[shearder]

Hi all

I have plans which I got to make a doll's house for my daughter. I have tried cutting with a 1mm end mill but the cut depth is only 2mm. I tried a 2mm ball but broke it testing speed and feed rates. I have ordered some 1.5mm end mills to continue.

Ok so you may ask what the problem is. Well I can't seem to get detail like the window frames to cut properly.

Does anyone have experience with 3mm mdf and detailed stuff?

I will post some pics.



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[ger21]

What feedrate and rpm are you using.

[shearder]

The feed rate and rpm I was adjusting as it ran. But mainly around 16000 rpm and feed I think was around 60mm/sec but I was running at around 64% in ncstudio when it broke. It was burning the wood around 18000rpm and up so I upped the feed and it broke in a few minutes.

I just coukd not gey a sweet spot befor it broke. All cuts even with 1mm seem rough. Is it normal?

With 12 and 16mm mdf and 3 and 6mm end mills its much better

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[ger21]

Generally, when you get down to really small tools like 1mm, they are much more difficult to use.
Once you noticed burning, I'd say the bit was already much too dull to recover.
MDF can dull tools very quickly, and small ones even more so.
I've never cut MDF with tools smaller than 3mm, so I don't have any advice based on experience.
If you can find them, a downcut bit will give a clean top edge, even when it gets dull.

I'd stick to the 16,000 and 60mm/sec, but make multiple, shallower passes.

What type of bit are you using? Tool geometry can make a big difference.

[A1CNC]

I didn't see you mention dust collection. Are you using anything?

In the past when I routed MDF I either stood there with an air line and shop vac, or rigged it up so I did not have to baby sit depending on the qty of parts.

An Onsrud style o- flute worked best for me. The biggest problems I had were if I didn't keep the dust/ swarf out of the cut would quickly overheat the bit.

[shearder]

I have an 1800watt vac which I usually manually extract. I made a shoe but didn't fit it for this because of the small parts which would get sucked up. So I would manually remove small parts and then vacuum the dust. I tried tabs in Aspire but because the sheet is thin the end mill lifts the wood so tabs dont work out and pieces are cut off anyway

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[shearder]

An Onsrud style o- flute worked best for me. The biggest problems I had were if I didn't keep the dust/ swarf out of the cut would quickly overheat the bit.

I'll look into the onsrud o flute. Thanks for that info

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[daniellyall]

when i cut mdf i run the spindle at 21000 rpm if i am using bigger than 3 mm cutters i run the machine at 1500 mm/sec if using smaller than 3 mm i run at 600 mm/sec. i have never broken a cutter but i don't use brand new cutters on mdf it blunts cutters to fast so i use old ones that are almost worn out.

[bushwakka]

If your material is lifting off the spoilboard then you will likely break cutters.
Also as you are cutting them free, the movement of the material and the vibration is also prone to breaking small cutters.
I don't have much success on large sheet material 3mm or less, and generally refuse to cut it, unless it is a small piece and I can screw it down lots.

Paul

[txcncman]

When possible on fibrous materials, use conventional cutting instead of climb cutting. Also when possible, rough with a larger tool leaving a minimum for clean up with the smaller tool.

[shearder]

If your material is lifting off the spoilboard then you will likely break cutters.
Also as you are cutting them free, the movement of the material and the vibration is also prone to breaking small cutters.
I don't have much success on large sheet material 3mm or less, and generally refuse to cut it, unless it is a small piece and I can screw it down lots.

Paul

I hear what you are saying. I have had no issues other than this now. It is screwed down along the edges but this is obviously not enough. Its like cutting a bed sheet lol

Thanks for your response :thumbup:

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[shearder]

When possible on fibrous materials, use conventional cutting instead of climb cutting. Also when possible, rough with a larger tool leaving a minimum for clean up with the smaller tool.

Thanks for those tips. I'll try that as soon as I get my new end mills :thumbup:

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[shearder]

Hi All

I haven't attempted the doll house again in 3mm MDF as i have been busy with other things. However, I haven't found any 1.5mm downcut/lhf mills that i can use BUT i did find 1.5mm straight cut. Will that suffice? I don't want to screw up more MDF testing but rather, if these are not good enough, then I need to try find 1.5mm end mills for the job.

Thanks.

[misterbusiness]

you know,even if I'm only doing one run at something,I try to make a fixture or specific sacrificial spoilboard for it.It's so hard to clamp some materials,especially those that lift,on just t slots or the threaded grid I build for my mill.
I actually plan on making a vacuum table fixture that i can lay some sort of cheap foam or similiar spoilboard on.
If all else fails,just adjust the cuts so you dont break through on key points,and pop them out/clean by hand afterward.mdf is super easy to cut with a knife and put a nice finish on with sandpaper or a rotary.

[shearder]

I bought some straight flute engraver which is more like an end mill so I'll try that and pass 1mm or 0.75mm at a pass and see if that works out

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[shearder]

Ok long time but I ha a breakthrough. I used sone 3mm mdf to make some panels and I used straight flute end mills. MAN what an awesome finish. No lifting and edges smooth and clean.

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[assadi]

Ok long time but I ha a breakthrough. I used sone 3mm mdf to make some panels and I used straight flute end mills. MAN what an awesome finish. No lifting and edges smooth and clean.

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Hello,
I also have the same problems with the small bits, I'm trying to make doll house for my niece, I already broke 2 1/8" bits,
I will appreciate your help if you can tell me where you bought the straight bits and which parameters you used !
When I create the toolpath on aspire (2 passes for 3mm MDF sheet) the estimated time for cutting the dollhouse (plans from makecnc) is something like 1 hour !!! My question is that normal that just cutting the parts for making dollhouse take too much time ?!
Thanks