2. Feeds and Speeds Explanation

Feeds and Speeds Detailed Feeds & Speeds information for new users

These feeds and speeds are primarily for inductions and have been tested on the machine.

Try to use 1 flute in aluminium or compression bits for material removal. You don't want your endmill getting stuck!

Wood:

4mm, 6mm endmills Compression Bit Or 1F Use vacuum

The basic wood strategy is high speed and feed with an approximate 5mm stepdown. If using a 1f 4mm you may want to limit your stepdown to 2mm or so. Always use the vacuum with wood. Our biggest issue is burning and scorching, so our aim is to feed fast enough to avoid this. Reducing speed can help reduce burn with larger endmills. Compression endmills are stronger [less likely to snap]

Always run at 24,000 rpm. You will run around 3000-5000mm/min on most woods with these endmills. We suggest 4500mm/min to start. Pockets with a 4mm can be slower, all the way down to 1300mm/min. Start around 2000mm/min. Make sure your endmill is up to speed before entering the stock.

An 8mm endmill should be run around 15,000-18,000 rpm at 4500mm/min and 5-8mm stepdown. You may experience a lot of tearout here, so use for rough fast material removal. You can run anything up to a 1/2" compression bit.

When planing, using the 45mm planing bit, use a 0.5mm stepdown, an RPM of 16,000, and a speed not slower than 3000 mm/min. Always practice before planing a large bit.

If you need to use an endmill smaller than 4mm, be careful. Wood is generally quite forgiving but you can always snap bits. The number one consideration is to ensure you are running at 24,000rpm. You will want to run slower too, and generally remove most material with a larger endmill before stepping down.

Aluminium

4mm, 6mm, 8mm endmills 1F (3f for finishing) Use Collet fan, air blast, and IPA.

Aluminium milling is a delicate balance between running fast enough not to chipweld, and slow enough not to exert enough pressure on the endmill to snap it. This is especially important as 1f are not the most rigid. The following speeds are a good starter guide.

4mm and 6mm endmills should be run at 24,000rpm. A 4mm endmill should be run at 2000 mm/min, whereas a 6mm endmill can run up to 4500 mm/min. Stepdown can be up to 3 or even 4mm for a 6mm, but start with a 1.5mm stepdown and see how you go. Apply IPA once in a while, and ensure chips are being cleared efficiently. A finishing pass can run as slow as 1000 mm/min

8mm endmills can be run at 21,000rpm, and up to a 8mm stepdown depending on speed. A 2.5-3mm stepdown at 4000 mm/min is a good start for material removal.

Only run 3f endmills for finishing, ensuring you are not removing a lot of material. If chips get gunked in channels, the endmills will snap.