Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

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    Default Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    Hello! If somebody would like to comment on my plans here it would be nice. I'm hoping somebody will see an obvious flaw in my plans and point it out. I have actually tried to find classes in milling but the cost was crazy expensive (literally 3 times the cost of my milling machine) and was at a local community college.

    I have had my X3 (full 3 axis conversion run by LinuxCNC) for a few years now. I was an idiot and tried to start with aluminium and of course broke a lot of end mills and eventually lost interest. I've been using a 3D printer since but I will always come back to the question of "what if this part was metal" so here I am back trying again!

    A little older and hopefully a little wiser, right?

    This time I am going with a mild cold rolled 1018 steel. I got a great deal on a 3.5" x 3.5" x 5" end of a bar. I have a HSS 3/4" (19.05mm) flat end mill with 4 flutes to use for this experiment.

    Since my machine is set up in metric the rest is in metric;


    The Android speeds and feeds calculator says I should cut this block using 562 RPM at 215.64 mm/min. Vc: 34 m/min fz: 0.0960 mm

    I have also switched CAM software and now using Fusion360 from Rhino+MadCAM. I am finding all of the features I need for the moment and even did a couple of dry runs of files it produced. It seems like its spot on with no bad habits.

    I was thinking about just milling part of the block flat to start with. Get a feel for what the machine sounds like, how it behaves while cutting.

    I would like to start with the ugly end and cut it smooth going a max of 1 or 2 mm step down per pass and taking it slow. This is the natural end of the bar and is very uneven. My fear is this is the 3.5 x 3.5 sides being gripped and the 5" height making the stock stick way out of the vise so it may not be stable. I am worried about the cutting process acting like a lever and yanking it out of the vise? Will it be that strong of a force from cutting it?

    Anyways, going slow cutting the bad end smooth should give me a feel for how loud it will be and how much the machine will vibrate and stuff. Things that scare noobies like myself.

    What do you all think? Is this a reasonable plan?



    Thanks!

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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    That's a lot of endmill for that machine, but doable. Slow & easy. If your software has a feed speed override, you might start at a lower setting and increase it as you see how it cuts. You will be able to hear and feel when the cutter and machine are happy. 215mm/min seems a bit fast.

    You might take a look here. Sieg Super X3 Mill



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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    That's a lot of endmill for that machine, but doable. Slow & easy. If your software has a feed speed override, you might start at a lower setting and increase it as you see how it cuts. You will be able to hear and feel when the cutter and machine are happy. 215mm/min seems a bit fast.

    You might take a look here. Sieg Super X3 Mill
    Interesting, I never read that page through until now. I always just glanced it over when it popped up in my search results. The end mill is kind of big and I am moving a little fast and going way too deep so I will adjust it.

    This first cut can take all day. I just want to hear, see, feel and smell what this thing is going to do while not breaking end mills. I think I will go with the half inch HSS end mill. Give myself a better chance of succeeding.

    Thanks for pointing this out!



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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    That's a lot of endmill for that machine, but doable. Slow & easy.
    Well, I took off about 5 mm of the 1018 bar where it was rough without a hitch. The end mill survived (the 1/2" HSS) which is always nice. The calculator seem to be pretty accurate as to the speed and feeds. I have a Kodiak Cutting Tools Solid Carbide End Mill, AlTiN Coated, 4 Flute, 1/2" Diameter, 1/2" Shank, 1-1/4" Length of Cut, 3" Overall Length arriving tomorrow. It will make cutting a little quicker I guess.

    Quick question about cooling on such a small mill!

    Since I don't have a coolant system on this mill, should I buy a bottle of the coolant and a mister bottle and spry it directly?


    --jb



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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    A spray bottle will work. My prefered coolant device is a fogless mister, like a FogBuster. Coolant Sprayers: FogBuster is a non fogging coolant sprayer mist systems, machining sprayers, spray lubrication system, metal rolling and forming lubrication system, oil mist cooling, metal coolant nozzles, spray lubricating systems, cnc machine cool

    I just built my own, pretty easy to make. Uses about 1 quart of coolant in 8 hours of spindle time. The goal is to spray micro-droplets rather than a fine mist that creates a fog.



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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    Thank you very much, Mr. Dawson! I appreciate the help. You made my weekend go better than expected. I will check into the FogBuster.



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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

    It's my pleasure to help out



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Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel

Advice on my first cuts on 1018 steel