[dharmic]

Pain? Nah. 6061 is nice to mill! It carries the heat off the work, it's pretty soft allowing for decent feeds and speeds but it's still reasonably stiff and holds a decent finish. You just need to respect that it will try and gum to the cutter and deal with that, and know that it will bounce a bit so super fine 0.001" spring passes do bugger all but scuff it up, that last pass needs to be a bit meatier for it to work properly.

I love working with 6061.

[squirrel_41]

I'm a hobby cnc'r and I get my scrap from the local boat builders they use 5083 ally
I say the 5083 is similar to 6061 only because of the specs that I found online
But the major difference seems to be in the Magnesium content
Because I get my scrap from the same place I can only assume I have never milled 6061

5083 Alluminium Magnesium (Mg)4.0 to 4.9 % close to a 300% increase
6061 Alluminium Magnesium (Mg)0.8 to 1.2 %

Can you post your tool and feeds and speed's that your using
for a full width slot cut plus DOC.


cheer's

[ihavenofish]

of the commonly stocked aluminiums, 7075 machines best i find, then 2024, then 6061. i have some 5080 in cast plate form. i have not cut it yet, but im told its "adequate" to amchine. better than mic6, but not as good as the 3 main bar stock alloys.