending on the specific application, carbide taps can be specified with surface treatments to further enhance tool life and performance.
Ask for a copy of the carbide taps technical flier today.
North American Tool Corporation is an ISO 9001:2008 registered manufacturer of cutting tools, and is an industry leader in rapid shipment of special taps.
General Cutting Tools is an authorized source for North American Tool.
For more information, or a quote, contact us at (847) 677-8770 or info@generalcuttingtools.com
August 31, 2010
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December 4, 2009
Save Time & Money with High-Feed Milling
Modern high speed machining centers should not mix with conventional tooling and methodology. Doing a machining process on a new or newer machine should not necessarily use traditional, proven machining techniques. These processes may work; however, they may not be optimizing the capabilities of your machining center. As the industry has progressed, Cutting Tools Chicago aka General Cutting Tools has kept up with current technology.
One of our customers has a re-occurring job of machining a fairly large piece for Boeing that is cut from a solid block of titanium. In order to maintain competitive in the market, General Cutting Tools was invited to come in and examine their processes.
Titanium is normally classified as a difficult to machine. This is due to the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the metal. Titanium’s low thermal conductivity does not allow the heat generated by the cutting action to dissipate quickly. Consequently, most of the heat is concentrated on the cutting edge and the tool face. Titanium has a high chemical reactivity or strong alloying tendency with materials in the cutting tools at tool operating temperatures. Galling, welding and smearing can be found along with rapid destruction of the cutting tool.
Titanium is more “springy” than steel. The work piece has a tendency to shift away from the cutting tool unless heavy cuts are maintained or strong support us used. Chatter, tool rubbing and tolerance issues occur as a result of tool pressure’s tendency to deflect slender parts. Usage of sharp, properly shaped tooling and rigidity of the complete system is extremely important.

Ingersoll Milling Cutter
A total of seven operations are required to make a finished part. We elected to focus on the first milling operation. This operation alone had required over five hours of machining time. Given the speed capability of the machining center, General Cutting Tools along with Ingersoll Cutting Tools were confident we could improve the process with a helical interpolation method using Ingersoll’s high feed milling cutters.
With this switch, we were able to condense the first milling operation from well over five hours to only 42 minutes. With this singular improvement, the customer has been able to not only maintain the orders coming from Boeing, but also increase profit margin.


You should put some images in here with certifications like the Better Business Bureau or any awards General Cutting Tools has. 






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