Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 05:28:05 PM

Author Topic: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill  (Read 6049 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline kolias

*
  •  1,154 1,154
    • View Profile
1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« on: January 09, 2016, 02:53:23 PM »
I used a 1/4" 2 flute end mill to make a 6” long slot on a 3/8” thick piece of aluminum. The end results were good but I had a hard time with the router which was not going smooth thru each pass. I used multi passes each about 1/32” and the router at about 15K RPM

Perhaps a 2 flute end mill is not the right choice? I also have similar end mills with 1 flute and 4 flute

Any suggestions?
Nicolas

Offline BR549

*
  •  6,965 6,965
    • View Profile
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2016, 02:58:49 PM »
Unless you are cutting at about 150 IPM your RPM is way to fast for that cutter. What feedrate are you cutting at ??

Offline ger21

*
  • *
  •  6,295 6,295
    • View Profile
    • The CNC Woodworker
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2016, 03:13:54 PM »
Is it a 2 flute router bit? What exact bit are you using? 2 flute endmills come in hundreds of varieties. Some will work for what you're doing, some won't.

For a router, your best choice is a single flute "O" flute bit, at about 10,000 rpm and 60-80ipm. Unless your machine is really rigid, you may need to take shallower cuts than 1/32".
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline kolias

*
  •  1,154 1,154
    • View Profile
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2016, 05:55:22 PM »
Sorry Gerry, no clue what it is. By the way I used my router to do the slot and the bit is carbide which I bought a few years back. Never new that endmills come in so many varieties
2 years ago I did the same job with the same router and I remember the router was going so smooth. Perhaps I did use the single flute endmil and I will do the same now since I have another similar slot to cut
Thank you
Nicolas

Offline kolias

*
  •  1,154 1,154
    • View Profile
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2016, 07:30:17 PM »
I found the box of my 1/4" 2 flute end mill and it is: 1/4" SE 2FL, SQ. Searching on the web I found no reference what these letters mean
Nicolas
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2016, 07:37:08 PM »
1/4" Single End, 2 Flute, Square
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2016, 03:44:05 AM »
Hi kolias,
unless the cutter is 'brand new' sharp then you risk getting a built up edge where aluminium sticks to the tool. There are cutters designed
for aluminium but any sharp, I mean REALLY SHARP cutter works pretty well. Coolant helps both with the aluminium sticking to the tool
and flushing away the chips, a real must and hard to achieve when slotting.
My experience is that if a tool goes off song stop and replace it otherwise it will load up and break often wrecking the part as well.
Spinning a tool fast is very appealing but unless you feed fast you cut tiny little slivers which get stuck in the works. With good flush  coolant
and good chip removal ie not deep pocketing or slotting I run at 15000 but any other, in fact most normal ops, I run around 10000 with 1/4 inch
tools.

Craig

'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline rcaffin

*
  •  1,052 1,052
    • View Profile
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2016, 04:18:22 AM »
Coolant may not get the chips out fast enough. Try a good air blast with a little oil mist to keep the cutter wet.
Yeah - SHARP cutters not previously used on steel.

Cheers
Roger

Offline ger21

*
  • *
  •  6,295 6,295
    • View Profile
    • The CNC Woodworker
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2016, 07:31:06 AM »

Yeah - SHARP cutters not previously used on steel.

Or wood, especially mdf or plywood.

When cutting aluminum or plastics, never use bits that you've used on wood products before, as it will already have a dull edge, even if it seems sharp.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

Offline kolias

*
  •  1,154 1,154
    • View Profile
Re: 1/4" 2 Flute End Mill
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2016, 11:24:45 AM »
Thank you all for the help

Today I had to cut my second 1/4” slot.

Yesterday I used the endmill shown in the attached picture at the right (spiral) and did not go well but managed to finish the job and got a good slot.

I thought I had 1 flute 1/4" end mill but the one I have is only 1/8” so I used an old 2 flute 1/4" endmill shown in the attached picture at the left. This one is not spiral, it has just 2 cutters straight up from the bottom and did a beautiful and smooth cut.

I plan to buy now 1/4" endmills similar to the one at the left and I will buy single flute and double.

What type of endmills are the ones shown in the picture and what is their use?
Nicolas