Alum Roughing.

[AMCNitro]

Hey thanks for the suggestions guys, hope to try some new cutters soon!  But like others have said, I'm probably limited by the fixturing, and the fact that it's a Haas.   Do the the "grown up" machines that start with "M" handle long stickouts without chattering?  Even in a vise, if I go much faster with a tool like that the harmonics pick up.

Ive done it on Haas machines...  try using a solid holder

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

 

 

Download their app, it works great. 

 

Yup, I'm using that and HSMAdvisor.  Under some conditions they disagree vehemently, which I think is kind of odd, so I figure I'll use whichever is more conservative for starters and see if I can ramp up from there.

[JAMMAN]

You cant go full depth of cut with .125 step over?  IMO(putting on the flame suit) full depth of cut with a smaller step over works better, you're utilizing the hole flute, not just the tip.  Which machine is it?

 

I'd love to but I have quite a stack up, I do the parts in my avatar on an old Fadal VMC15 with a tiny Calmotion TRT160. Not much room for a full DOC between the blades plus with small steps I don't have much to take off when profiling the blades. I can do like 60 wheels (big diameter is 5.9") and never see any wear on the cutter. No flame suit needed

[dstryr]

I'd get an indexable cutter and take shallow doc, larger radial and up the feed. It will put a lot less tool pressure into the setup.

[zero_divide]

Yup, I'm using that and HSMAdvisor.  Under some conditions they disagree vehemently, which I think is kind of odd, so I figure I'll use whichever is more conservative for starters and see if I can ramp up from there.

I tried Helical calc. Their latest design SEEMS to have borrowed a lot from my FSWizard/ early HSMAdvisor layout and functionalty.

 

Either way I believe my HSMAdvisor has way better optimization for depth/width of cut amongst other things.

 

If you find anything, that helical is better at, though, let me know.

[specv]

Helical endmills...

 +1000 On the helical endmills, for the money nothing i have ran comes close. Benchmark are also good endmills. 

 

I think you should try the Rough/Finish endmills though, Helical HAL-C-3 would be the one to try