Bill D
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Location
- Modesto, CA USA
I was wondering, since I do not have a horizontal mill or a right angle attachment, What is a practical diameter endmill to use to cut 1/2 steel plate in a bridgeport type vertical mill. I figure it will have to do it in several deeper passes. 1/2" seems wasteful. Would 1/4" be prone to packing with no flood coolant or air blast. Just a manual mill with brushed on cutting oil.
In theory a 1/16 endmill would be more efficient but I am sure it would also be easy to snap off if anything goes wrong.
I do not think a smaller diameter would cut any faster anyway. Is there a rule of thumb like the diameter should be about the same as the final cutting depth?
Old school manual mill. No high speed spindle, flood coolant, air blast or power feed. Do not care about max speed just want a reasonable rate of cut with no chip packing problems.
Bill D.
In theory a 1/16 endmill would be more efficient but I am sure it would also be easy to snap off if anything goes wrong.
I do not think a smaller diameter would cut any faster anyway. Is there a rule of thumb like the diameter should be about the same as the final cutting depth?
Old school manual mill. No high speed spindle, flood coolant, air blast or power feed. Do not care about max speed just want a reasonable rate of cut with no chip packing problems.
Bill D.