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  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Clive S View Post
    6082-T6 if fine as well the stuff you have is awful to cut
    Agreed. Also I’ve generally seen thin sheet as 1050 and thick sheet as 5000,6000,7000 series. I have not seen thin sheet at 5,6,7000 series but I might not be looking in the right places. There could be a technical reason for the alloys produced like that or just that thin stuff is often bent and fabricated.
    Building a CNC machine to make a better one since 2010 . . .
    MK1 (1st photo), MK2, MK3, MK4

  2. #12
    I've ordered some 6061 - let us see what that is like to cut when it arrives....

  3. #13
    Wal's Avatar
    Lives in Stockport, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 30-03-2023 Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 491. Received thanks 71 times, giving thanks to others 29 times.
    Quote Originally Posted by routercnc View Post
    Agreed. Also I’ve generally seen thin sheet as 1050 and thick sheet as 5000,6000,7000 series. I have not seen thin sheet at 5,6,7000 series but I might not be looking in the right places. There could be a technical reason for the alloys produced like that or just that thin stuff is often bent and fabricated.
    I've got a few sheets of 6082T6 in 1mm/2mm/3mm thicknesses - not common as thin sheet, but it's out there. As ever, the problem is buying in small quantities - I bought a few sheets in each thickness to make it worth the suppliers while - Metalweb on that occasion. I use Smiths nowadays.

    2014 and 7075 also machine well - bit pricier, though...

    5 grade works, but I'd choose 6082 over it any day.

    Wal.

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  5. #14
    I had not considered brass, which is a more expensive material, but I wonder if that would be a better metal for an inexperienced operator to start with?

  6. #15
    Wal's Avatar
    Lives in Stockport, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 30-03-2023 Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 491. Received thanks 71 times, giving thanks to others 29 times.
    C360 Brass (Free Cutting/Machining) is the benchmark for ease of machining...

    https://www.metalsupermarkets.co.uk/...ass/brass-360/

    It's a joy to use - CZ120, CZ121 etc. readily available, but like you say, not cheap...

    If I were you, I'd stick with getting the right parameter sussed out for ali - you may as well. I've still got my beginner melty bits in a box of scrap somewhere, you need to break a few eggs to make that omelette. Get crackin'.

    Wal.

  7. #16
    also what type of cutters are you using? are they polished flutes or are they coated? uncoated polished flutes are best for aluminium. Also with a 1mm cutter i would be looking to spin it as fast as possible, on my machine i would run that flat out at 24000rpm and about 100mm/min with 0.5 depth of cut.

  8. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by johngoodrich View Post
    also what type of cutters are you using? are they polished flutes or are they coated? uncoated polished flutes are best for aluminium. Also with a 1mm cutter i would be looking to spin it as fast as possible, on my machine i would run that flat out at 24000rpm and about 100mm/min with 0.5 depth of cut.
    I'm using cheap Chinese two-flutes. Advertised as carbide, but who knows...?
    The calculators say run at about 10,000, and the earlier suggestions that I was melting the Ali make me think that this may be too fast. I can run up to about 18,000 on my system.

    I have not tried running much above 20mm/min, since I am concerned about breaking the cutter (which is why they are cheap!). I have been cutting at about 0.5mm - perhaps if I cut at 0.2mm I can try running a faster feed....

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