Cutting Copper?

[X-L Engineering Corp]

Hey guys

I'm programming a new job and its Copper, never ran it before.

 

I need to use Ball Endmills 1/2, 1/4, 5/32, 1/8 and a

10 Degree Endmill with a 1/8-tip size (Conical)

 

It has a lot of stock removal tolerances are open.

 

Looking for recommendations on brands and Speeds & Feeds

 

Ted

[crazy^millman]

Any brand, I use alum endmills and Steel speeds and feeds.

 

HTH

[ReDEyZZ]

copper is quite soft and free cutting. Are you using carbide? I'll presume you are, around 700-1000 sfm should work, and the chip load per tooth depends on the application and depth cuts you use. I would run feedrates about the same as a mild steel or faster.

 

my .02c

[iowajim62]

I have had good luck using Robb Jack Solid Carbide End Mills - 3 Flute Ball End. They have 1/16 to 3/4 3 flute available.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

don't forget the coolant. It's worse then alum for that.

[X-L Engineering Corp]

The brand is 110 Wrought

 

Robb Jack is showing 600 sfm and for a 1/8 endmill .002/.001 chip is this good?

 

any sugestions on the brand of tappered endmill I normally use Conical?

[X-L Engineering Corp]

coolant?

 

we are using straight oil

But I have to tell you one of the old timers here suggested cows milk never heard of that before but was good for a few laughs around the shop.

[cincy k]

Just ran the same material. 1/2" endmill 10000 rpm, 100 ipm, .12 doc full width slot. Ran flood coolant on it. Could have pushed it to .250 doc if needed. Also ran a BXD from mitsubishi at 10000 rpm and 150 IPM and .100 doc. and flood coolant. Could have pushed this one further as well. Used this for facing and squaring material. Everything ran very well with very very very little tool wear.

[X-L Engineering Corp]

Cincy K

What kind of coolant?

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Don't know how long milk would last in the tank, but coolant works good here (any coolant I have tried). My brother does more copper then me, and he uses coolant too.

If you had a machine dedicated to copper only, then the right oil (or coolant?) may be something to look at. We go general purpose here because it goes from plastic to prehard steel.

[3R!< W3NG3R]

FYI we use Oemeta coolant here and love it.

Milicron works too, but I find it goes bad in the tank.

[Jim at Gentex]

Everything said so far is good advice.

 

I've also found that high helix tools tend to clear the chips away faster. Since copper is gummy, chips loading up and sticking to the tool is a concern.

 

I've also found that kerosene is an excellent cutting fluid for copper.

 

Good luck!

[X-L Engineering Corp]

Thanks for all the suggestions

 

I'll start out with my oil and see what happens

 

Thanks again

 

Ted

[kinglouie V]

vegetable oil.... and watch out for stress relieving cuts. Otherwise twist and bend (warp).

[Rob @ Target Machine]

That's the nature of the beast. Any copper alloy, even brasses and bronzes will warp like crazy. Rough - release - flip - rough - release. Sometimes you will need to straighten after each operation. I hope you have some tolerance to use and liberal flatness requirement. Obviously an aluminum set-up to prove out the program would be a wise choice. If the part is small enough any brass except for "free-cutting brass or full-hard" will behave like copper (good for proving the process). Handling warp can be tricky if you aren't used to materials that can warp .020-.030 per foot with small cuts. The idea is to "break the skin" first to relieve the internal stresses. Then cut in as close to "free state" as possible. Use new tools as used tools are likely to add to the problem. Lower surface feed and higher chiploads wiil create less heat, and is to your advantge.

Let us all know how you make out.

[cincy k]

Using blaser. Works great.

[X-L Engineering Corp]

What's Blaser?

[robh]

He probably means Blaser Swisslube. For your application Blasocut Synergy 15 or BC35NF would be good more info at www.blaser.com.Good Luck on it.

[Rob @ Target Machine]

Blasocut smells good too. I hate going home smelling like a mechanic.

[X-L Engineering Corp]

Update

I wanted to thank all of you for the help I got.

Coolant> we bought Blaso 2000 Water-soluble worked fine nice odor

Tooling> bought Diamond coated Endmills PCD is what everyone recommended bought they don’t have them below ¼ in size ran 9pcs changed 1 tool not bad considering the stock removal.

Speeds & Feeds> pretty much right were every one said 700sfm and I used alum spec’s for chip load.

Depth of cut> When I setup on Alum, I was at .200 depth of cut when I cut my first Copper Part I had to drop it to .05 Depth of cut.

 

We did use the PCD inserts for Turning and they worked well but I have to say using PCD on the Alum, WOW what a difference. .200 depth of cut on a lathe on the face and no burr on the out side edge and we didn’t turn the O.D. we are going to look into using this more for Alum,

 

I’m going to try to upload a picture soon so you can see the stock removal but haven’t figured that one out yet.

 

Thanks again

Ted

[3R!< W3NG3R]

Glad to hear it worked out for ya.