I gave it a go last night.
The top surface is smooth as glass. I should’ve measured my stock thickness better as I cut through on my adaptive pass, so I had to hit stop before that finished, but I was able to cut it out with my last contour operation. I’ll need to face the other side to clean it up, so it will end up a bit shorter.
I went a little deeper just because I thought I should be able to. I might try another go with an even deeper DOC with a smaller load. I like the way it looks when the end mill is making a deep pass in metal. I was using a 4.2mm DOC on the adaptive.
Here’s a link to
photos and vids
I took during the process (I really need an enclosure if I’m going to start more aluminum).
Also, I found this video from Autodesk that helped me understand what to look for with the adaptive toolpaths. It makes sense to use more of the cutting edge while taking less of width of cut. They mention the sound of the cutting, and I think we all get used to it. It’s reassuring with those adaptive cuts when the cutting sound is consistent.