Never cut metal before

[Fuzzeh (Fuh Zeh)]

I’ve never cut metal, even with a hacksaw. I have a S5 Pro. with a workbee router ( WorkBee Router Head - ER11 Collet System - UK - Ooznest )

What do I need to know/understand if I want to cut 5mm brass / aluminium?

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

The default feeds and speeds should work well.

I’ve had the best success with coated tooling which is also single-flute — this is touched on in:

#MaterialMonday on YouTube

@wmoy has begin a series of YouTube videos on #MaterialMonday. For the full list: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/materialmonday A central tenet of this series is an acknowledgement that the hobby CNC routers need different numbers for different sorts of paths. Thus far he has done: Aluminum: Shapeoko 3: [Aluminum Feeds and Speeds for the Shapeoko - #MaterialMonday] [Machining Aluminum with the 278-Z on the Shapeoko - #MaterialMonday] Nomad 883 Pro: [Sing…

the other notable considerations are:

• which alloy(s)? Some machine well, 360 brass is described as “free machining” and is the standard for machinability, 6061 alu. is readily available and cuts well, the 5xxx series is gummy and hard to machine, while 7075 is noted as being tough/hard
• does the material work-harden — arguably covered under alloy selection above, but significant enough of a consideration that it merits mentioning
• are your feeds and speeds at the right setting to form a good chip?
• are your toolpaths such that the chipload will be maintained

EDIT: also, if your CAM tool allows it, ramp in (CCPro affords this) or use adaptive/trochoidal tooling.

[No_Soup_For_You (Dean F***)]

Understand that you will generally never get more than 3xdiameter deep unless the bore is 3xd of the tool, this applies only to thicker materials, also the C3D program requires you to trick it to be of much use to generate effective gcode for cutting metals thicker than a nickel. C3D might argue otherwise but its a gimmick (for metal, its great for wood guys calm down) until they themselves start finding it effective enough to use it in demonstrations. The material type matters, eg 2025 aluminum vs 6061 aluminum.

purchase some pure Lye if you intend to cut aluminum it will dissolve the Galled (impregnated into your cutter) materials and it is the bomb.

The chips will attempt to go into your ballscrew quite easily so either make a DiY cover, or make an upsidedown funnel attatchment for your router. Other option is you have a chip extraction system that wont catch fire.

There is a tonne more but this is just basics of it.