Face Milling a blank

[colu41]

So hopefully if all goes well I will be getting a mini mill for some small tasks.
Since my main use will be for guard slots and possibly some simple profiling, (a lot of non related knife projects I will be doing also), I was wondering about face milling? Or surface milling. So since I don't like paying to have the scale removed from my stainless, for those of you who mill, how do you go about doing this?
Do you just mill the bar stock, or do you do each blank after they are profiled. I'm purchasing a set of 10 parallels along with the mill vise, but I just don't see having the perfect set for each different thickness stock. Any tips would great.

 

[Kevin Powers]

I have a mill but use my disc and belt grinder for this task. I just don't have a flycutter or face mill

 

[colu41]

I'm currently doing the same but (without a disc grinder), if the mill can do the job properly, it would definitely be worth it. What would be better for this application, a flycutter or an indexable end mill?
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1952 indexable end mill
http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=3094&category= fly cutter

 

[Kevin Powers]

That's a question for Nathan not I. I highly recommend that you get a disc. I use mine probably more than my belt, as I have heard from many many great knifemakers.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

You can deck materials on a mill

I run a facemill with a single insert, which is slow, but avoids issues with mismatched insert height. You want to rough with a good sharp insert and finish with an even sharper insert, otherwise you'll smear the surface and setup a bow. For this reason it might not be the best approach for many folks.

A heavy mill gives better results.

 

[colu41]

That's a question for Nathan not I. I highly recommend that you get a disc. I use mine probably more than my belt, as I have heard from many many great knifemakers.

Thanks. I will eventually get a decent disc grinder as they are in my opinion the best way to square up bolsters and handle materials rather than trying it on the grinder. I was thinking this morning of talking to Nathan, I'll shoot him a message.

 

[colu41]

You can deck materials on a mill

I run a facemill with a single insert, which is slow, but avoids issues with mismatched insert height. You want to rough with a good sharp insert and finish with an even sharper insert, otherwise you'll smear the surface and setup a bow. For this reason it might not be the best approach for many folks.

A heavy mill gives better results.

Thanks Nathan. I understand the mill in which I am getting, (and can afford) is not the most powerful. But I've seen multiple videos of this mill doing much rougher work than I plan on ever doing.

So this fly cutter set has only the one cutter, but would the end mill with only one insert work better? I'm just trying to figure everything out before I purchase this week. I don't understand how the fly cutters on here are so cheap. I understand having to grind the cutters yourself but still.

 

[Busto]

The Fly Cutters come in different diameters to allow more reach on wide material. Fly cutter sets are cheap its the Carbide tool bits that get in your pocket. As Nathan pointed out it will require more than one bit to get a fine surface finish. You need to determine if your mill is "Right or Left" hand cutting to purchase the correct bits. Here is a link to Carbide bits.... remember they are disposable pitch them when you see a problem or you will ruin your material. http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=159&PMCTLG=00

Mike