[naspc]

Just like the title says, looking to get a set of endmills to start milling soft metals and wood.

[mcardoso]

Depends on spindle speed.

If you are using a trim router or other high speed spindle then I'd start with plain router bits for wood.

If your spindle is slower <10000 rpm, and you are cutting aluminum, I'd start with 2 flute HSS endmills (try Shars tool co.), then graduate to 3 flute polished carbide endmills (ebay: YG alu-power)


Plan on crashing, plan on breaking endmills, plan on clogging flutes, plan on ruining your work. Learn while you do this and you will quickly get the hang of it.

[naspc]

Depends on spindle speed.

If you are using a trim router or other high speed spindle then I'd start with plain router bits for wood.

If your spindle is slower <10000 rpm, and you are cutting aluminum, I'd start with 2 flute HSS endmills (try Shars tool co.), then graduate to 3 flute polished carbide endmills (ebay: YG alu-power)


Plan on crashing, plan on breaking endmills, plan on clogging flutes, plan on ruining your work. Learn while you do this and you will quickly get the hang of it.

Hi Mcardoso, it looks like my spindle base rpm is 18000 and Max is 24000.
Should I be looking for endmills that rated for those rpms?
Also is there a kit of endmills you can recommend?

[mcardoso]

OK, sounds like you have a router spindle (or a watercooled one). Thats fine. Hardware store router bits and some soft wood would be a good place to start and practice.

ToolsToday.com has a nice selection of tools for higher speed spindles. The smaller the tool diameter the more speed it needs, hence why many stick to 1/8-1/4" tooling for these machines. Also the cutting forces are less, so you can get away with a less rigid setup. Carbide also prefers more speed than HSS.

I wouldn't send a fortune on cutters right now. get a few and practice. You should be able to run that spindle down to 8000 rpm or so with a VFD.

[naspc]

Once again thanks. I guess I looking to run before I learned how the machine ran.
Just one thing how did you determine that my spindle can run as low as 8000? Info on these things can be limited.

[mcardoso]

Once again thanks. I guess I looking to run before I learned how the machine ran.
Just one thing how did you determine that my spindle can run as low as 8000? Info on these things can be limited.

I made some broad assumptions that you were using a 3 phase HF watercooled spindle common on eBay (based on the 18k and 24k rpm ratings). Those are usually driven by a variable frequency drive (VFD) where the output frequency can be changed to increase or decrease speed. In a traditional V/Hz VFD, you get a 2:1 torque bandwidth meaning you get nearly full torque at 1/2 if the rated speed. You can go even slower but your torque drops off dramatically. Better drives can achieve 1000:1.

If you are using a trim router, there are speed controllers but it is a different technology and the above statement does not apply.

[naspc]

Your assumption is spot on. I have a 2.0KW tekno motor spindle running off a lenze smvector 2.4KW VFD.

[mcardoso]

OK, then it is just a matter of adjusting the output frequency of the VFD. Whether that be from the buttons/knobs on the front of the drive, or a pot, or an analog input, I can't tell you. Depends on how you have it set up. These motors don't have a ton of torque, so your max cutter diameter will be limited, but the high speed is great for smaller tools!

[naspc]

OK, then it is just a matter of adjusting the output frequency of the VFD. Whether that be from the buttons/knobs on the front of the drive, or a pot, or an analog input, I can't tell you. Depends on how you have it set up. These motors don't have a ton of torque, so your max cutter diameter will be limited, but the high speed is great for smaller tools!

So fly cutters are out of the question?
Any idea what is the max size tool I can use?
Are we talking about the" and under tools?

[ger21]

Buking a "set" of bits, is usually a waste of money, as you'll end up with bits you never use.
Buy bits individually, as you need them. Once you know what you use most often, then pick up some extras to have in stock.

You can probably run up to a 3" diameter tool in that spindle, but it depends on what you are doing. You don't want to spin large diameter tools too fast, and you'll be limited on how aggresive you can cut with them.

[naspc]

Hi Gerry, I am looking to do wood, aluminum other soft metals. maybe steel.

A 3" diameter tool sounds big.

Thanks for the advice.

[naspc]

How about collets? Should I get a set or just a few common sizes?

[mcardoso]

So fly cutters are out of the question?
Any idea what is the max size tool I can use?
Are we talking about the" and under tools?

I would say that a true fly cutter is out of the question. The torque required to take the cut would bog down or stall your spindle. I would say you would be limited to 3/8” and under tools with 1/4” being best. You can shove a 1/2” tool in an ER20 collet, but you need the machine rigidity to make it cut well.

For facing, I used to use a 3/4” flat trim router bit. It left mirror finishes on aluminum and can take the speed.

Rather than focusing on what a high speed spindle can’t do, try to take advantage of what they are designed for: high speed cutting with smaller tools.


As far as collets. Get a set 1/8”-1/2” by 1/8’s. That should cover you for most tools. If you get a set of metric ones you will be hard pressed to find anything you can’t hold. Don’t buy junk collets as the runout will destroy your tools.

[naspc]

I would say that a true fly cutter is out of the question. The torque required to take the cut would bog down or stall your spindle. I would say you would be limited to 3/8” and under tools with 1/4” being best. You can shove a 1/2” tool in an ER20 collet, but you need the machine rigidity to make it cut well.

For facing, I used to use a 3/4” flat trim router bit. It left mirror finishes on aluminum and can take the speed.

Rather than focusing on what a high speed spindle can’t do, try to take advantage of what they are designed for: high speed cutting with smaller tools.


As far as collets. Get a set 1/8”-1/2” by 1/8’s. That should cover you for most tools. If you get a set of metric ones you will be hard pressed to find anything you can’t hold. Don’t buy junk collets as the runout will destroy your tools.

I was thinking g or getting a set of collets from Maritools.

[naspc]

Is it OK to use Metric collets with standard sized end mills?

[CitizenOfDreams]

Is it OK to use Metric collets with standard sized end mills?

Look at the collets on Maritools website. The description for each collet contains the range of shank diameters it can grip.

For instance, a 6mm ER20 collet will NOT hold a 1/4" shank properly. Likewise, a 3mm collet will NOT hold a 1/8" tool. But a 1.5mm collet will work for a 3/64" shank.

[naspc]

Look at the collets on Maritools website. The description for each collet contains the range of shank diameters it can grip.

For instance, a 6mm ER20 collet will NOT hold a 1/4" shank properly. Likewise, a 3mm collet will NOT hold a 1/8" tool. But a 1.5mm collet will work for a 3/64" shank.

Ah I see now. Thanks Citizen!

[dharmic]

Something to bear in mind with the 3kW 24k rpm spindles is that, unless yours is very special, going slow is bad. Not just because the torque drops off, but because they're not designed to run under about 5000 rpm at all. Doing so for extended periods is liable to cook bearings or coils. So fly/face mills even running super light cuts aren't that great. I have used a 14mm x 4 flute end mill for facing work on mine but wouldn't go much bigger than that, especially on metal, the surface speed of the cutter even at 6000rpm just gets too high.

Collets - I bought a set of cheapies off flea bay or ali express. Runout isn't microns but it's still all within the ranges of the rest of the machine. I don't regret that forty bucks at all, and unlike mill sets, I've used every single collet. Some of them just for drills, sure, but it would have been a job stopper if they weren't in the drawer. You'll end up hammering your 3mm & 6mm, or 1/4" and 1/8", as that's what most of the tooling we use in these machines fits. I have a 7mm shaft on my touch probe, 8mm shaft on my go-to chamfering cutter and spot drill, 10mm on my dial gauge mount post, 12mm reduced shank on my 14mm "facemill" cutter too, so they all get used. Then, when I'm drilling holes, it's anything from 0.5mm to about 8mm. So they all get some love.

As far as the endmills themselves go, for aluminium I'm a fan of the two flute high HRC solid carbide cutters branded KLOT from ebay supplier danyazhan0 (store is klottool). Cheap, pretty decent life and I can run them hard. They're a lot more expensive than cheap HSS cutters but they go much faster (6mm two flute running 18000rpm and feed rates of 2500mm/min) and last longer. Don't get the coated ones, though - aluminium needs sharp edged tools and the coatings tend to round off the edge just a bit.

[naspc]

Got me some Metric collets from Maritools.