I finally swapped from a 4 flute to a 2 flute end mill for aluminum and the chip load difference is huge.

We were running a job on 6061 with a 1/2 inch 4 flute at 8000 rpm and 40 ipm, and it was always loading up. Switched to a 2 flute from Helical, kept the same rpm but pushed the feed to 80 ipm. The chips cleared way better and the finish improved a ton. Anyone else have a go-to tool for clearing aluminum chips fast?

3 comments

3 Comments

ben_nguyen14d ago

We had a similar issue with 7075 plate. Our old 3 flute Harvey tool would just pack up in the slots. Switched to a single flute from Lakeshore Carbide, cranked the feed to 120 ipm, and it just throws the chips out like confetti.

rubyschmidt13d ago

Single flute tools are great for chip clearance, but 120 ipm might be too fast for some machines. You could risk breaking the tool if the feed isn't matched to your spindle speed.

violatorres1d ago

What about the stepover? I've seen guys push single flutes hard on feed, but they keep the stepdown light. Like maybe 10% of the tool diameter. That keeps the load manageable even at high speeds. Running a 1/4 inch tool, I'd take a 0.025 inch deep cut at 100 ipm all day in aluminum. It's not just feed rate, it's how much you're asking the tool to eat.