Milling micarta?

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

Here's whats up, I'm working on a machinist vise as my project in my machining classes, and I'm making removable jaw inserts, I'm makin a steel set, a brass set, and I'd like to make an extra soft set, so I was thinkin I could use some natural micarta I have on hand, since I know it's a tough material, but it'd still be non marring compared to the steel and brass.

But my teacher is worried that the micarta will eat up the endmill, and neither of us really have any experience milling micarta. So I told him I'd ask some guys I know who have experience with it... And so here I am.


All I need to do is square the block and face it down to thickness, so not a lot heavy milling.

 

[Bob Katilus]

It cuts like butter with an end mill. Pretty soft stuff and easily machined.

 

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

Cool, my teacher was worried the fiberglass in it would abrade at the endmill, but he's never really done it before, so he didn't know.

Thanks!

 

[Bob Katilus]

He is probably confusing Micarta with G10, which is glass like. G10 is definitely more difficult the cut, but Micarta is a breeze.

 

[kc custom]

Bob is correct, I mill micarta to thickness fairly often and it mills great and so does
the cutter after- no noticeable dulling.
Ken.

 

[butcher_block]

yep micarta no problem and its nt that hard on the mills but G10 can dull one fairly fast