Are you cutting discrete parts out of the plate? IOW, will you end up with multiple parts? Is the support surface flat? Can you cut almost all the way through and leave a .004/.006 membrane holding all the parts together? I would use a reverse helix end mill to have the cutting force push the material down. If I had to I would take shallower cuts to have the chips clear easily. I think two passes would allow the chips to clear well. I would try that first. WD-40 is just about the best coolant/lubricant for cutting aluminum. Get a spray bottle (aerosol or squeeze handle) and spray small amounts along the cut as you are cutting. I doesn't take much. (smells good too) :) Be diligent to keep the cutter with a little lubricant and it should not build up much on the cutter.
On Tue, Feb 21, 2017 at 1:13 PM, Jim Craig <jimcraig5...@windstream.net> wrote: > I got a bunch of scrap pieces of MIC-6 from a local scrap dealer for > pretty cheap so I have been making chips and widgets out of it for a > while now. It is dimensionaly stable but it does like to chip weld even > more than 6061. > > Another little note about MIC-6 is that if you are cutting the last > little bit off a face then the exit move will break the last bit of > material instead of cutting it. It leaves a little rough spot. This is > due to the weaker properties of the cast aluminum vs a higher alloy > aluminum. To prevent this the cut should be made smaller at exit to > reduce the loads on that last little bit of material. I don't worry > about it and just plow through leaving the rough spot but you may need a > better finish. > > Jim > > On 2/21/2017 12:57 PM, John Thornton wrote: > > Jim, > > > > Good to know this I have a pice of MIC-6 arriving today I need to cut up > > and machine it. I usually use 6061 and 7075. > > > > JT > > > > > > On 2/21/2017 11:37 AM, Jim Craig wrote: > >> MIC-6 is particularly gummy when machining. I always use coolant and I > >> still get a little bit of chip weld if things aren't just right. > >> > >> Getting the chips out of the slot you are milling is also critical. I > >> would keep using the compressed air blast and i would probably use a HSM > >> slot instead of a conventional slot to allow more room for chip > >> evacuation. It will take more time but should provide better results. I > >> get similar results to John for feeds and speeds. Use 1/8" DOC, 2 flute > >> 24k rpm and 119 ipm feed gives .0024" chip and about 15-20 lbs of > >> cutting force. > >> > >> Jim > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > ------------------ > > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > > engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > ------------------ > Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most > engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > -- Addressee is the intended audience. If you are not the addressee then my consent is not given for you to read this email furthermore it is my wish you would close this without saving or reading, and cease and desist from saving or opening my private correspondence. Thank you for honoring my wish. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, SlashDot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
