G00 Proto
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2013
- Location
- Dirkdirkistan, ID
My name is G00 and I'm a cheap endmill buyer, but I'm admitting I have a problem and want to change.
I have been buying commodity grade carbide endmills ever since I started to use my own money. I've programmed my way around their limitations. I'm to the point now that it may be time to step up my selection. I'm running 10,000+ RPM BT30 machines and they seem to have different tastes than my old 7500 RPM Cat40 machines. They seem to really like 3/8" EMS running 10k at about 250 IPM, and as much radial step over as the fixture can handle. I could do a little better with dedicated roughers, but I'm just not a fan of the mess they make and the additional tool changes, so they are off the table. Three flute is my preference. I use high speed toolpaths almost exclusively. I am a bit fixture rigidity limited because the parts are sitting on top of a 5 axis trunnion. Price is still a variable I consider. If an endmill costs twice as much, it better make me twice as much money... or at least make me smile when it runs.
I have been buying commodity grade carbide endmills ever since I started to use my own money. I've programmed my way around their limitations. I'm to the point now that it may be time to step up my selection. I'm running 10,000+ RPM BT30 machines and they seem to have different tastes than my old 7500 RPM Cat40 machines. They seem to really like 3/8" EMS running 10k at about 250 IPM, and as much radial step over as the fixture can handle. I could do a little better with dedicated roughers, but I'm just not a fan of the mess they make and the additional tool changes, so they are off the table. Three flute is my preference. I use high speed toolpaths almost exclusively. I am a bit fixture rigidity limited because the parts are sitting on top of a 5 axis trunnion. Price is still a variable I consider. If an endmill costs twice as much, it better make me twice as much money... or at least make me smile when it runs.