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Tenson
11-04-2012, 01:50 AM
Do any of you have experience milling carbon fibre pultrusions? I'm thinking about this 10mm box section (http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/products/carbon-fiber-section/carbon-fibre-box-section-10mm-8mm.aspx), and would like to do some mitres and bits. I know it is very stiff, but is it also very hard? Any tips I might need to know? What does it compare to for difficultly in milling; plastics, aluminium, steel?

Cheers!

John S
11-04-2012, 01:54 AM
It's immensely abrasive, shags cutters up like no tomorrow, carbide included.
I think the pro's use diamond coated tooling for it.

Jonathan
11-04-2012, 10:57 AM
I think the pro's use diamond coated tooling for it.

Does that make me a pro :untroubled:

I've cut carbon fibre sheet lots of times. By far the best cutter I found is those cylindrical diamond coated cutters you find in rotary tool kits:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253 A1%257C72%253A6239&rt=nc&_nkw=diamond+burr&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

Here's a video of one of these cutting:

[Ok can't find that, will post when I have]

E.g:

5700570157025703

It's a bit slow (300mm/min @24000rpm if I recall correctly), but the cutters last a long time and since it's effectively a grinding process the finish is excellent.

GMCNC
01-05-2012, 08:17 PM
A chap who does alot with this stuff told me it kills electric spindles very quickly? The 'dust' being very effective at destroying electrical bits....? Anyone had experience of this?

Tenson
02-05-2012, 10:45 PM
What sort of spindle is there other than electric? Steam?

GMCNC
02-05-2012, 11:40 PM
What sort of spindle is there other than electric? Steam?

:beaten: hehe, I should have said air cooled VS water cooled :)

The chap thought water cooled would have been much less effected..

Tenson
03-05-2012, 12:05 AM
Ahh I see. He probably has a good point, I'll try to avoid letting the dust get about. I'll be using a water-cooled spindle anyway.

Anónio Pinho
18-05-2012, 12:17 AM
Good night:

To cut carbon fiber with a perfect finish, watch the video.
Spindle speed 9250 rpm ...
Feed Rate ..... 920 mm / m
Rate Plunge ..... 550 mm / m
Two blade .... End Mill 3 mm

Carbon Fiber .... Thickness .... 1.5 mm

http://youtu.be/kYVxcjTuMeg


Good Works.
António Pinho

http://arteemcnc.blogspot.pt/

Tenson
18-05-2012, 02:21 AM
Did you find the end-mill became blunt quickly? Was it an uncoated endmill?