Face milling with a small mill.

[higgite]

I found two candidates that fills my need, one is a smaller(1") version of the one with APKT inserts but it takes two and I hope having two inserts doesn't mean it's twice as hard on my mini mill , ......

Ken,

Could you use only one of the inserts for hogging and have the second insert available if you find that your mill can handle it, or maybe add the second insert for light finishing cuts? Just a thought.

Tom

 

[Ken from ontario]

Hmmm, that's not a bad idea to be honest, I'm sure you're talking about the end mill with APKT inserts,it does look like a more capable tool.

 

[Bob Korves]

Ken, the hogging metal removal rate is mostly a matter of power. A very small end mill might be limited by feed rate, but with a mini mill you are probably limited by power and rigidity when using a 1/2" roughing end mill that is being used aggressively. Beyond that, you can go narrow and deep or wide and shallow, but the motor and the machine rigidity will be the limit of how much metal you can remove each pass. Also, through all options you need to make cuts to depths that do not eat cutters, there are optimum feed rates per tooth for all cutters.

 

[Ken from ontario]

there are optimum feed rates per tooth for all cutters.

Couldn't have said it better myself, I have been surprised a couple of times of the amount of torque this mini mill can produce, I know most of you think "weak" when you hear mini mill but this brushless motor is not comparable to the " classic" type that's known to bog down when used aggressively.
I think overall, I'm way too gentle with this machine maybe because I too think it's weak and should be babied but as I mentioned ,it is capable of more, how much more I'm still trying to find out as I'm getting to know it's limitations, based on what I've seen it it do and using the common sense you all provided in this thread, I think a 1" end mill with one or even two inserts is very workable with this mini mill,I will definitely need to find it's sweet spot as far as feed rate/depth of cut go but I am very optimistic about using the 1" .I just have to bite the bullet and get one to find out.lol.

 

[coherent]

I had a LMS that I converted to CNC and agree that the motors do well on these and torque wasn't an issue. They are great machines and I learned a lot since it was my first mill.
I later moved to a larger mill and realized very quickly how much difference a 80 pound mini mill is from a small mill weighing even a few hundred pounds. Like Bob mentioned the rigidness of the machine plays a huge factor. Good luck with your indexable end mill search.

 

[Ken from ontario]

I found a a regular (non indexable)1" EM with 2 flute and 1/2" shank that will be a better fit for me,.
I asked Dave M on youtube after watching his face milling video and this was his comment about indexable EMs on small milling machines:
I think a face mill is more a waste of money for surfacing. I've watched many videos of people test indicating the inserts trying to get them adjusted all the same height. Its impossible, one insert always ends up doing the cutting while another follows with a finishing cut. I think mini mills flex and vibrate to much for this type of cutter. I also don't see that great a finish with $80,000 CNC's. Watch some of my videos using a fly cutter. I get insane finishes with my latest DIY one.

 

[Ken from ontario]

I had a LMS that I converted to CNC and agree that the motors do well on these and torque wasn't an issue. They are great machines and I learned a lot since it was my first mill.
I later moved to a larger mill and realized very quickly how much difference a 80 pound mini mill is from a small mill weighing even a few hundred pounds. Like Bob mentioned the rigidness of the machine plays a huge factor. Good luck with your indexable end mill search.

Yes ,Bob is the main reason I have stopped searching for tools that don't belong in my shop,he has saved me a few bucks and a lot of disappointment.

 

[Ken from ontario]

These are the two end mills I'm looking at for my mini mill, I 'd appreciate your thought on which one is is best,maybe neither or both?:

Bothe are 1", with 1/2" shank, can I plunge cut with the 2 flute? it looks like a centering end mill .

 

[willthedancer]

If you get an APKT insert mill, you'll like it.

Sent from my Moto G Play using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Korves]

These are the two end mills I'm looking at for my mini mill, I 'd appreciate your thought on which one is is best,maybe neither or both?:
View attachment 228215 View attachment 228216
Bothe are 1", with 1/2" shank, can I plunge cut with the 2 flute? it looks like a centering end mill .

I would say neither. Get an insertable end mill or two. I actually have half a dozen or more of those cutters, bought in tool lots for cheap. I must confess to not even trying them so far. My mill has a low speed of 250 rpm and that is too fast for them unless you are cutting Delrin or UHMWPE, or maybe aluminum if you have the power and rigidity to keep taking big chips. I am not in that big of a hurry, and value my machines and would like to keep them working, and not having them down for repairs.