recommended end mills for aluminum

[G10X0Y0Z0]

Hopefully I can get our stubborn machinist to try this, but I doubt it

 

So the high helix should actually be better for aluminum? And the coating isn't so good for running lighter loads like we usually do?

 

if your stubborn machinist does not want to try that, give him a kick upside the head and send him back to apprenticeship school.

[Marshal]

if your stubborn machinist does not want to try that, give him a kick upside the head and send him back to apprenticeship school.

 

haha, I can't do that. He's retired already and working 40+ hours a week

[cadman2112]

Not trying to be harsh here, it may come out that way.

 

Reading this, knowing what endmills are capable of doing is one thing but I am reading by the original poster and intrinsic lack of knowledge of "how" to cut metal more than anything else.

 

Sure there are some great tools out there but with aluminum any good sharp tool utilized properly is going to yield acceptable results.

[Marshal]

Not trying to be harsh here, it may come out that way.

 

Reading this, knowing what endmills are capable of doing is one thing but I am reading by the original poster and intrinsic lack of knowledge of "how" to cut metal more than anything else.

 

Sure there are some great tools out there but with aluminum any good sharp tool utilized properly is going to yield acceptable results.

 

You're right, I'm not an experienced machinist in any form. I'm doing my best to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I mean, I know the basics, but getting into the specifics and trying to make things as efficient as possible is a bit over my head yet. And considering I'm not the guy that gets to run the mill (yet), I can't experiment with things myself to learn the way I like to learn. Instead, I've got to watch our machinist do things in his old-fashioned way, and try to convince him to try new things.

[BrianP.]

I like the ZRN coated endmills. Dataflute originally came out with this I believe but now you can get it from just about anyone. Accupro is cheaper and works as well. RPM's as fast as your machine will go and feed whatever it will handle. I have gone 10,000 rpm's and 200 ipm with these. Most of the time around 100 ipm or so and a little slower on finish a finish pass. They last forever.

[veedubnut115]

i've been using Supermill for Aluminum. They last forever.