[mtmmfg]

I have a 1995 VF-2 with a gearbox and am considering purchasing a 2006 VF-2 without a gearbox.

I have several jobs where I drill 1.125 holes in 1" thick CRS with a carbide insert drill (2 inserts) at 1500 RPM and 3 IPM.

Will the 2006 VF-2 without the gearbox have enough torque to do this operation?

Thanks

[mtmmfg]

Someone out there must be drilling 1" or larger holes with an insert drill in mild steel using a direct drive VF-2 or at least someone must have tried it.

I don't want to purchase a machine and find out it can't do that job.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

[Geof]

No it is quite possible no one is doing that, but here is a suggestion that might work to run a test.

I think you can override the gear change and force the machine to stay in high gear at 1500rpm. Do this and see if your existing machine can drive the drill successfully in high gear which is more or less equivalent to direct drive.

[mtmmfg]

Thanks for the reply. 1500 RPM is high range on my 1995 VF-2 and it will do this drilling operation. Is it safe to assume that a 2000 or newer direct drive VF-2 could do it also? I would hope that the newer machines would have more power not less but I don't like to assume things like that.

Mark

[MikeOD]

If you're doing it in high gear now on that machine, you will have no problem with a newer machine without a gearbox.

I've run a 1.5" drill in 1018 on a VF-1 with a gearbox, but I was in high gear with it and it did just fine, at a higher feed than you're running.

[lkenney]

I would mill those holes with SurfCam Truemill and a 5/8 or 3/4 TiALN radiused four flute from SwiftCarb. It will take you less than a minute per hole, they will finish up nice and if your machine is true they will be also, Tools will last longer, work is ver smooth, machine doesn't work very hard. I run at 6000 RPM and 60 IPM with 1/2 generic End Mills at .75" deep. Load meter never goes over 40%. I watch the chip color and strive for that gold color that tells me I am making money.

Contact www.SwiftCarb.com for data on their mills. Don't use a coolant but have air there to keep the chips out of the hole. You can't afford to drill big holes anymore in 1 " stock. I am very excited about this technology.

I am running an older VF-0(1992 (5HP)) and doing more than that. I did not think it would work either.

Eagle.

[mtmmfg]

Thanks MikeOD - That's what I wanted to know.


Eagle - are you spiraling down or stepping down to mill the bore or do you have a starter hole? What DOC's do you use with the 1/2 end mill? I am surprised you get decent tool life at 785 SFPM and without coolant.

Mark

[lkenney]

Mark,

I was very surprised also. TrueMill helical ramps down and I have cut a full 0.75" deep in a single pass with this new cutting technology.

Other data that I have shows cuts (DOC) as deep as 1.25" deep in 1018 with a 1/2" TiALN end mill. Using Swift carbs TrueMill End Mills you can ramp through an 1" 1018 in less than 5 rotations, won't work at that rate with standard endmills. Call Aaron at SwiftCarb for more info 1.800.227.9876 for more info. Since my machine is old and small I am only working the very bottom of this technology.

Coolant blows the TiALN coating off the carbide when it heats and cools each cut and that reduces your tooling life. TiALN doesn't get really slick until it is at about 1500 degrees I understand. You want the chip to take the heat out of the cut.

I could not do these cuts at anywhere near this speed and depth with a standard pocket prograqm from SurfCam. I had to do a lot of unlearning and have a little faith in what I read and saw via the web on SurfCam's website.

The fact that I know SurfCam's trainer here in the NW and know that he is a straight shooter is what allowed me to proceed and I am so glad that I did.

I realize that I have talked a lot about this recently here on CNCZone and other forums but feel that if you are not cutting with this technology you are loosing money. If we are going to compete in the world market we need all the advantage that we can gather.

Good Luck
Eagle

[rawen2]

Eagle,
How much does SurfCam cost?
Also I'd like to talk to you if possible about the older Haas (early 90's) VMC's.
Sent you a PM.
Thanks,
Ralph