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IndustryArena Forum > MetalWorking > MetalWork Discussion > milling supper thin material.
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
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    19

    Lightbulb milling supper thin material.

    I'm newbie. my Customer send me a mill job with the thickness of part is 0.004". instead giving me stock size 0.004" they send me material with thickness is 0.025" and ask me to face it mill to 0.004".
    I have no Idea how to machine this. any suggestions will help. thanks a lot

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    What material? What size?

    Depending on the material you may be able to glue it down to a flat surface and mill it, but the final thickness of 0.004'' is really thin and this won't be easy.

    It might be better to try to find the material in the proper thickness.
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    178

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    No quote.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    15362

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by longnho View Post
    I'm newbie. my Customer send me a mill job with the thickness of part is 0.004". instead giving me stock size 0.004" they send me material with thickness is 0.025" and ask me to face it mill to 0.004".
    I have no Idea how to machine this. any suggestions will help. thanks a lot
    What is the material they want machined, and how big are the parts
    Mactec54

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    What material? What size?

    Depending on the material you may be able to glue it down to a flat surface and mill it, but the final thickness of 0.004'' is really thin and this won't be easy.

    It might be better to try to find the material in the proper thickness.
    material is Aluminum 6061 - size 2.00"x3.00"x0.024"

    - - - Updated - - -

    the part is 2*3 (inchese)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    5717

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Here is a 6''x50'' roll of 0.004'' aluminum shim stock https://www.mcmaster.com/9708K54/
    Jim Dawson
    Sandy, Oregon, USA

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    15362

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by longnho View Post
    material is Aluminum 6061 - size 2.00"x3.00"x0.024"

    - - - Updated - - -

    the part is 2*3 (inchese)
    This company has the 6061 .004" shim stock https://www.spirolshims.com/aluminum.html
    Mactec54

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    thanks all.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    4252

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Your customer is an idiot.
    Buy some 4 thou shim stock from ebay and make the parts out of that.
    You may find it necessary to sandwich the 4 thou stuff between 2 or 3 mm Al plate if you want neat results, otherwise the edges will be badly torn.
    Failing that, laser cut or waterjet.

    Cheers
    Roger

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by RCaffin View Post
    Your customer is an idiot.
    Buy some 4 thou shim stock from ebay and make the parts out of that.
    You may find it necessary to sandwich the 4 thou stuff between 2 or 3 mm Al plate if you want neat results, otherwise the edges will be badly torn.
    Failing that, laser cut or waterjet.

    Cheers
    Roger
    I have no idea. they said material is Aluminum and sent me SS plate. I called back to confirm and they said part makes by SS.

    sandwich part with aluminum is a good option.
    thank you for suggestion.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    683

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by RCaffin View Post
    Your customer is an idiot.
    Buy some 4 thou shim stock from ebay and make the parts out of that.
    You may find it necessary to sandwich the 4 thou stuff between 2 or 3 mm Al plate if you want neat results, otherwise the edges will be badly torn.
    Failing that, laser cut or waterjet.

    Cheers
    Roger
    The customer is always right . If they want .024 faced down, charge accordingly. Let a 100 job become a 1000 job.

    However I think they will reconsider when presented with the option.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
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    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by warrenb View Post
    The customer is always right . If they want .024 faced down, charge accordingly. Let a 100 job become a 1000 job.

    However I think they will reconsider when presented with the option.
    you are right. customer never wrong. ))

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    683

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Holding down would be fun. How would I do that.....

    I would probably put a bit of lacquer or water based glue on a flat piece of spoil and press it down like one is gilding something, cut it, the soak it in a solvent to dissolve the glue.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    I'm thinking about using glue and hold it down the table with support from some screws. then use 1/8 endmill to slowly face it down to 0.004". ( bigger endmill will break the part)
    hope it works.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Posts
    4252

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    you are right. customer never wrong. ))
    Oh, not wrong - just a complete idiot.

    I would like to see the results of gluing the stuff down and facing it. My best guess is a shredded mess.

    I do machine shim down to about that thinness - but ONLY ever sandwiched.

    Cheers
    Roger

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Posts
    178

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    This keeps getting and better better
    You realize SS will be an absolute bear especially if it’s 3xx series. The whole thing about milling down .024 to .004 is whacked.
    You are in for bad times. Buy a roll of .004 SS shim stock as suggested, pay someone to laser cut to shape and pass the cost on. Your customer is an idiot or a 20 something newb engineer (cartoonist) don’t follow them down a rat hole.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Posts
    926

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    I made some aluminum shims for myself recently. I'd suggest bolting the thin aluminum you plan to face to a thicker (and already flat) piece of aluminum.

    Aluminum that thin will just bend out of shape if you try to hold it in a clamp or vacuum table.

    You'll have to use coolant and avoid high rpm to avoid melting it.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    4131

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    Here is a 6''x50'' roll of 0.004'' aluminum shim stock https://www.mcmaster.com/9708K54/
    nice idea
    Ladyhawke - My Delirium, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_bFO1SNRZg

  19. #19
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    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by Goemon View Post
    I made some aluminum shims for myself recently. I'd suggest bolting the thin aluminum you plan to face to a thicker (and already flat) piece of aluminum.

    Aluminum that thin will just bend out of shape if you try to hold it in a clamp or vacuum table.

    You'll have to use coolant and avoid high rpm to avoid melting it.
    thank you for suggestion.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Posts
    19

    Re: milling supper thin material.

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul-JB View Post
    This keeps getting and better better
    You realize SS will be an absolute bear especially if it’s 3xx series. The whole thing about milling down .024 to .004 is whacked.
    You are in for bad times. Buy a roll of .004 SS shim stock as suggested, pay someone to laser cut to shape and pass the cost on. Your customer is an idiot or a 20 something newb engineer (cartoonist) don’t follow them down a rat hole.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I told them about that but they still asked me use material they supplied. so face it to the thickness of the part is only one choice

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