A few comments/questions: Is this a one-off job? If so your time is more valuable than the possible recovery of a usable scrap of aluminum. Besides, do you have a use for a 1.75x3 chunk of aluminum?
The stock is 1.75 thick. That means an endmill with a stickout of 2 inches or more. A small endmill cannot be used. Chip evacuation will be an issue if slotting. Having a jam damages a large endmill is expensive! I definitely would not trust masking tape + super glue to secure against the cutting forces. Everything considered, turning the plug into chips seems the best approach from here. -----Original Message----- From: Greg Bernard <marzetti...@gmail.com> Sent: February 28, 2023 6:57 PM To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) <emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Milling Strategies? It seems like a slotting tool path would be the way to go. Tabs to hold the center in place has been suggested but it could be accomplished also with the masking tape and super glue method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-coDYZCmEw On Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 4:26 PM Robin Szemeti via Emc-users < emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > I'd mill it down do within 1 or 2 mm of the bottom of the material and > then swap to a smaller cutter to remove just the outer of the thinner > material and leave 3 supporting tabs. Remove the centre piece by hand > and then do a single full depth cleanup pass. > > I do this a lot when routing sheet MDF > > On Tue, 28 Feb 2023 at 21:46, Matthew Herd <herd.m...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > You could use a slotting strategy and tabs (at the bottom) to retain > > the piece if you wanted to save the material. Then cut the tabs out by > > hand. > > Optionally do another finish pass after manual removal if the wall > surface > > matters. But I’d probably just use an adaptive strategy to turn it > > into chips. Easier and probably faster. As long as you can clear > > the chips without standing there with an air gun or vacuum. > > > > > > > On Feb 28, 2023, at 3:53 PM, Todd Zuercher <to...@pgrahamdunn.com> > > wrote: > > > > > > I need to mill about a 3.75" hole through a piece of aluminum > > > about > > 1.75" thick. What is the best strategy to accomplish this on a cnc mill. > > Is it best to us a pocketing strategy and mill out the entire hole > > from > the > > center out, or would it be better to use some kind of cutting > > strategy > and > > mill some size slug out of the middle? I can see the first option > > being simpler, but the 2nd option saves a potentially useful piece > > of material, but with the added complication of how to hold and > > prevent the chunk of scrap from wreaking havoc when cut free. > > > > > > Todd Zuercher > > > P. Graham Dunn Inc.<http://www.pgrahamdunn.com/index.php> > > > 630 Henry Street > > > Dalton, Ohio 44618 > > > Phone: (330)828-2105ext. 2031 > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Emc-users mailing list > > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > -- "Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist." -Kenneth Boulding, economist Corporations are NOT people and money is NOT speech! _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
