Aluminium cutting

[Jonathan]

Chip load is wrong it should be more like 0.05 not 0.003

Handy to specify the units here. Bushflyer is specifying the chip-load in inches per minute, so he's using 0.0762mm vs your suggestion of 0.05mm.

[JAZZCNC]

Handy to specify the units here. Bushflyer is specifying the chip-load in inches per minute, so he's using 0.0762mm vs your suggestion of 0.05mm.

Ye you'd think I'd done this shit before wouldn't ya.!. .

[Kentobi]

some good advices here, thanks for posting

[Boyan Silyavski]

Dean, did you ever test the bits?

[JMaack]

If anybody needs speeds & feeds for Aluminium cutting I will be more than happy to help. Just let me know!

[Chaz]

Dean, did you ever test the bits?

Also keen to know .....

[magicniner]

I have a few of these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371406148992 - they are cheap and not advertised as anything special. I bought them initially for plastics, but then tried them on Aluminium and found they were great.
Last week I had some small parts to make in 304 Stainless from 12mm rolled stock and thought "What the heck!", loaded up a single flute (I did re-grind the tip to what I felt should be a slightly more robust form) and it proceeded to carve out my parts seamlessly.
I used air for cooling and chip clearance plus mist lubrication,

- Nick

[Chaz]

I have a few of these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371406148992 - they are cheap and not advertised as anything special. I bought them initially for plastics, but then tried them on Aluminium and found they were great.
Last week I had some small parts to make in 304 Stainless from 12mm rolled stock and thought "What the heck!", loaded up a single flute (I did re-grind the tip to what I felt should be a slightly more robust form) and it proceeded to carve out my parts seamlessly.
I used air for cooling and chip clearance plus mist lubrication,

- Nick

Thanks. Im still hurting from breaking two fairly expensive roughing end mills. Mostly my own fault and not having enough spindle power. Having a some other options to mess around with will be good. Ill order a few of these and try them.

I am happy with the APT supplied end mills. I'm getting great finishes with the 10mm 3 flute endmill from them but they arent cheap. The roughing mills are expensive too (£35ish for 10mm) but they work well (if you dont break them).