Machining Copper Jaws

[devils4ever]

I'm replacing the jaws on my antique (60+ yrs old) 3" vice I inherited from my father. I bought some 110-H02 copper for the job. I've read machining copper can be challenging. So, I'm looking for advice here.

Do I use regular end mills or ones for aluminum?

Do I use cutting fluid/lubricant?

What kind of speeds and feed should I use?

Thanks!

 

[Tio Loco]

 

[devils4ever]

Tio, thanks for the video. I've seen that before. She seemed to have a lot of difficulty with milling copper.

For future reference:
I called MSC Direct and talked to one of the Product Techs. He recommended this Accupro 2-flute carbide end mill with ZrN finish and CRC Cutting Fluid. Both of these products lists cutting copper as a feature.

 

[Dabbler]

There is a trick to machining soft things like copper. You take a stone and make the cutting edge close to 90 degrees. If you don't and take too much of a chip it will pull out the end mill and disaster is possible. Goes for drills as well.

 

[Larry$]

There is a trick to machining soft things like copper. You take a stone and make the cutting edge close to 90 degrees. If you don't and take too much of a chip it will pull out the end mill and disaster is possible. Goes for drills as well.

Excellent advice! Works for drilling plastics as well.

 

[devils4ever]

I just finished milling one of the jaws from the 110 copper with no issues. I used the 3/8" 2-flute end mill with ZrN finish as described in post #3. I took a 0.020" DOC at 20 IPM feed rate without issue. Maybe, if I took a heavier cut or faster feed rate, I'd see problems. Also, I made sure I was only doing conventional milling, no climb milling although I'm not sure if that matters with my CNC mill with ball screws.

Copper mills nicely with a really nice surface finish. I do notice deburring is a little harder. Files don't like this stuff. My deburring tool is the way to go.

 

[devils4ever]

Here's a pic of milling the back:


Drilling and counterboring:


And the final product:

 

[Packard V8]

Nice work.

An aside, machining copper probably doesn't put much dust in the air, but I learned the hard way grinding/sanding copper will produce dust which when breathed will do bad things to one's respiratory system.

jack vines

 

[devils4ever]

Thanks for the warning. I hope you're okay.