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Who has a decent face mill around 2"

MwTech Inc

Titanium
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Location
Fishersville VA
Want to add a face mill to my first CNC machine.
Top spindle speed is 4500

Just looking for something for general surfacing, plastics, alum mostly.

No problem with changing out inserts for materials.

Didnt know if face mills used for manual machining and cnc are the same or not?

Machining is machining right?? Should make no difference about what is turning it??
 
I prefer Kennametal and they had mills and inserts that were more than capable for my 4500 RPM spindles.
I do admit to having reasonably good luck with some no name indexable tools from the tool catalogs like Travers as well.
 
Two inch a real design problem in an inserted face mill. The other question being do you need a true 90 wall or just face milling.
Ingersoll style (outboard screws) allows a higher density and body stiffness in my view but I am still learning these things.
When getting into Al and plastics different inserts change the edge and top rake but not the heel.
Maybe check out offerings from this guy (a member here) or give him a call.
Lathe inserts .com
 
I love my Mitsubishi ASX445 with polished inserts for aluminum or plastic. The inserts have lands so you can feed very aggressively and still end up with a smooth surface. The inserts are angled for a 45 degree shoulder and positive rake with 4 useable corners per. I have a 2-1/2" version but I know they make them smaller.
 
For just general wackitaround milling I was happy with a Sandvik that used tpg inserts. Those are so common and cheap that you can stock inserts for different materials easy. Nothing real special for a particular use but versatile for all-around. And it milled to a shoulder, which was nice sometimes.
 
For plastics and aluminum I am really loving the Korloy Pro-X (which latheinserts.com sells as the "Ripper" mills). The body/insert pricing is really good BUT BUT BUT some sizes are really hard to find right now.

For general use in all materials, you can't get me to stop using the Seco Turbo series. I use the .433" tall inserts and they absolutely eat anything with a good general geometry insert with the MP3000 coating. I mean I cut aluminum, 4140, A36, and Stainless with the same insert. For best performance obviously you need to switch inserts around but I like having a "go to" that I know really well.
 
2" ripper mill has a permanent spot in the tool changer. Great for aluminum and plastics, comes with extra inserts too.
 
I just bought a 2" face mill kit through Haas. The kit came with the face mill, cat 40 arbor, pull stud, and 30 inserts for around $260 so it really felt like a pretty good deal for the package. I went with the high positive octagon inserts because I plan on using this more on my manual mill, but I have used it on some tool steel and it's worked great so far
 
Wow

lots of stuff to check out... Thks

Face milling style to start with....I mean 45 deg

I just mentioned 2" 2.5 is fine also......
Dont want any bigger so I dont have ATC issues
 
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I've had trouble with the ripper mills not handling higher feedrates well. The inserts are fragile and disintegrate when you try to cut full width .250" deep at 100 IPM with a heavier machine. They seem like they're good in the sub-10HP range. You start getting a real load on them with big chips and they don't like it.
 
I have a pair of Mitsubishis, (sp) one in each of two different machines, both sized to work with the tool changers -> they come in a variety of sizes.
 
I've had trouble with the ripper mills not handling higher feedrates well. The inserts are fragile and disintegrate when you try to cut full width .250" deep at 100 IPM with a heavier machine. They seem like they're good in the sub-10HP range. You start getting a real load on them with big chips and they don't like it.

I've had the same issue with full width face cuts; however, I have no problems side/profile milling 0.500 DOC w/0.2-0.300 stepover @ 180-220 ipm in aluminum. I dunno....It's weird.

OP, if you decide to go with a "ripper" mill, Haas sells the same Korloy Facemill and inserts (as latheinserts.com does) for a better price. They are an awesome "all around" facemill with profiling capability. Being limited at 4500 rpm, running the correct feed, you won't exceed this tool's capability.
 
I've had trouble with the ripper mills not handling higher feedrates well. The inserts are fragile and disintegrate when you try to cut full width .250" deep at 100 IPM with a heavier machine. They seem like they're good in the sub-10HP range. You start getting a real load on them with big chips and they don't like it.

I spent all day yesterday running a 1" Pro-X 2 flute at 0.425" DOC, 65% Stepover, 13785RPM (3600sfm), and 302IPM (0.011ipt). That is doing 83-84 cubes per minute and calculates out to a 24hp cut (though the Okuma only shows 78% spindle load so I think it is actually down in the 16-18hp range - must be the insert geometry is free-cutting). I have not had any visible insert wear, though I did blow an insert once when I lifted a part and ruined the body. My experience with the Sumitomo APKT style is what you say - anything more than about 55CIM with a 1" 4-Flute and I start cracking inserts.
 
I just bought a 2" face mill kit through Haas. The kit came with the face mill, cat 40 arbor, pull stud, and 30 inserts for around $260 so it really felt like a pretty good deal for the package. I went with the high positive octagon inserts because I plan on using this more on my manual mill, but I have used it on some tool steel and it's worked great so far

They are actually pretty decent cutters and inserts. Haas was selling the kits with holder inserts and mill for $99 and I bought a few what a deal. I thought they would be complete junk so I only bought about 3 or 4 of them. Shoulda bought 10 just for the inserts.
 
Here is my opinion, if all you need is a Face mill, for actual facing and not establishing a 90 degree wall, then Iscar makes a nice face mill that uses the two opposite sides of the APKT inserts. Usually guys use APKT inserts on the two sides and then throw them to the scrap bucket, this way, you get an endless supply of "free" inserts using 4 sides.
 
Here is my opinion, if all you need is a Face mill, for actual facing and not establishing a 90 degree wall, then Iscar makes a nice face mill that uses the two opposite sides of the APKT inserts. Usually guys use APKT inserts on the two sides and then throw them to the scrap bucket, this way, you get an endless supply of "free" inserts using 4 sides.

CNMG off corners in a mill cutter?
 








 
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