Anyone tested milling soft aluminium with Joes CNC?

**Viperia** · 05-29-2007, 08:22 PM

Hello,

Im planing to build Joes CNC router as a project in school after the summer break since i think it is one of the most detailed projects here on cnczone and fit´s my needs for doing some wood/plastic cnc things. But as the title read is there anyone that have tested machining soft aluminium with this cnc machine?

Could be cool to know if it has been done and if someone did get it to work so please inform me about this.

Regards,
Viperia

**trajan** · 05-30-2007, 05:52 PM

Viperia, I believe that the rotational speed of a router is much to fast for machining aluminum. I have a mill and machine aluminum at approximately 300 RPM. The recommended router (Hatachi) for Joes CNC router has variable speed of 8,000 to 24,000 RPM.

After I get my Joes router done I plan design a motor mount system for a DC motor I bought on eBay. I will buy a 90 Volt speed controller and try to machine aluminum. The collet mechanisum will be challenging.

Richard

**Viperia** · 05-30-2007, 05:54 PM

Well i know the speed of the hitachi router is to fast but thought maybe someone has used another router on his build.

Regards,
Viperia

**Smackre** · 06-02-2007, 09:15 AM

Milling alum is possable. I seen a guy do it on a machine like joe's first model. He used very small tools so that got the rpm up alot. I have a commercial machine and i run 8k rpm on a 3/8 tool for alum and it works pretty well. I also use compressed air to blow the chips out.

As for milling alum on a router. Id advise using a roughing end milling as much as possable. Roughers cut at prolly 20% the pressure of a finish tool. I cut alot of parts out with rougher only. And use coolant if possable or air to at least remove the chips. Hardest thing about milling alum is keeping the chips from gualing up the tool.

But I do not advise milling alum on a regular basis on a home built machine. I would think it would vibrate your machine to death.

Hope this helps you out.

**ger21** · 06-02-2007, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by trajan

Viperia, I believe that the rotational speed of a router is much to fast for machining aluminum. I have a mill and machine aluminum at approximately 300 RPM. The recommended router (Hatachi) for Joes CNC router has variable speed of 8,000 to 24,000 RPM.

You can buy router bits for cutting aluminum at router speeds. www.onsrud.com

**Smackre** · 06-02-2007, 12:58 PM

Those onsrud bits call for a 300-400 cutting speed right? I do not think thats possable on a home built machine. Running them slower might burn the bits up.

**ger21** · 06-02-2007, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by Smackre

Those onsrud bits call for a 300-400 cutting speed right?

Depending on the tool, they recommend chip loads from .002-.010.
A single flute tool with a chip load of .005, at 15,000 rpm = 75ipm feedrate. With an 8000 rpm router you can get down to about 40ipm.

**Smackre** · 06-02-2007, 10:02 PM

where do you get recommended chip load for the onsrud bits? I am looking at there single flute o alum cutting tools but I dont see chip loads anywhere.

**ger21** · 06-02-2007, 10:11 PM

In the back of their catalogs.

Or here:

https://www.onsrud.com/xdoc/ChipAluminum

**Smackre** · 06-02-2007, 11:22 PM

Thanks for the info. Even with those tools I would think it would be tough to mill alum on a homemade machine. Even one as Good as Joe's. I would think you would need linear rails to mill alum.