Machining Aluminum Bronze

[clayman]

Hi: I am machining some pump vanes (oilfield parts) out of A.B. These things have to have almost sharp corners when i'm done. Right now i'm using a file and a lapping plate. I can't seem to finish cut these things without some over hang (burrs) which are very hard to remove. I am doing this on a manual milling machine. Does anyone have an idea of a feed and speed i could use to eliminate this?

[dertsap]

that stuff likes to fold over like that , what i would suggest would be to leave a couple of light finish passes and stone the remaining burr , the stuff is brutal on files

[little bubba]

Aluminum Bronze, weird stuff. From my experiences with it, it eats HSS/Cobalt tooling for lunch, even at very slow speeds, and will dull a cutter incredibly fast, however, if you switch over to carbide, you can approach aluminum speeds and get almost aluminum type tool life.

I would go with a carbide endmill, so that your cutter stays SHARP. That should eliminate a large amount or all of the burr. I'm also assuming that since you say the burr is overhanging an edge, that you are taking a facing pass, reverse the direction and climb along the edge so that the burr goes up on the face, then repeat along the other side, no burr.

[clayman]

Thanks : Just one quick question? Does anyone know what i could use for Surface Ft. I'm facing this A.B. on a manual mill with no coolant. I can't seem to find any feeds and speeds for A.Bronze.

[DareBee]

The last AB I cut I used 600SFM with TiCN coated HSS cutter. I used LOTS of coolant as well.
I wouldn't take less than 0.010 DOC (side or end), cutter needs to be forced in or it will just scrub.
Tool life was very good.