I tried cutting aluminum sheet metal with a 1/8" 2-flute cutter using the Carbide Create defaults (Feed 24 in/min, cut depth 0.010in, 16000 rpm) and this was the result:
Now admittedly, these are some relatively cheap end mills from Amazon rather than the brand name Carbide ones, but this seems like a particularly bad result! It isn’t chipping at all and the cutter was getting really hot. I have cut this aluminum before with a 1 flute Carbide-brand cutter with great results so I know the material itself is fine. The defaults for a single flute cutter has a faster RPM and slower feed rate (18in/min, 16000rpm). I thought it might be a chip load thing for the difference in settings, but it definitely feels like it is cutting too agressively. Help please!
I cut quite abit of aluminum sheet and here is what works well for me…
Start with an aluminum that machines well, most folks on here recommend 6061 but ive had success cutting softer stuff as well.
Ditch the multiple flute and invest in a quality single flute endmill. Ive bought cheap ones on amazon that do work well but it can be hit and miss.
Makes sure you’re using solid dust collection/air blat. You want to get the chips out of the cut channels as quickly as possible so they dont get re cut.
Try reduceing your doc and bumping up the feedrate. For an 1/8 endmill, ill run something like doc. .006, 30 ipm 18000 rpm. That gives me almost no bur on the top and bottom edge and a decent wall finish.
A liitle wd40 dropped into the cut as well can help if you’re still having problems.
Thank you everyone. I wanted to share some of my results. So I went back to the single flute cutter as recommended. First cut was 18 ipm, 0.006in depth, 18000 rpm. I did not use any air so I could see the chips. The cut looks clean:
Finally, I did the same cut, but added the 3d printed collet fan. Chip evacuation is excellent (not even sure where they went ) and less burring than cut #2, so it’s possible that was just due to a chip in the slot. These are the results I was expecting! Also, I looked closely at the cutter that I first posted and it was absolutely destroyed. It was not up to the task of cutting aluminum!
) and less burring than cut 