6061 Roughing End Mill Suggestions

[CGornet]

Hey all,

I have a couple VMC's here in my home shop and I am trying to get the noise down when I am roughing (trying to keep my neighbors happy).

I currently run helical roughers and they cut decent, but tick pretty high on the dB meter. I can go to a traditional helical end mill and it's about 50% quieter on the dB meter.

Anybody have suggestions on roughers that they like for 6061?

 

[Wick Craft]

You're going to get an assload of opinions on this question. Too many variables to give an accurate recommendation. FWIW, for roughing in 6061, I use the shortest possible LOC EM (part/stock dependent) on a Maritool 38 degree Helix 3 flute ZRN with a CR of 0.030. I push until just before the part either wants to rip out of the vise or the spindle load meter is pegged. Finish cuts/spring passes are nice and easy. Noise is minimal. YMMV

 

[Pattnmaker]

Maybe insulating your doors will help. The walls too if it's not block or brick.

 

[MaxPrairie]

Niagara makes a nice 3 flute for aluminum.

 

[crossthread82]

GWS alumigator is my first choice for roughing aluminum. Second choice is a destinytool diamondback.

Edit-

I'd also argue that your holder choice is going to play a major factor in how much noise you get in the cut. I've found hydro holders work best for damping vibration out when roughing. I'm not sure what taper you have in your mills but something like the TENDO ES from schunk does wonders if you have a cat40 machine.
Clamping Technology

One of those holders combined with one of the above endmills should cut relatively quiet and have a pretty impressive MRR.

 

[13engines]

Have the neighbors actually complained? Or are you assuming they're being bothered. You'd be surprised how hard it is to get noise to travel out of one structure and through another with a giant air gap in the middle.

Best thing to do is go ask them if they're being bothered. If so, think insulation. And while you're at that, temperature control.

Of course all circumstances are different, but II had a full time shop in an, albeit fully insulated garage, with close neighbors on both sides for 12 years. Never a problem.

 

[Stirling]

Have the neighbors actually complained? Or are you assuming they're being bothered. You'd be surprised how hard it is to get noise to travel out of one structure and through another with a giant air gap in the middle.

Best thing to do is go ask them if they're being bothered. If so, think insulation. And while you're at that, temperature control.

Of course all circumstances are different, but II had a full time shop in an, albeit fully insulated garage, with close neighbors on both sides for 12 years. Never a problem.

Exactly this!!!
Have a good conversation with your surrounding people.
I run a full time home garage CNC shop smack in the middle of my residential area. I can make some noise!
I check in with neighbours every few months to see if I’ve been annoying and remind them they are more than welcome to tell me to shut up at any time if I am.
They wanna take a weekend mid day nap, I should not be waking them up.

Showing that respect has made them VERY accommodating. Noting like a lathe singing for 12hours straight hogging 4140 while a mill pounds facing cuts..

Truly I’m probably only heard 2% of the time depending on the job, but when I’m loud, I’m loud.

If you have any kind of air compressor that it likely your biggest offender honestly. I switched to a screw compressor, if you only need low air volume there are some reasonable diaphragm based ones now (oiless) that are reasonably quiet


As for aluminum cutters, I’ll m partial to the kenmetals kor5 (3/8 and 1/2”) in a Schunk tendo e holder.
Those endmills can take some serious abuse.
10,000rpm (my max) 400ipm, 0.075 woc. 1.1 doc. All day with the little 3/8 version. I’m sure it would take more. But I’m happy there

 

[CGornet]

Thanks everybody for the words. I'll try a Destiny and see how that goes.

As for my set up, they are Doosan 4500S and a 5700S, 15k big plus spindles and I am running a 1/2"x1.25LOC Helical rougher @ 265ipm (1.1" axial, .1 radial, 50mrr) on a Shunk tendo E hydraulic holder. Slowing it down to 12k, or dropping the feed really hasn't helped too much. However, if I slow it down by 50% or so, it does quiet down, but who wants to do that!?

Compressor is a Kaeser and is quieter at 71dB, but I also want to try to get that down as well with an enclosure.

All else fails, I will add insulation, but I am not sure it is needed if I can get these roughers from getting so pissed off.

 

[DavidScott]

Try a corncob mill for aluminum, and not just from one supplier. I like MA Ford for 3/8" and bigger but have heard Garr may be the best at lowering the cutting forces. Keep your feeds the same, or increase them, and play with slowing down the spindle to quiet it down. You can increase the radial load quite a bit too. A 1/2" MA Ford specs up to a .045" chip load so really slow the spindle down.

 

[mhajicek]

Hydraulic holders are great for finishing, but they move a bit under heavy cuts. I'd recommend a sidelock or a shrink fit for the roughing.

 

[crossthread82]

Thanks everybody for the words. I'll try a Destiny and see how that goes.

As for my set up, they are Doosan 4500S and a 5700S, 15k big plus spindles and I am running a 1/2"x1.25LOC Helical rougher @ 265ipm (1.1" axial, .1 radial, 50mrr) on a Shunk tendo E hydraulic holder. Slowing it down to 12k, or dropping the feed really hasn't helped too much. However, if I slow it down by 50% or so, it does quiet down, but who wants to do that!?

Compressor is a Kaeser and is quieter at 71dB, but I also want to try to get that down as well with an enclosure.

All else fails, I will add insulation, but I am not sure it is needed if I can get these roughers from getting so pissed off.

For that size of cut something like the ASR-5 from GWS might be better suited, its similar to the KOR5 from kennametal. More flutes engaged in cut should quiet it up considerably. I also agree with some of the others that hydraulics aren't always the greatest for roughing, however in aluminum you should be fine. But if you want to humor them you could switch to a stub length dual contact set screw holder like the one linked below.

CAT40 1/2 DUAL CONTACT END MILL TOOL HOLDER 1.2 Gage Length - Made in USA MariTool

 

[BRIAN.T]

Apparently I accidentally deleted my response.

You're at 29 cubes, not 50. That might help you dial it in a bit.

 

[Turbowerks]

Any body else like the yg alupower? Ive used thrm now for about a year super impressed finish is great too


When I find it I don’t need it
When I need it I can’t find it!

 

[Finegrain]

Any body else like the yg alupower? Ive used thrm now for about a year super impressed finish is great tool

Yes, nearly all my Aluminum finishers are YG-1 Alu Power.

For roughing I use Maritool segmented roughers, except 1/2" x 2" LOC -- the Maritool version shrieks and squeals pretty bad, so Destiny Diamondback for that one.

Regards.

Mike

 

[IninefingersI]

I do most of my aluminum roughing with a 3-flute Accupro, 1.25 LOC, in a shrink-fit holder. Mostly with Dynamic Mill toolpaths. We don't have problems with noise.

That being said, 'loud' is relative. Generally, the more you hang out your tool, and the less rigid your setup is, the more it is going to sound like a bag full of cats.