Hey everyone,
I'm working on a couple projects that require starting with a large 2" thick piece of 6061 aluminum billet and milling most of it away, with ~1.5" deep pockets and several .13" radius internal corners. That means a 1/4" end mill is needed in a few spots.
It also means I need to stop using my chipped end mill and buy a couple tools that will make this go smoother. I've done a ton of research and it has all led me to purchasing a couple 3/8" High-Helix end mills -- both roughing and a finishing type. First, to remove the bulk of the metal while leaving about .010" and then going back and finishing it off.
I'm over using HSS tooling because it just isn't as sharp and not nearly as rigid as carbide. Also, solid carbide tooling can be had for decent prices now. Also, it seems like 3 flute end mills work best all-around due to the ability to slot, profile, pocket, rough, finish, etc.
So, here's the concern. I found plenty of 38 degree and 45 degree tooling as mentioned above (MariTool High Helix for Aluminum). But I have been advised against using this in the Tormach with TTS due to possible pull-out issues. I had it pull out once during an aggressive cut before and that was with standard tooling, although I have since degreased all mating surfaces. Tormach has recommended indexable center cutting end mills, but they don't go small enough for what I'm doing.
What would you recommend for me? Thanks in advance for the input.