Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: feeds and speeds.

yahoo@... wrote:

> If you find aluminum gums up and frequently makes a great mess....
>
> Three things maybe wrong.
>
> 1)The cutting speed: "You can ever cut too fast for aluminum", works
> for me.
>
> 2) Cooling and lubrication: Because aluminum is such a good heat
> conductor, and because you are feeding so fast, it is unlikley home-
> machinist would need coolant. Lubrication is only useful when you are
> in a blind hole and need the chips to move out easily.

Not true! Thin sheets of aluminum can't conduct heat very fast. Also,
when carving out a big cavity in a block of aluminum, it can heat the
entire block enough to make the aluminum gum up. I used to have this
problem frequently until I put the flood coolant on the machine. I never
have this now. Heating the aluminum to 50 C is all it takes to get into
trouble!

> 3) Climb-milling. You need to feed the part in the direction that the
> tool is throwing the chips back into the direction of travel. (Try it
> both ways to see the difference!)
>

You can't climb mill safely on machines with sloppy leadscrews.

> Tips:
> High helix end mills are best to clear the chips out quickly.
> Use a vacuum cleaner in the same flexable pipe that is normally used
> to feed coolant, don't let the chips get back into the work area.

2" vacuum lines can clog up with chips. I can't imagine my 1/4"
coolant hose can vacuum more than 3 chips without risk of a clog.

Don't forget a dull tool as a source of gumming up!

Jon