PEEK plastic cutting Q's

[Petro Chem]

Hi All-

New to the boards, cool place!

Got a question regarding the proper tool selection to cut PEEK plastic (CNC lathe) for best surface finish. I'm new to this material and hoped I might find some help here....

Any info would be helpful: feeds/speeds, cutting tool material selection, coolant or dry, etc.

If there's another board where this is more appropriate please just let me know!!!

TIA

Tom

[rob2424]

grind your own using hss keep it sharp and use a water mist
for coolant.

[hardmill]

Originally posted by Petro Chem PEEK plastic

???What dat????

PEACE

[wms]

(Polyetheretherketon)

very strong, high tempature,expensive.


http://www.sdplastics.com/peek.html


Better link http://www.modernplastics.com/victrex_peek_plastic.html

[hardmill]

Hardmill no habla plastic?

PEACE

[CDignition]

lol @ Hardmill..

I looked over the data...it has CF and other fibers in it..this will kill your EM's fast. Keep tools sharp, and use alot of coolant to keep it cool...use a International Minicut rougher and real good carbide endmills(TiN coating a minimum). It also will likeley chip easily, so mill pocket in(start from the outside and work your way to the inside of the part)..this will stop pieces from chipping off and damaging the part before it is finished..

[CDignition]

Duhh...I just reread the post...sez lathe,lol..

Use real good High positive carbide inserts...they will lose the edge fast, so keep flood heavy and speeds to normal/high. use a rougher and a diffrent tool for finisher. this will give better finishes and sizes. for plastics I always liked a medium nose radius...maybe .060 max...try it and see..

[Fish]

I just visited your site......I have just one comment.....Mopar, shmopar.....long live Ford!!!

We run a Ford Ranger Pro-Mod, fastest ford powered Pro-Mod in the world, (cue evil sounding music). And, it's actually a Ford powered car. We are producing our own forged blocks and heads, with Mopar soon to come. Hmm, say, you're looking for a block aren't you?

Sorry, couldn't resist. Just trying to start a little rivalry here. We're off to Boise this weekend for a Pro-Mod meet. I'll let you know how many Mopars we knock off.

Fish

[CDignition]

lol...we have a Pro Mod Superbird in our club...this is the Texas Big Bird...were gonna run it in the Outlaw shootout this weekend in Alabama... I think it is a $20,000 race...should be fun..

I actually now have a KB alum block..I have to update my site..

Do you run Oxide or Blown car??..

Be careful and have fun..

[Petro Chem]

Hi All-

Whoah, that was fast!

Rob2424 and CDignition- thanks a lot for the tips, will definitely try them out. Had been using brazed C2 carbide (results were OK to passable at best) cutting tools, hadn't tried HSS as I figured it would get fried quickly.

Had been going the "dry" route also, so I'll try giving my PEEK parts a little shower with the shave ....

Thanks a million, gentlemen! I'll take any more tips if you's got's any....

Tom

[Fish]

Hey CD,

We run Alcohol - we're Canadian after all.

Your not talking about that sissy Bigbird born in Austin/Banned from Boston are you? If you run into any clutch problems, tell Matt that Grant would love to help, as long as there's another bottle of Rye in it for him - remember Shreveport......:-)

Fish

[CDignition]

Matt Tolbert sold the car to Dave Schultz... go to www.moparstyle.net to check it out..

http://www.texasbigbird.com/