[cbcnc]

I have some projects in mind that I want to make out of brass.
Can it be cut on a tablesaw like aluminum? If so what kind of blade and lubrication would be the best?
Bandsaw? Chopsaw? Hacksaw?
If I was to mill out the shape on my CNC Router, what kind of milling cutters will work? Speeds, feeds, lubrication?
I know that this is kind of general but I've never really worked it before.

Thanks,
Chris

[HomeCNC]

You can cut non-ferious metal with your table saw. This means Aluminum, brass etc. Just use a carbide blade with about 60-80 teeth. Raise the blade all the way up so you are only cutting with the front of the blade and move slow. You don't need lubrication.

You can use a bandsaw, but it should be a metal cutting bandsaw because a wood cutting bandsaw moves to fast for a standard steel blade in the metal.

I would not use a chopsaw. Not because it could not work with a carbide blade, but because of the angle the blade will hit the metal. A chopsaw will be coming down with the full diameter of the blade hitting the metal. You want to limit the amount of teeth cutting the metal. This is why I raise the blade all the way up on a table saw.

Milling with a standard high speed mill or a carbide mill is fine. I have not used high RPM on metal because I use my milling machine for metal, and I have it set for 1800 RPM. I use a little spray of lub like WD-40 and it cuts great! If you plan to use a router for cutting brass then you will need to get info from someone else.

[cbcnc]

Thanks Jeff,

I'll just put a piece on the tablesaw and try it. I have cut alot of aluminum on it without a problem. I find that with alum you get a better cut if you use a lube stick to prevent buildup on the blade. I'm using a standard 60 tooth carbide finishing blade. Someday, maybe soon, I will spend the $60 for a metal cutting blade.
As far as my bandsaw goes I can slow it down to 700 rpm or 5400 fpm. Do you think that is too fast?
My router is a Porter Cable trim router and goes at 30,000 rpm. I do have a speed control for it. I also have 1/4" and 1/8", 2 and 4 flute milling cutters.
Part of my problem is I don't have that much material to make scrap out of. But, here goes.

Chris

[cbcnc]

I was just looking closer at the numbers on my bandsaw and they are in fpm. So the slowest I can go is 700 fpm.

C