There is a bit on choosing tooling at:
Like most things in life, it’s a tradeoff.
Sorry I misread your original post. You said #102 and for some reason I thought #201. The post is still factual about choosing the correct tool set for the machine you have. As other said you can manually change the F&S in the tool path tool selection but that is only for that one tool path. Also you can adjust the feed rate up/down while running the job in CM.
Usual preface, I’m with PreciseBits so while I try to only post general information take everything I say with the understanding that I have a bias.
In general I’d say those numbers are fine. Although, your chipload would be 0.001875" (0.047625mm). In general I try to start most people with similar setups and 1/8" shank tooling at a 0.002" chipload. That would work out to 96 IPM. For the highest production numbers I’d test increasing it until you reach a limit of either the material or deflection (bending). If you reach a cut quality limit first then start playing with the pass depth. I always try to split the pass depth into even passes to keep the cutting forces as close to the same as possible.
The above aside you won’t be able to cut this with the #102 (or at least shouldn’t). It only has a length of cut of 0.50". Exceeding that and you will rub the shank and greatly increase the heat and forces. There are tools out there that are 1/8" with longer cutting lengths. However, they are mostly made for finishing work and not well suited for primary cutting (at least without cleanup). Even then I wouldn’t use them slotting which is what it sounds like you are doing. Might be able to do it with necked tooling but in general anything with an aspect ratio (cutting length to diameter) over 4 or 5 to one is going to come with a lot of compromise.
A lot of this will come down to experience. There’s a number of things to look at like the material you’re cutting, required cutting depth, and chipload. In this example you are going to be excluded from using the 1/8" due to the total length of cut so that pushes you to the next size. Increasing the tool diameter then changes your RPM due to surface speed and will increase the cutting forces for the same chipload and cutting depth due to engagement time, MRR, etc. Then there are flute counts which should be feed scaled with chipload (more flute more feed). Up vs down cut can also change a lot depending on material and cut type. The list goes on… Probably the simplest way to think of it is only select features that you know you will use. Every feature of a tool will be used, either for you or against you. So as an example if you don’t have plans to use an extra flute or increased cutting length, don’t use that tool.
Hope that’s useful. Let me know if there’s something I can help with.
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Is this how it should look when cutting plywood? Doesn’t seem correct to me. Here is what I’m set at……
You’re cutting a slot just as narrow as the tool.
Where possible avoid slotting and add geometry and cut as a pocket
and/or
and consider leaving a roughing clearance and taking a finishing pass.
You may also want to consider a downcut tool, at least for the surface of the part.
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Thanks for that info. I truly appreciate your willingness to help out. I’ll have to read up on all of that and try and figure it out.
Here’s another question for ya…… what do I need to do or get in order to use the crush-it nuts/teez nuts to hold the material? I bought these but the nuts are too wide to slide in to the tracks.
The Teez-Nutz are intended for use in the Hybrid T-track.
The T-tracks for Shapeoko 3s have different (smaller) dimensions — you will need to use suitable hardware, M6 steel nuts are one option.
Thanks for the reply…Is that what I have? A Shapeoko 3? Heck, I don’t even know which model I bought a couple of years ago. To be honest, I bought it a couple of years ago and it sat and collected dust. I finally told myself that I was going to try and learn how to use the machine…Hence the joining of the community board and posting questions.
Speaking of posting questions…how far down do you set the sweepy boot? After cutting a bunch of stuff in our basement WITHOUT any type of dust collection…AND hearing my wife yell and scream about the amount of dust I covered our house in…I immediately went out and started purchasing dust collection equipment.
Does the sweepy thing ever hit one of the material securing clamps? Seems like if I set the sweepy to low it could definitely hit the wooden material clamps that came with the machine. Those things stick up 3/4" above the material being cut.
Your photos show a T-track setup intended for an SO3.
The Sweepy dust boot may be positioned as low as is appropriate for a give cut so long as it is still secure — I try to keep the tip of the tool aligned with the bottom of the brushes.
Good to know…I’ll bring the sweepy down so that the brushes are close to the tip of the endmill.
I really do appreciate your willingness to respond and help out. Thanks for everything!
Last question…(ok…probably not…but last question for tonight…LOL)…Is there a thread or video on how to use the Crush It and Get a Grip work holding pieces? I have them (obviously can’t use the Teez Nuts with them), but I have no idea how these little pieces work to hold things down.
Disregard the post above asking about the Crush it clamps…I found all of the videos and info on how to use them. I’m not sure how I missed them before. Thanks again for everything!
Consider getting the deep sweepy boot as well. Before I got that I was constantly repositioning the height of the mount and now I rarely need to with the deep boot. If I am getting near the surface or clamp on a cut I pause and swap the deep boot out for the regular. Except when I don’t as I posted a couple of days ago and had an oops.
Bonus, the curve in deep sweep is friendlier on the vacuum than the hard 90 in the regular version and therefore quieter.
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Cullen…Thanks for the advice…I just ordered the Deep Sweepy Boot. Since I’ve been using the 3/4" wooden material holder/clamp, I’ve worried about hitting them with the Sweepy…Hopefully by using the lower profile Clamp-It and the deep sweepy, I should be fine. Thanks again for the tip!!
Well, like I said, it doesn’t prevent collisions as I had one this weekend. It’s the first time in over a year on the machine I have had that trouble and it was because is was jabbering and not pawing attention.
I can’t really explain why but once I added in the deep sweep I almost never adjust the height of the mount which is the main benefit to me. Maybe because I can just swap the boots when needed.
Speaking of collisions and bad crap happening…What happens if a bit breaks? Does it go flying around the room at light speeds? Or does it typically just break off and stay inside of the material as the router/machine continues the path? I’m always scared to death to be close to the machine when it’s cutting because I’m affraid that a bit will break and come flying at my face…LOL.
It goes somewhere — how much and with what force is wildly variable — that said, this is a big part of why we insist on eye protection (ideally w/ side shields) and long sleeves/pants and sturdy shoes when operating the machines:
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Out of your list I at least have safety glasses. Given my age and eyesight I finally bought a pair of prescription bifocal safety glasses and really like them. The top of the lens is for close work and the bottom is for really close work. Side shields included.
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Thanks for the checklist!! Any advice the community is willing to share is greatly appreciated.
Having a bit break and go flying around the room still scares the crap out of me. Thirty years ago, I was in the same room with a guy that was using a hand-held router. He must not have tightened the chuck all the way…After about 20 seconds of routing, the bit flew out and started bouncing off the walls…It was like a pinball machine in there…It scared the crap out of both of us. Ever since then, I’ve had this deep respect for anything that turns at that rate of speed.
That brings up another question…How tight do you tighten the chuck holding the endmill? Because of the router incident 30 years ago, I’m sure I crank on it a little too much. Thoughts?