Method for making a powdered metal compact

1. A method for producing a powdered metal compact in a punch and die assembly, the powdered metal compact having a bore, at least one recess and at least one aperture communicating between the bore and the at least one recess, the method comprising:

providing a top punch having a forward end with at least one first protruding member;

providing a bottom punch having a forward end with at least one second protruding member;

positioning the top and bottom punches in a die with the forward end of the top punch facing the forward end of the bottom punch and with a metal powder therebetween;

compacting the metal powder by pressing the top and bottom punches towards each other until the at least one first protruding member abuts the at least one second protruding member at at least one region of contact, wherein the bore is formed by a volume of space delimited by the at least one second protruding member between the top and bottom punches and the at least one aperture is formed at the at least one region of contact; and

removing the top punch and ejecting the metal powder compact from the die.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the metal powder comprises a cemented carbide and a binder.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the cemented carbide is tungsten carbide and the binder is cobalt.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second protruding member is cylindrical, in the form of a rod.

5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising an additional step of sintering the metal powder compact.

6. The method according to claim 5 , comprising a further additional step of grinding the sintered metal powder compact.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the further additional step of grinding produces cutting edges on a cutting portion of the metal powder compact.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the further additional step of grinding also produces an external screw thread on a mounting portion of the metal powder compact.

9. A cutting head for a metal cutting tool comprising powdered metal compact, produced in accordance with claim 1 , the cutting head comprising:

a cutting portion integrally formed with a mounting portion;

an axially directed bore extending from adjacent a front end of the cutting head to a rear end of the cutting head, the front end being associated with the cutting portion and the rear end being associated with the mounting portion;

a plurality of wedge-like cutting head recesses opening out into the front end of the cutting head;

an aperture at a radially innermost part of each cutting head recess, the aperture being adjacent to, but axially rearwardly displaced from, the front end, each aperture communicating between an associated cutting head recess and the bore; and

a central circular region formed at the front end of the cutting head, the central circular region and the bore having equal diameters.

10. A method for making a cutting head comprising:

forming a powdered metal compact having a bore, at least one recess and at least one aperture communicating between the bore and the at least one recess, by:

providing a top punch having a forward end with at least one first protruding member;

providing a bottom punch having a forward end with at least one second protruding member;

positioning the top and bottom punches in a die with the forward end of the top punch facing the forward end of the bottom punch and with a metal powder therebetween;

compacting the metal powder by pressing the top and bottom punches towards each other until the at least one first protruding member abuts the at least one second protruding member at at least one region of contact, wherein the bore is formed by a volume of space delimited by the at least one second protruding member between the top and bottom punches and the at least one aperture is formed at the at least one region of contact; and

removing the top punch and ejecting the metal powder compact from the die; and

grinding said powdered metal compact.

11. A cutting head made in accordance with claim 10 , comprising:

a cutting portion integrally formed with a mounting portion;

an axially directed bore extending from adjacent a front end of the cutting head to a rear end of the cutting head, the front end being associated with the cutting portion and the rear end being associated with the mounting portion;

a plurality of wedge-like cutting head recesses opening out into the front end of the cutting head;

an aperture at a radially innermost part of each cutting head recess, the aperture being adjacent to, but axially rearwardly displaced from, the front end, each aperture communicating between an associated cutting head recess and the bore; and

a central circular region formed at the front end of the cutting head, the central circular region and the bore having equal diameters.