LMS 3960 or G0704 mill for a small lab?

[markknx]

Is this for the fly Cutter? These lookto be turning tools. What is the sorce of this chart?

Lucky! That's seriously awesome. I'm thinking style 2 but I'd like some confirmation that its the right choiceView attachment 73398

 

[TIGL]

Is this for the fly Cutter? These look to be turning tools. What is the source of this chart?

Its what comes up when I search "Fly cutter" on McMaster Carr.

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The reason I'm looking for preground tools is because it's something I've never tried to do before and there is nobody here in meatspace who can teach me. I could stumble through it unguided and prossibly come up with something workable but with this project being my introduction to so many other aspects of fabrication, one less convolution would be nice.

 

[TIGL]

Update: I ended up ordering one of style 2 and a blank 5/16 tool bit along with the 2" head. The mill and about 60 lbs of aluminum get here Monday and I couldn't be more excited

 

[wrmiller]

Gotta post pics... )

Bill

 

[TIGL]

Hey everybody! The mill and aluminum came in a about a week and a half ago. I've been so busy making chips I haven't had time to post an update


Mmmmm... tooling

All the best toys come in crates

in the maintenance shop where it will live until our lab is finished


Left it on the base until I can get/make a better base for it.

Never saw the need for a clamping kit when I was learning on a Bridgeport at school but its been crazy handy on this mini machine

chips, chips

and more chips

Sadly, the reason that I have time to write this post today. Chris is sending a new board.
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[markknx]

Wow what happened to the board? How was the milling going to the point? As I recall you were going to do a wide plate, is this block just practice or isit for something?Mark

 

[wrmiller]

Had I known you were going to use that large a cutter, for that long a period, I would have suggested you look at a PM 932 or something similar.

I don't even use a 5/8" end mill in my PM25. The LMS isn't going to last very long at that work load. It simply isn't built to handle it for a prolonged period.

Just my $0.02,
Bill

 

[TIGL]

Brace yourselves, a wall of text is inbound

Wow what happened to the board? How was the milling going to the point? As I recall you were going to do a wide plate, is this block just practice or isit for something?Mark

Same project, the block I was working on will have a lug on the bottom that will rest in the slot.

Had I known you were going to use that large a cutter, for that long a period, I would have suggested you look at a PM 932 or something similar.

I don't even use a 5/8" end mill in my PM25. The LMS isn't going to last very long at that work load. It simply isn't built to handle it for a prolonged period.

I got the new board today and have the mill back up and running. To avoid the overload issue in the future I'm going to be installing an exhaust fan in the main control box and am looking at ways I can alter my design to require less intense machining. Rather than the bunch of U slots and enclosed areas which I would need to painstakingly chip away at, I reworked the parts to only require L shaped notches that are open on the top and side and go the full length of the workpiece (see below). Working in from the side will avoid the heavy load caused by prolonged, full engagement cuts and should really lower the stress on the electronics.

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That being said, I'm wondering if I can't do better still using a slitting saw to remove the corner with two perpendicular cuts that run the length of the bar. Do you all think the machine can handle it? Not having to turn the whole volume into chips would certainly be less work but it might require more power than I have available.

I was thinking about buying this slitting saw and putting it on this arbor so that I could cut out the the notch and have a 1"x1" bar left over instead of a giant pile of chips. I'd take it slow and not try and do it in a single pass obviously but I wonder if it might not still be more than the mill can handle.


I really appreciate all the advice y'all have given me. Like I said in the OP, this is way deeper than anything I've tried before.

 

[JimDawson]

If you have one, roughing that out on a bandsaw would be a good start. That way you just need to clean it up.

 

[kd4gij]

I agree you need to use a band say to rough that out. A slitting saw would but a pritty havey load on that small mill.