Thanks to an unsung hero on LRH I now know all about bits, pieces, shavings and a piss poor milling machine. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
The mailman brought a package from the South yesterday. Two of the pieces were of the exact dimensions for my project. After some setup time, around 3pm, continuous running of the milling machine until just after mid night (jeez now I gotta get a band saw [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] AND something softer to stand on) I reduced the weight of the 2lb piece of aluminum to 1.2lbs (about 1/3 completed)
Learned that you can condition an end mill to cut alum w/o the material building up on the bit. (or at least I think I can)
Learned that the ol' milling machine is good for about a 3/8" end mill. 1/4" is optimum but ya can take light cuts w/the 3/8s and get along. The old girl was pretty warm to the touch by mid night [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] She's a piece of work but she'll do for what I want.
Also learned that aluminum is heavier than I thought. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I may have to go to an exotic material [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
JD, I owe ya!! Ya just gotta love the folks on LRH [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] I'll post pics after the patent goes through [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Also I still have all my fingers. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Roy one thing alot of folk do with a mill when they get started is run the cutter to fast , this makes the stock your cutting hot and the material soft then you get more buildup than normal. with a two flute 3/8" mill I'd run the rpm around 100 to start and adjust from their , you want your chips to be hot and the material cool , so you want to try differant feed rates , you can actualy cut a bit aster than most folks expect.
Alos get yourself some "best oil" or some other type of semi think cutting oil and keep you cutter coated.
Titanium is the only next lightest thing to Aluminum and its a pain in the pee-pee to machine with a good mill and coated carbide cutter.
NOTE : watch that fly cutter (the big black one) even though its small those things will rip you apart realy fast !! thats what you want to use for making the stock smaller you should be able to make .030" cutts with it pretty easy. And if you haven't sharpened many cutters the small ones are best left to a pro or just replaced , you'll end up with nasy burns on your fingers.
That stuff wasen't free , its gonna cost you a cut on that pattent [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] jst kidding , maybe a break on the price at least
So that's what that big black thing is for [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] It looked like some kind of a boring tool to me. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]
Far'd it up this morning, damn, way cool. For what I'm doing that's about the only tool I need.
Watch out you smiffs, I'ma gainin' on ya [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
This'll put ol bb and jimm to shame [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]
Roy I have some blocks of machinable plastic, different types, derilin, nylon ect. I don't know if they would work for your project. e-mail me some dimmensions and if I have a block that will work, you can have er fer notin.
Jim
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Click on coyboy and check out my homepage, pic's of long range kills.
Jim
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