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  1. #1
    Hi All

    Up until now I have only routed wooden plastic etc, but wanted to make a custom set of car peddles in aluminum. Nothing fancy it's a very old mini and wanted to make some round peddles with the Leyland logo on, and just wondered if anyone had any advice on things to do different to routing wood plastic etc, like faster or slower spindle speed and x and y axis speeds.

    Many thanks

    :) Don

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by don_jarr View Post
    Hi All

    Up until now I have only routed wooden plastic etc, but wanted to make a custom set of car peddles in aluminum. Nothing fancy it's a very old mini and wanted to make some round peddles with the Leyland logo on, and just wondered if anyone had any advice on things to do different to routing wood plastic etc, like faster or slower spindle speed and x and y axis speeds.

    Many thanks

    :) Don
    assuming your going to use a brush to clear the chips, plenty of WD40 and at a speed you can keep the chips clear
    some alli will soon clog and snap your tool if you dont keep it clear

    i tend to go a tad easier on the feed with alli than i do in acetal with 1mm depth of cut if im feeling brave and 0.5mm if im not
    Last edited by blackburn mark; 28-05-2012 at 10:20 PM.

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  4. #3
    I was cutting about 0.5mm depth at 750mm/m with maximum spindle speed. I used a LOT of Wd40 and it got very hot.

    I ran out of wd40 and clogged my tool before i was finished!

    I'm using a 1.5kw spindle, using a 6mm end mill. 4 flute.
    Last edited by jcb121; 29-05-2012 at 11:52 AM.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by jcb121 View Post
    I was cutting about 0.5mm depth at 7500mm/m with maximum spindle speed. I used a LOT of Wd40 and it got very hot.

    I ran out of wd40 and clogged my tool before i was finished!

    I'm using a 1.5kw spindle, using a 6mm end mill. 4 flute.
    Bloody hell no wonder it got hot at 7.5mtr/min thats miles too fast for cutting Ali with a 4 flute cuttter. Wouldn't go much above 2.5mtr/min.!! Actually I wouldn't be using a 4 flute cutter full stop on Ali. Single flute cutters are far superior for cutting Ali.


    My advise based on the fact I 95% cut Ali is.
    No1 use single flute cutters on Ali, twin if cant get single but try stay away from multiflute.
    No2 Don't be shy on the DOC you want a decent chipload so 1.5mm @ 650-700mm/min 12-13K rpm this will give a nice chipload the chips should be very hot but work piece only slightly warm. The goal is to get the heat to leave with the chips not stay in the work piece or tool, incorrect chipload is what causes chip sticking due to overheat.

    To be honest it's trial and error to some degree and every machines sweet spot will be slightly different depending on how well built etc. . .BUt it's common for folks cutting Ali for first time to go too conservative on feeds and speeds, and esp DOC. Taking too little DOC actually heats the cutter quicker and causes sticking and wears tool away faster.

    WD40 works good for coolant but better still is blown air with the odd squirt of WD40 has it clears the chips so your not recutting chips giving poor finish.
    Also for best finish always finish off profiles with a slower 0.1mm full depth finish pass. The chips will look like little needles.!!

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  7. #5
    Looking forward to an alu cutting demonstration in the near future! ice.

  8. #6
    Hi All

    many thanks for the info, I will get a couple of bits of alloy sheet and have a play and if the results turn out ok post some pictures.

    Many thanks again

    :) Don

  9. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by don_jarr View Post
    Hi All

    many thanks for the info, I will get a couple of bits of alloy sheet and have a play and if the results turn out ok post some pictures.

    Many thanks again

    :) Don
    When you say sheet what do you have in mind.? . . . Reason I ask is, if thin sheet 3-4mm then most tends to be low grade 1050 stuff and very shity sticky stuff. The grade of aluminium makes a big difference to cut quality. I mainly work with 6 series, 5 series if I have too but not keen unless harder grade 5083 H32 has lesser grades can be sticky with hard spots.!!

  10. #8
    Hi m8

    I have no idea the grade, its 4mm thick from where my dad used to work and when they shut down it was being chucked out, so I grabbed it all, (like you do when no one is looking lol). Its quite hard to drill, but they used to make displays cabinates, so guessing its not going to be high grade stuff seeing as it was only for shelves signs and odd stuff like that.

    :) Don

  11. #9
    Chances are it is.!! . . But You'll know soon has you start cutting. . It gums up the cutter and gives a really bad finish if the feeds and speeds are not perfect.
    When you have it wrong it tends to leave a torn like finish, mainly because thats whats happening. Because it's soft it's getting torn rather than cut away if the feeds and speeds arn't correct. . . . . Unfortunatly can't help much here has it's trial and error more often than not finding the right cutting conditions for this shity stuff.!!

    The one thing I will say is don't take your eye of it for a minute because when it does start to gum up the cutter it happens very quick and with only a slight audible warning.!!
    Cutting this stuff is the one time I do recommend you use absolutly loads of cutting fluid other wise it will gum up for sure.!!

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  13. #10
    Hi All

    Well had a bash and adjusted the speeds as recommended to start from, and only had a 2 flute cutters but they were all new so nice and sharp and apart from altering the cut depth to make it a bit shallower which meant it took longer to do, they came out ok. Bit of clean up along the top edges, but by the time there polished and painted they will look ok. Pedals done, now onto the gear gate.

    Will post pictures asap, and many thanks again.

    :) Don

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