Questions on using a moving gantry style mini-mill...

[Davek0974]

I'm not getting any more tooling from eBay, just ordered some 2mm and 5mm single-flute carbide tools, more swarf clearance and a stiffer tool, from Cutwell - part E5E47020 was one of them. Recommended for Aluminium and plastics.

The previous eBay ones I ordered three 2mm high helix 6mm flute, I got one that was 5mm long and two others of a random length and unknown but obviously wrong helix angle, they refunded them but it left me short on cutters.

Hopefully I can find some tooling in the cupboard to get me going again of the weekend.

As for the coolant, i'm going to drill out the jet from 0.6 to 1mm and try that - it should lower the air velocity and increase droplet size hopefully.

There is one other remote possibility - Aluminium warehouse have goofed up again and sent a soft grade of alu when I wanted 6082 T651, they have done this once before and i spent a weekend trying to figure out what was wrong with the plasma cutter when all it needed was the correct aluminium. :(

I will switch to tabbing as well, can't be any worse ;)