Total newb, Looking to mill copper.

[YellowGT0]

First I would like to say, I'm sorry mods lol, I seem to be posting stuff in the wrong place. I think I found my posts home in this one... I hope.

Hi guys. I just spent hours reading a wood working thread lol. I'm looking at making some heatsinks. I really hope i'm in the right forum. The parts would look something like this.



The biggest one would be about 4in wide and 12 inch long. So i'm guessing the X3 conversion right? But I can't seem to find to many detailed threads on converting Manual mills to CNC mills. I'm pretty new so I would need a thread with some hand holding :-).

Thanks for the help.

[YellowGT0]

So i'm looking through the forum and it seems like Grizzly G0704 is better?

[hoss2006]

Have you looked at a Taig?
You'll need higher rpm for milling copper, the Taig spindle can spin 4-5 times faster
than the larger benchtop mills out of the box.
It's work area, 6x12 should just do you and you can get a cnced version for less than 2K.
Look on the taig forum for Deepgroove.
Taig Mills & Lathes - CNCzone.com-The Largest Machinist Community on the net!
Hoss

[YellowGT0]

Aw, I wanted to build it :-(.

[hoss2006]

You have to assemble it so it's almost like building it.
Hoss

[YellowGT0]

You have to assemble it so it's almost like building it.
Hoss

LoL. At least people on this forum are nice. I belong to some computer nerd forums with post nazi's that will breath fire down your neck for posting in the wrong subform. I always thought copper was a soft easy metal to cut, seems I have a lot to learn.

[hoss2006]

Copper is pretty soft, real gummy,
Softer material like aluminum and plastics require higher rpm,
harder materials like steel need lower rpms.
Copper is in the middle ground as you can see in this chart.
http://www.endmill.com/pages/trainin...nd%20Mills.pdf
The larger benchtop mills peak at about 2000-2500 rpm while the Taig can reach 10,000.
Doesn't mean you can't run copper on the bigger machines, just have to feed slower, just that the taig is better suited for it out of the box.
Hoss

[andrewilcox]

High RPM'S and low feeds. Copper is really gummy and will load up your tooliing. If drilling use a mega pecking cycle.

[felderfan]

Hi M8
I would give consideration into using copious amounts of coolant on that job as per a proper machining centre, will keep the job cool and flush the chippings from the internal finned component.
Just my thoughts
Good luck with the project
Regards
felderfan

[YellowGT0]

Copper is pretty soft, real gummy,
Softer material like aluminum and plastics require higher rpm,
harder materials like steel need lower rpms.
Copper is in the middle ground as you can see in this chart.
http://www.endmill.com/pages/trainin...nd%20Mills.pdf
The larger benchtop mills peak at about 2000-2500 rpm while the Taig can reach 10,000.
Doesn't mean you can't run copper on the bigger machines, just have to feed slower, just that the taig is better suited for it out of the box.
Hoss

Well i'm going to go with the Taig. This is turning out to be my most expensive build yet heh (For a PC). But I figure I will be able to use it for awhile and maybe even sell a few blocks on the side. But this seems the only route to go. Hopefully by this time next year ill have a full LN2 bench rig :-)

Thanks for the help HOSS.

[CNC_Monkey]

I have cut Copper with an O-Flute bit. This works at every spindle speed I have used as long as I match the Feed. Onsrud has them, but there are other manufactures as well. Dpending on the finish you require, I have had sucess using a chipload of .0042 for slotting with a 1/4" tool diameter.

[Runner4404spd]

really? i would pay someone to build the copper blocks you want. your getting into an entire area of expertise. copper is not that easy to machine at the home level, not to mention, you not only need a machine, but you need software, and then you need tooling, and then what happens when you find out the parts you made aren't flat and leak water all over your electrical parts?

there are tons of machines available used that people thought they can do the job your asking. they spent about $5000 to build a machine and tool it up only to find out that the part they want to make takes forever and it breaks a bunch of tooling along the way and then they got bored and forget all about it and now want to sell a machine that they have 5k into thats worth about $1000.

only start this path if your really serious about making what you want, other wise even if your parts are $250 ea, its still cheaper than 5k+ for a machine and some software that may or maynot work like you want it.