how do they make sound slots?

[wonderbred2nded]

Took a putter of mine to a machining company to get a sound slot put in it but they want to use some sort of machine that cuts with a wire. On all the cameron and ping's ive seen with slots the look as though they are cut with a wheel b/c they are wider on the sole than in the cavity. what machine is used to do this?

[Sterling]

I am under the impression they use a vertical mill, waterjet or CNC. It has to be a pretty precise cut.

[danattherock]

Call Kevin, he knows. He is finishing up my Rife Antigua now. I had thought about having a sound slot put in, but changed my mind after reading up on the subject. But he for sure knows about them as he provides this service himself.

www.putterplating.com for anyone not familiar with Kevin

[funkyfedora]

Like this. (courtesy of Byron's web site.)

[danattherock]

Cool picture man! Nice to see how it is done.

Dan

[Hux]

There is a few ways to do it. What the machine proposed was using EDM - electronic discharge machining. It would be very effective for the purpose - basically spark erosion of the metal. Very neat cut - never done it but magnaporting on a rifle barrel is done with EDM.

Water cutting or laser cutting is also an alternative.

The traditional way is using a circular cutter - almost like a circular saw blade for timber in any form of milling machine....CNC or manual control. The pic above uses a circ because in a formed piece it is easier to clamp the head face down in a machine head. If you set up a jib you could also use a slot drill (end mill) to punch down through the sole to effect the cut.