Update: I thought I had to baby every single part on the first run

For a tricky aluminum part, I tried a faster feed rate on the initial facing pass like a guy in my old shop suggested. It cut cleaner and saved about 12 minutes per batch. Anyone else find a 'wrong' setting that actually works better?

3 comments

3 Comments

miamitchell2d ago

Check the chip load on that faster feed. Sometimes a more aggressive cut clears the material better instead of letting it rub. What tool geometry were you using?

jamesf262d ago

Oh man, @miamitchell is right about the chip load. I've seen guys run a feed so slow it just makes dust and cooks the tool. A good chip should look like a tight "6" or "9" curl, not powder. What's the point of a fast spindle if you're just babying the feed rate?

theasmith2d ago

Used to baby my feeds too, thinking slower was safer. Watching a tool actually clear chips instead of just heating up changed my mind completely. Now I aim for that tight curl every time.