My Build - I blame you lot for this....!

**Lee Roberts** · 05-08-2009

John replyed as i was typing my reply out.

**John S** · 05-08-2009

Learn to type faster.:nope:
.

**HiltonSteve** · 06-08-2009

Been playing with my machine again trying to get aluminium to cut nice and...

John, you were right. (No suprise there then!

)

Tried a few different methods of profiling some 2mm aluminium sheet and came to the conclusion that slower is better with these 3 flute cutters that I have.

After various speeds and welding some ali to a 3mm cutter (is there an easy way to get it off without breaking the tool??) I ended up with the kress set on 1 and cutting at 100mm/min with a full 2mm cut straight through the plate, started chipping lovely, gave it a squirt of wd40 and vacuumed the chips up now and again.

I believe that any reasonably built router will be capable of cutting ali with the right speeds and feeds as the cutting forces are very low.

I think I will be able to go a bit quicker with the 2 flute ali master cutters that I have ordered but I will let you know tomorrow.

So here is a photo of my new Z axis sideplate.....

**HiltonSteve** · 07-08-2009

Originally Posted by Hemsworthlad

SMcnc!!. . . . . . You got that right we all must be Sado Macochists to do this.:rofl:

I was thinking more down the lines of Smoking Monkey CNC but you do have a point...

**HiltonSteve** · 08-08-2009

Just made an ali part with my new Ali Master cutters, using these compared to my 3 flute carbide cutters is like night and day.

No clogging, cuts easier, faster feedrates and a better finish.

If anyone is thinking of cutting ali on your router (yes Kip, cutting aluminium on your router!) then get some of these. Best £7.00 I have spent in ages.

**HiltonSteve** · 09-08-2009

Originally Posted by Kip

So...you got an Alimaster from cutwel? congrats or did you mean an Alu master? either way stick to the centre of the table eh ;) and don't measure the resultant work...Engraving is fine...don't be telling me you can replace a machine tool with a router...please!

Well me owd kipster its bad news I'm afraid....

Made a part yesterday out of 20mm alu/ali/ally plate and put a 38.1mm bore through it with a 6mm alue/allie/hally master cutter and it came out at 38.07. Measured it in 6 different places and yes its concentric (big word, had to check it on spellchecker). Was a bit pissed off though being 0.03 undersize so altered the cutter comp and put it right.

Yes it was near the middle of the table but thats because it seemed the most sensible place to put it. Honestly don't think it would matter were it was on this machine.

Could my router replace a machine tool...... No. I used to have a HAAS VF0 (little baby one) and that could do jobs like this in a quarter of the time but were's the fun in that..?

**John S** · 09-08-2009

Steve,
repeat after me

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

"It's not a router, it's a bed mill "

.:wave: