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Dumb question, but here I go. Can I mill depths deeper than my flute length?

S

snowshooze

Stainless
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Location
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Hi there;
I have been scared to cut slots deeper than my flute length, even though shank and flute are the same diameter...
The obvious problem is chip evacuation...
But, is it true I can't bury the flutes?
I mean, I won't D.O.C. beyond one diameter.. but wondering if I will get away with it, or kill end mills.
Thanks,
Mark
 
You will get some burning above the flutes if you are running deeper than the flute length. While the shank is technically the same diameter as the flutes (except reduced-shank or necked endmills), the tool is not cutting EXACTLY at the diameter of the flutes. Just a bit under, but just a bit under is enough to allow the shank to rub.

Sometimes you can go a LITTLE deeper, like .03" or so, as the flutes don't just suddenly stop right at the nominal flute length.

Regards.

Mike
 
What he/she said is clear.

Your stepdown is one thing and total depth is another as you know.

You can go past your flute length in total depth but you will rub the shank of the tool. You can buy or have made relieved neck tools to do as your wanting.
 
If this is a one-off or a two-see or three-see, I say go for it. With careful steps and clean out the chips after each pass.

If this is a production situation and many parts must be cut, then just break down and buy a couple of longer end mills.

As for the rubbing thing, use a good cutting fluid; one with good lubrication properties.
 
If you feed successive passes in opposite directions, cutter deflection will create a slot slightly wider than the cutter.
 
I have done it a few times in a pinch. Yes you can buy the proper mill but not on a Saturday night when the job needs to be done by Monday morning. What I have done is is clamp a course diamond file in the mill vise. Bring the mill in the mill holder up to the file and run it up and down a few times with the Y feed. Take a few thousandths off the shank and it will not rub.
 
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