Large Endmill Use

[John Hasler]

I have seen end mills that size used on 50,000 lb mills with 50 HP spindles. The problem is the amount of twisting force it applies to the machine. I get nervous when using a 3/4 x 4 inch end mill on my 3,500 lb machine. It is not heavy enough to overcome the cutting forces imposed by the cutter when using that end mill to capacity. With a 2 x 10 inch inch end mill, the amount of stick out would be huge and the twisting torque applied to the head would be immense.

You'd just have to limit your depth of cut and feed per tooth appropriately. After all, flycutters work.

And don't climb mill.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

maybe i sinned a little,
i have used a 1" 4 flute endmill to mill 3/4" 6061 aluminum plate in my Trans World Steel VHM-728 vertical head (347 rpm, .020" DOC).
it only has a 1 hp motor

 

[JimDawson]

You'd just have to limit your depth of cut and feed per tooth appropriately. After all, flycutters work.

And don't climb mill.

John, while I agree with you in principal, in this case a 2 x 10 inch end mill is going to be hanging out of a R-8 spindle over a foot by the time you add an adapter. That is way too much stick out

Fly cutters are normally pretty close coupled

 

[JimDawson]

maybe i sinned a little,
i have used a 1" 4 flute endmill to mill 3/4" 6061 aluminum plate in my Trans World Steel VHM-728 vertical head (347 rpm, .020" DOC).
it only has a 1 hp motor

As long as it's not sticking out too far, you're fine.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

As long as it's not sticking out too far, you're fine.

it's a 1"x 4" endmill

 

[tweinke]

Guys you are all thinking of this wrong, of course he should use the end mill just needs the appropriate machine to install it in. Problem solved.....

 

[TORQUIN]

Consider, if you are running the proper cutting speed, and the HP of the smaller mill, the mill will just stall if the cut is too heavy. I run a 6" indexable carbide shell cutter on my BP when I need a continuous cut across something, but I take light cuts and run it slow. I have a 10" cutter also, but have not yet had a need to cut something that wide yet.
When I was cutting with a 3" indexable shell cutter and the part cocked in the vise (still don't know why, as the vise was very tight), the BP just stalled (J head belt slippage). Yes, it tore up the cutter, broke several carbide inserts, and gouged the part pretty bad, but it was all recoverable. I filed the gouged pockets for the inserts and installed new inserts and it's fine now. I didn't even knock the head out of alignment. Even in this case, I was running slow and taking a light cut, although I guess heavier than I should have been, .040, I think.
While I don't want to do that again, I am not scared away from large cutters because if the narrower parameters on using them on a smaller machine are observed, they work well.

Chris

 

[Tony Wells]

Wonder why no one makes a 2" collet.....hmmm

 

[Ortonese]

With nothing else better to do with $15, I picked up a 2" x 10" end mill. Its about the size of a brick (except for being cylinder shaped ). 6 flutes, and new (still in the waxy coating). OK, it's too big for my BP J-head. I thought about making a 2" to 1/2" adapter, and use it in an R8 in the BP, and on the Lathe (largest drill bit I have is 1 & 7/8", so 2" end mill would get me to 2" ID on tasks before I have to start using a boring bar). I assume when its worn out I can grind it and use it for HSS (not sure how to clamp it in the QCTP unless I ground it down significantly or made yet another adapter).

Any other thoughts on what it could be used for?

Thanks

you could use it on your BP if you have an horizontal attachment for it I did,and milled horizontally.

 

[kd4gij]

If you have a surface grinder, you could grind the shank down to 3/4" and use it as a shell mill.