Phenolic advice

[DrStein99]

After milling with it for some time, I liked the way it was so straight, and rigid. My home-made cnc machine became destroyed, because it was originally made from MDF and the water-soluable oil penetrated it and destroyed it.

I recently rebuilt my cnc machine frame using 5/8 Phenolic. It appears sturdy, straight, rigid, and am pretty psyched to get it back together again.

I was wondering if anyone had experience with this stuff, and know if there is anything I need to avoid it around or whatever, because it feels indestructible to me and I dont want to ruin all this work to find out that wd-40 will disindigrate it, or something common like motor oil.

[keebler303]

phenolic is pretty tough stuff. my company used phenolic resin to make some navy ship doors. i am pretty sure that navy ship doors take a beating so it should be fine. if you were worried you could take a scrap and soak it in whatever it might be exposed to. soaking in solvents i wouldn't think would be good for it but oils and incidental solvent contact i wouldn't think would hurt it.

Matt

[lakeside]

There Are Two Types Of Phenolic One Which Is Made From Sheet Bonded Togher And The Other From A Resin The One That Made Of Sheet Can Crack If Heave Impact Occurs Much Like Fiberglass As For Oils I Know Of Nothing That Shuold Harm It Pretty Tough Stuff That Why It A Great Electrical Insultaning Materail And Is Used For Many Aplication

[DrStein99]

Thanks for advice guys. I've been making stuff with this for a couple months now, and really like the way it stays so straight, rigid - and unlike aluminum; which does tend to flex, leaves terrible shards and fileings all over the place that seem to gravitate in my fingers every time I touch something.

When I drill, mill, shape or cut phenolic - it just seems to peal off nice and easy, clump together and fall to the floor in a harmless sweapable swarf.

I am sure this stuff will definately crack before it bends. Like concrete with re/bar laced it it, feels strong as diamonds and straight as an arrow.

I know there is a bunch of different types; some have more dense and more fine fibers layored. I tell you, its a good think the scrap yard down the street stocks the stuff because I definately can not afford to buy this new in a sheet, I looked up the prices and it's not cheap.

[Konrad]

I have made some stuff out of this....pretty dusty when it comes to machining it!
Have cut it dry, wet to keep the dust down....what do you prefer?
Konrad

[DrStein99]

The dust builds up when it starts cutting. At first I was using air pressure, and agree- the dust fills the air pretty quick (amoung other things - like anything that has a ball-bearing with oil, collects the dust around it).

So then I started wearing a face-mask. The bearings and other things around started collecting the fine dust which is not good, so then I started using coolant - just to colsolidate that mess to where it's supposed to be. I believe the coolant is better for the bits, as well because I can see it getting tarnished from heat.

[Thomas Utley]

I'm curious what kinds of tooling you're using to cut phenolic. I have a really nice sheet of 3/4" thick glass-reinforced phenolic, but cutting it with common woodworking tools like carbide-tipped sawblades very quickly wears down the tools. I'd really like to use it for parts on my next CNC machine, but I'm worried I'll just waste a bunch of endmills trying to mill it.

Got any advice?

Thanks!

[Thomas Utley]

Should have mentioned--the material I have is light green in color, reinforced with white fibers (fiberglass?), very dense, very stiff, and smells bad when first cut. Thx.

[ger21]

The fiberglass reinforced stuff is brutal on tools. Onsrud (and others) make tools specifically for cutting that stuff.

[Konrad]

I grind a carbide bit nice and sharp with lots of rake and a little corner radius.

[louieatienza]

The best tools I found for cutting this type of stuff are PCD (polycrystalline diamond) endmills. Search eBay for them. Onsrud currently has PCD SERF routers, which I use, for about 80% off list. I've also bought PCD endmills made by RobbJack and Exactaform for the same type of discounts. Even found a PCD drill bit.

The next best are solid carbide 'burr' endmills, though they look like a burr, there are actually edged flutes which grind the material away.

I use PCD in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_aeNUawNvc&list=UUh02xArFBxUbWIhO2HPsxfQ&index=1&feature=plcp]Milling 3/8" G10 Garolite, Home Made CNC Router, High Speed Toolpaths - YouTube

[louieatienza]

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http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...iptions-8.html