Hi Gene, Two fluters work well for slotting or anyplace you have trouble getting rid of the chips. The harder the Al the easier it makes good chips. 6061-T6, 7050- T651, 7075-T651 are good choices. Recutting of chips that don't get out of the way generates lots of heat and more mess as well as screwing up the finish. Not that I know much about cutting aluminum but 3X speeds for mild steel seems to be a good place to start. That brings up the rpm and ipm but leaves the chip load the same. I try to use a shop vac to remove chips when slotting. It makes enough turbulence to clean out the groove. I get a better finish if I climb cut.
I won't even touch softer aluminum if I have a choice. I've made a mess out of too many projects and end mills. On the softer stuff I use coolant but I don't like it; again a real mess and the surface tension tends to hold the chips together rather than helping get them out of the way. High pressure coolant and a fully enclosed workspace would help. ;-) HTH Dave On Mar 26, 2008, at 7:56 AM, Gene Heskett wrote: > On Wednesday 26 March 2008, John Thornton wrote: >> That must be a mighty small mill or very dull cutter... What SFM >> and chip >> load are you running at? I don't have my charts here but from >> memory 6061 >> needs to be cut at 300-500SFM. I normally use a two flute end mill >> for >> aluminum. For a 1/4" 2 flute end mill I cut at 2500 rpm and 10 IPM >> again >> from memory. > > Note taken, I'll get some 2 fluters the next time I need some new > ones. I can > cut .025" deep at 10ipm IF I can keep my x table running free. It > hung last > night and chewed up the clamps it knocked loose pretty badly. I'm > also > haveing doubts about motor current, supposedly 2.5 amps, but the > motors > aren't heating very much, so I need to recheck the settings of my > xylotex > board. > > What I'm blaming on wear is now found to be the nut on the end of > the x screw > gradually working loose because the keyway allows the coupling to > turn about > a degree when the going gets tough & eventually I wind up with .30" of > backlash cuz its the backlash adjustment. I may have to re-think > that design > in favor of a split clamping to totally stop that thou of slippage > everytime > it reverses. > > Question? Using STP as way oil, does that stuff stiffen up after a > few hours? > The usual Vactrex? is only available in 5 gallon pails at $90 > around these > parts. > >> .001"?? Double Ouch.. >> >> On 25 Mar 2008 at 22:47, Gene Heskett wrote: > > No, I didn't write this, I was replying to the person who wrote it, > John. > >>>> Back on topic, I could definitely have used some cooling. I can >>>> only >>>> dig through aluminum in 0.001" vertical increments, without >>>> stressing >>>> things, or tearing apart my clamping assemblies, so it takes >>>> forever. >>> >>> .001"? Ouch. >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> ---- >> Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. >> It's the best place to buy or sell services for >> just about anything Open Source. >> http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;164216239;13503038;w?http://sf.net/ >> marketplace >> _______________________________________________ >> Emc-users mailing list >> Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > -- > Cheers, Gene > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: > soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." > -Ed Howdershelt (Author) > You will have good luck and overcome many hardships. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > --- > Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. > It's the best place to buy or sell services for > just about anything Open Source. > http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;164216239;13503038;w?http://sf.net/ > marketplace > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the new SourceForge.net Marketplace. It's the best place to buy or sell services for just about anything Open Source. http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;164216239;13503038;w?http://sf.net/marketplace _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
