PM940 V facemill

nighthawkFmobil

nighthawkFmobil

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I want to get a glacern fm45 with integrated r8. I'm just not sure if i should get a 2" or a 2.5". If the 940 can handle the 2.5" I might as well go that route. I just don't want to struggle. I want to be able to take aluminum down pretty fast, something .080 to .090 doc. It would be nice to able to do it in steel with the proper inserts as well. I have a superfly that is great in aluminum and steel for finishing so I'm not overly concerned with finishing capability although I know a lot of people end up going that route in order to avoid switching tools. Appreciate any recommendations.
 
I have a FM45-400 (4") I use on my PM-932 CNC conversion. I have done up to .100 doc in aluminum with the Korloy aluminum inserts. Very efficient at removing material quickly. The mill has plenty of power for this cutter. You will have no problems with the 2.5". The Korloy inserts can usually be had on ebay for considerably less that Glacern or MSC.

I have used the FM45-400 with inserts for steel with much lighter cuts than with aluminum. .020 - .025. I still mostly use fly cutters/HSS bits for facing steel as I have more control over the cutting edge geometry.

I have also used the FM45-400 on steel for fine finishing. .002" cuts using the same Korloy inserts for aluminum. Leaves a very nice finish on mild steel.
 
The Glacern FM45 style works well for surfacing, I would go with at least a 3" and possibly larger if just surfacing. The insert pocket geometry does not require much Hp, in particular with a 0.1" DOC in softer materials. You get nice finishes, I would be running the face mill in the 3000-3500 RPM range on your mill. Aluminum, you can feed at quite high rates.

I have been using the Haas 3 HS6NP – Sq Shoulder 6 cutting edges Negative Positive in both 7075 aluminum and steel, and get almost a mirror like finish running it at 3200-3500 RPM. The other day I was using it to do finishing surface cuts in aluminum with a 0.1" DOC and shouldering a pocket 1.1" deep with a 0.2" DOC and at around 20 IPM. I also have the FM45 style surfacing face mill but the HS6NP is a better all around face mill in different materials. I use the HMP-20 inserts which are a bit sharper, then the HMP-35, they have cut nicely in both aluminum and steel. HMP-35 would be for harder materials. Price wise, it is close to the 3" FM45, a box of inserts should last a very long time with 6 cutting edges.

HS6NP, 3" Diameter Shell Mill, 1" Pilot Bore x 90° Lead Angle, 6 Inserts (Trigon), Negative/Positive Geometry, TSC

www.haascnc.com www.haascnc.com

HS6NP, Carbide Shell Mill Insert, Trigon Negative Positive, Grade HMP20 - Pack of 10

HS6NP, Carbide Shell Mill Insert, Trigon Negative Positive, Grade HMP20 - Pack of 10
www.haascnc.com www.haascnc.com
 
I also have a 3 inch Shars that uses 6 SEHT inserts. I have 6 Korloy inserts and use it on aluminum only on my PM932. Spin it wide open (2000 RPM) and take .100 inch cuts. Surface is smooth as glass and very shiny. Pretty happy with it.
 
I have the FM45 (2.5") with Korloy inserts for both aluminum and steel but I also have a PM-932. Even with the slightly smaller mill, HP is not going to be an issue. Both the 940 and 932 have plenty of power. Rigidity is the primary concern. I get horrible surface finish in both aluminum and steel no matter whether I am hogging material or doing a final pass. Its my opinion that my results are due to a combination of a loose quill fit, subpar spindle bearings and tolerances between the gears in the headstock creating a frequency that translates into the cut. All of these issues are on a new machine with only a few hours run time. I am sure if I could dial in the RPM I could improve the surface finish substantially but thats not possible with gearhead mill without a VFD. Yes, you can compensate with travel speed but only to a point. Also, depending on the material and width, you will find that best rpm and travel speed will vary and that there is one rpm and travel speed that will work for all jobs.
When determining what diameter face mill to go with, it all depends on the width of material you will be working with. Having the face mill properly sized for the width of work can make a big difference on a manual mill and thats why there is no one size fits all.
All that said, the Glacern FM45 is a great tool. Its high quality and built like a tank.
 
nighthawkFmobil said:
I want to get a glacern fm45 with integrated r8. I'm just not sure if i should get a 2" or a 2.5". If the 940 can handle the 2.5" I might as well go that route. I just don't want to struggle. I want to be able to take aluminum down pretty fast, something .080 to .090 doc. It would be nice to able to do it in steel with the proper inserts as well. I have a superfly that is great in aluminum and steel for finishing so I'm not overly concerned with finishing capability although I know a lot of people end up going that route in order to avoid switching tools. Appreciate any recommendations.
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I use a 3" 6 insert face mill on my PM940V, I have used it on both steel and aluminum and with aluminum I can take a .080 cut without the mill knowing it is doing it. It did labor a little with the steel at .060 but nothing worrisome.
 
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