Dope
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2016
Hello friends,
So, for years, my only milling machine has been an old 1HP step-pulley Bridgeport. I do a lot of heavy material removal so I was always pushing the machine as hard as it could go. It was pretty easy to determine how hard I could go, because the machine would just start chattering and making an awful ruckus if I went too hard. I'd generally keep pushing my cuts until this would start happening, then back off a bit. Simple methodology that has served me well for a long time. Have never broken anything (too badly).
Nowadays, as some forum members know, I've got a beefy dial-type Cincinnati horizontal. I'm just starting to explore the limits of this machine and I suspect that I'm not even close. However, is there anything different I should be doing in my approach? I realize that a horizontal mill that weighs over 3x what my BP weighs is likely going to be insanely rigid in comparison. So I suspect I won't really get much chatter, if any. So, how do you know when you're pushing a cut too hard? Too much vibration? Too much noise? Surface finish starts to go bad?
I guess I'm worried about breaking something in the machine by pushing it too hard and not getting any early warning signs. I'm taking cuts that I'd never dream about on the BP and the machine seems happy, but I don't know how far I should go. I use a phone app to calculate feeds and speeds and I don't think any of my cuts have calculated out to over .6HP which seems sad compared to the machine's 5HP motor. I've done 1"x1" cuts with HSS roughing end mills in mild steel, and roughly .300DOC x 3" WOC with an inserted face mill in the same material and the machine didn't even whimper. How far can I really go, is the question.
Thanks in advance!
So, for years, my only milling machine has been an old 1HP step-pulley Bridgeport. I do a lot of heavy material removal so I was always pushing the machine as hard as it could go. It was pretty easy to determine how hard I could go, because the machine would just start chattering and making an awful ruckus if I went too hard. I'd generally keep pushing my cuts until this would start happening, then back off a bit. Simple methodology that has served me well for a long time. Have never broken anything (too badly).
Nowadays, as some forum members know, I've got a beefy dial-type Cincinnati horizontal. I'm just starting to explore the limits of this machine and I suspect that I'm not even close. However, is there anything different I should be doing in my approach? I realize that a horizontal mill that weighs over 3x what my BP weighs is likely going to be insanely rigid in comparison. So I suspect I won't really get much chatter, if any. So, how do you know when you're pushing a cut too hard? Too much vibration? Too much noise? Surface finish starts to go bad?
I guess I'm worried about breaking something in the machine by pushing it too hard and not getting any early warning signs. I'm taking cuts that I'd never dream about on the BP and the machine seems happy, but I don't know how far I should go. I use a phone app to calculate feeds and speeds and I don't think any of my cuts have calculated out to over .6HP which seems sad compared to the machine's 5HP motor. I've done 1"x1" cuts with HSS roughing end mills in mild steel, and roughly .300DOC x 3" WOC with an inserted face mill in the same material and the machine didn't even whimper. How far can I really go, is the question.
Thanks in advance!