(08-04-2014, 04:23 PM)DaveH Wrote:(08-04-2014, 03:58 PM)EdK Wrote: I know for an end mill it's advised to cut have the diameter of the end mill in one pass. Does that apply to a tool like I'm using now?In a word yes but you could go up to 2/3rd the diameter of the cutter.
Ed
And don't forget to mill conventionally - not climb milling
DaveH
Dave! I hope you're just joking.
Carbide insert milling cutters should ALWAYS be used climb milling unless impossible to do otherwise. Heavy in, light out. Conventional milling can cause several problems, including higher power requirement, excessive insert wear, chip recutting (and subsequent insert chipping) and more.
I do NOT advise conventional milling approach with that cutter unless the machine has excessive backlash in the screws. If it does, you should still have the entering edge of the cut just past the centerline of the cutter as it traverses the workpiece.
And BTW, that cutter can easily take full width if you want to and have enough power to drive it.
So Ed, how did it work and feel? The chips look like they barely got hot, so your cutting speed is probably low. You want to get the heat out with the chips, not into the workpiece.