I've been trying to get a grip on this rocket science of cutting Aluminum on my machine and I just can't afford to keep throwing away broken bits. All the web S&F calculators are annoyingly complex. I'm normally cutting wood and plastic. For 20 years. In an attempt to get someone to just give me the basics and not confuse me with techno CNC jargon I'm asking you to put this in basic layman terms. Equipment being used: EZRouter 5'x12' scorpion - 40k RPM Spindle - dry cutting with air on bit - Intermittent shots of WD40 - Vacuum hold down (This machine has the power to do the job) Material: 1/4" 6061 - T651 & 1/8" 6061 - T651 Tooling: Whitestone 1/4" carbide 2 flute up cut Cut Type: Along cuts of squares and triangle shapes. .06 tabs to keep parts from being lifted by dust hose Below is all I need to get started. Explaining chip load and axial's and etc.. aren't necessary. I just need a basic starting point to tune from .....or..... a proven setup you use. Spindle RPM: ???? Table (X/Y) Feed Rate: ???? Plunge (Z) rate: ???? Depth of Cut: ???? Been using 1/8" 3 flute at (10k/14ipm/3.5ipm/.016) and it's a disaster. It works and then it doesn't. 90 degree corner cuts are bit breakers. That's why I'm changing to 1/4" bits. Zig zag entry takes forever at 3.5 IPM and so does a .016 DOC at 14 ipm. I'll be dead before this run finishes. Thanks for any help in advance.
I cut 6082T6 aluminium (very similar to 6061T6) on a workbee with linear rails with a 3mm SINGLE flute, spiral upcut at 1,500 mm/min, 13K rpm, 0.5 mm DOC, air blast cooling. You are actually going far too slow, causing the bit to rub when it should be cutting. I found anything even slight oily as a coolant kept the chips in the cut - it's really important to be cutting chips and keep the cutting area clear. Alex.
Thanks! Plunge rate on that bit with & without a zig zag entry?? Don't have time to order the single flute so I have to use the 2 flute 1/4". But I am going to try your S&F with the 2 remaining 1/8" 3 flute bits I have. My air blast is keeping the cut clear of chips. But as you said, it's going so slow it's creating dust. And I'm switching to 90% alcohol today for a mist. It's going to ruin my 5'x12' MDF spoil board but I'm at my wits end to get this over with and I don't care. WD40 will saturate & stain MDF but it won't swell it like the alcohol will. That's why I used WD40. I'm hoping the alcohol evaporates quickly. I'm going to turn off the dust vacuum in fear of causing a fire. Thanks again!
