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Router speed

Discussion in 'CNC Mills/Routers' started by Philip Browne, Dec 9, 2020.

  1. Philip Browne

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    Can anyone advise what router speed I should be using for cutting MDF with a 2mm acrylic sheet stuck on top? I will be using either an 8mm or 10mm router bit?
     
  2. Giarc

    Giarc OpenBuilds Team
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    Do you mean RPM or feed rate? I use 2500mm/min and 1/2 the diameter of the end mill for the depth of cut for both of those materials. For my RPMs, I use anywhere between 10,000 to 18000 depending on the endmill. There is this resource Materials Speeds and Feeds Chart
     
  3. Philip Browne

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    Thanks for that. I now have a problem where the cutter is not raising enough between cuts to clear the substrate. Can anyone advise?
     
  4. Alex Chambers

    Alex Chambers Master
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    What cad/cam software are you using? Look for toolpath settings for safe/clearance Z height.
    Alex.
     
  5. Philip Browne

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    I am using Easel which for what I am doing works well. Greetings from the other side of Sheffield
     
  6. Alex Chambers

    Alex Chambers Master
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    Sorry mate, don't use Easel, so can't tell you exactly where to look. There will be settings for Z clearance height, but various cam software might call it something else, like safe Z height. If you can't find it, and no-one using Easel responds, edit the title of your post to put Easel in to it.
    Alex.

    PS - if you work in metric I did the conversion from imperial to metric for the chart @Giarc linked to:-

    Speeds and feeds
     
  7. Philip Browne

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  8. Philip Browne

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    I think I have found it. What is the usual safe height. I'm very new to this but I love it.
     
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  9. Alex Chambers

    Alex Chambers Master
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    Depends - deduct your workpiece thickness from the Z travel you have to get the maximum you could use. Keeping it fairly low will speed up the job, but don't forget to make sure that you clear any clamps or other fixtures. I usually use about 5 mm, but have used as little as 1 mm for thick workpieces. If you use soft limits and start getting "out of limits errors" as soon as a job starts the most likely cause is the Z safe height is too high and you haven't got enough room for the first safe move.
    Alex.
     
  10. Peter Van Der Walt

    Peter Van Der Walt OpenBuilds Team
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  11. Philip Browne

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    Thanks Peter your a star as always
     
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  12. Philip Browne

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    Thanks Alex. I now have it sorted.
     
  13. Giarc

    Giarc OpenBuilds Team
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    I was looking for yours, but looked in the wrong spot. Thanks for repointing it out.
     
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