Machining HDPE

[ScottyB]

I'm using HDPE for a spoil board. We sometime use UHMW, but the price has sky rocketed so I'd like to try .75" thick HDPE.

I need to machine a .25"W x .15"D groove for vacuum and gasket.

.25" Carbide cutter.

UPshear?

How can I minimize re-welding?

Should I take the full .15 at a high feed?

F? S?

 

Thanks

[dougm]

ScottyB

HDPE will machine better than WHMW

use "O" flute upshear cutter

18k at .005 per rev

.150 depth will eject the chips

[Trevor Bailey]

I cut HDPE and LDPE a lot. Use a down-cut serated .250 from Onsrud or the like with air. 2 flute @ 6k rpm's with feed around 90 ipm +. Full depth.

[Tom Szelag]

Have you given a look at Harvey Tool's plastic cutting endmills? We used them for some polypropylene tubes we had to run a while ago, worked great.

 

http://www.harveytool.com/products/product...tting+End+Mills