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IndustryArena Forum > Material Technology > Glass, Plastic and Stone > machining polycarbonate with a fixed-speed router - possible?
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    7

    machining polycarbonate with a fixed-speed router - possible?

    Hi,
    I have my home-brew CNC setup with fixed-speed router (yes, I realize this limits me... some day i'll upgrade to a fancy water-cooled vfd spindle )

    Anyway, I want to mill some 3/8" polycarbonate. Just a basic 2D cutout, no pocketing or drilling.
    Plan is to use either a 1/8" O-flute bit, or a 1/4" 2-flute low-helix bit.
    Router runs at 27000 rpm.

    Any recommendations for doing this without melting the crap out of it? So far the only ideas I have are a lot of compressed air for cooling/chip-clearing and some WD40.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538

    Re: machining polycarbonate with a fixed-speed router - possible?

    You need to use a single flute "O" flute, and cut with a high feedrate. at least 100ipm, maybe even 150-200ipm.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    7

    Re: machining polycarbonate with a fixed-speed router - possible?

    Thanks Gerry.
    Any recommendations on depth of cut for a 1/8" o-flute?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    7

    Re: machining polycarbonate with a fixed-speed router - possible?

    Happy to report that i was able to get it cutout without any gumup issues or broken bits.
    Air nozzle in one hand and can of wd40 in the other. Ugly messy, but it worked.

    Only downside was some bad chatter at times. Thankfully accuracy wasn't ultra critical, as this was just a base for a vacuum shroud.
    I think I might be able to reduce that by making a wider profile path. Or maybe with a lower feed(and speed)
    Of course that will have to wait until i have a spindle capable of that.

    In any event, no plans on cutting any more of this stuff with the current setup.

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