Spindle speeds question

SBranson

SBranson

Joined
Oct 29, 2006
Messages
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I recently picked up a Grizzly MiniMill used and am starting to have some fun with it.

Is there a good site with recommendations on spindle speeds for different materials?
I got the minimill because of the cost and for now I mostly need it for cutting slots in guard/spacer/ferrule type applications. I am using 416SS, copper, bronze, mild steel and wrought iron. I basically run the thing in the slow half and then turn the dial to about 500-800. I am doing light passes and pretty slow feed rate but I'm cranking by hand so I'm not sure how slow or fast I am going.
 
Curious myself as my mill just came in yesterday and after I finish cleaning/setting it up would love to play/practice some!
 
Mike Quesenberry said:
If your using carbide end mills, crank that baby up. Carbide likes high speed.
Click to expand...

I agree. When I researched this, the charts I found listed a SFM speed instead of spindle speed but there was a conversion formula. When I did the math for the conversion to spindle speeds for the materials we work with, the top speed recommended was considerably higher than the top speed on most of our smaller mills.

So like Mike said, mine is on the fastest speed and pretty much stays there.
 
Thanks,, I have HSS bits but will likely get some carbide ones.
Not sure what I can do with this mill but it sure makes cutting the slots in guards a whole lot easier.

:o:confused:So I was over on the shoptalk wondering what happened to my thread... I figured I forgot to hit the "submit" button..Ha:p:p Didn't mean to post it here.
 
Stuart,
Mike is right here, in general. Get good carbide millends from North America and save your self a lot of head ace and they will be WAY cheaper in the end. Be very careful with them it is very easy to chip the cutting edges. Also if you are going to work with synthetics get yourself a set of separate ends...I have ones I mark CF. Carbon Fiber, G10, even micarta dulls ends fast even carbide. You can run speed up high but depends a lot on how well you are clamped up, how careful your feed rate is, if your mill is permenantly secured well, how big it is, how tight your table is and so on. On a pacticle level figure out the most efficient speed using the calculator below then if you are unsure start out at half that rate and test if you cutting smooth with little vibration you are good, speed it up until you reach the ideal. If you have question feel free to give me a shout I am no expert but I have been running mine for a year now. Guards should be a snap with some practice.

Mill speed calculator: http://www.custompartnet.com/calculator/milling-speed-and-feed

Best,
Eric
 
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