So I am looking to get the tools ready to try the milling side of this awesome machine. Was wondering if we could put a general list of what bits or mill ends are recommended. I know everyone has their prefered, I’m looking for a guide to getting started. I want to mill the aluminum motor mounts and other aluminum similar. I’d also like to mill MDF wood. And maybe some basic wooden router signs. Delerin plastic is another material I’m looking to do some milling on. I think this would make a.great sticky to help us rookie miller’s out.
I’ll try and get a list going soon, at least for what I have.
Or maybe I should buy some for the site. I chatted with drillman1 a while back, No special prices but he might be willing to make us a starter pack.
I’d probably buy a starter pack. I have a $10 pack of 1/8" flat mills “for wood and plastic” from Amazon to get me started, but I have no idea what else I should be playing with.
My plan is to mill aluminum motor mounts and then mill some chassis rails for some rc cars I have. Same thickness as the motor mounts. What I need to know is what I need for that. I also plan to use 1/4" Delerin plastic to mill rc parts as well. So if anyone can suggest what I need to do these two things, I’ll buy them. Or if you put a starter pack together or drillman1 does, I’ll buy it, but still need to know what to use on what material. Lol. Thanks guys.
I would start with the delrin, that stuff mills so easily. Aluminum last, you need some practice first. I have some bits but I can’t recommend them until I try them.
I have a 1 and 2 flute bits, but from what I am learning I think we should be using single flute as much as possible. Because we use a relatively high speed spindle and a relatively slow machine (because of rigidity). So my videos have all the details of how and what I used but I think we can do better. I have some things to mill coming up soon I will try and run a few tests then and put up my findings.
Up flutes for most materials, square end mills are most common. Wood bits have a inverted point. Plastic and thin sheet material and laminates other than aluminum should use down flutes to minimize splintering and material lift. Ball nose are usually for finishing passes or pretty pocket cuts.
Just the .02 tour.
See, I’m still confused. So for Delerin, a single down flute square end is what I’m looking for? I’ll be using the Dewalt you recommend in your build section. A link would be awesome.
So a 1/8 2 flute square end up flute be good for aluminum and Delerin?
2 flute would be okay for delrin, but I think single flute would be better all around.