Zack

I have used a milling machine for several years, but not often enough to remember all the do's and don't.

I would recomend purchasing a good machineing book with recomended procedures, for different cutters, and speed of use.

The good books aren't cheap, but they have a wealth of information that will save you time and cutters.

Russell

Which types of tools do you use most, and which styles within that type?

I assume you mean the machine? I have two milling machines (a "benchtop" and a floor model), and a small lathe. The floor model milling machine gets the most use out of those. It's most used operation is to create parts/things for other machines in the shop(s). My personal view on milling machines is that you can do little work on a large milling machine....but you can't do big work/pieces on a small milling machine. The Benchtop mill in my finish shop is used mostly for slotting guards, and "piddly" jobs.

What operations do you use each tool for (e.g. cutting transverse ladder grooves with a ball end mill)?

The mill is used a lot for "face milling" billets both during building Mosaics, and sometimes for final finish before sending out billets to other makers. I also use it when I build forging hammers, drilling out the "eyes" before drifting. Those are just a couple of things.....the list is endless of what can be done.

Are your tools HSS, Carbide, etc.?

For "soft" materials (such as guard stock), HSS (4 flute) You can catch them on sale all the time through Enco....they do the job well, and are less expensive. Most other jobs are done with either Cobalt, or carbide insert tooling.

How many flutes do you prefer on your end mills for the cutting of different materials?

I generally use 4 flute, but in some situations with softer materials I do use 2 flute. How long a cutter lasts, and how well it does it's job is all about "speed and feed" rates. When it comes to carbide insert tooling, my opinion is the more inserts the better....especially when it comes to "Face Mills".

I think you'll find a lot of different opinions....each based on experience. I had a mill sitting on the bench for five years (I'd traded a lathe for it) and never used it....because I had no idea how. Tom Ferry was in my shop, and the mill was sitting there with an inch of dust on it. He asked why I didn't use my mill, and my response was "don't know how". A couple of hours later he had shown me what I needed to know, and I've been using mills every since! (The moral there is to see if you can visit someone who has the tool(s) and knows how to use them....you can learn more in an hour then you would stumbling on your own in a year!) <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Russel, Ed, thanks for the reply.

Ed, what I actually meant by "what type of tool" was not which type of machine--I meant end mills vs. face mills vs. cutters, etc.

As to spending some time with somebody who can teach me, I've already got that covered. First, the guy who I'm buying the machine from (a retired professional machinist) has offered to spend a few days with me running me through it all. Second, I just met a really fantastic wood turner and machinist who I'm going to spend some time with. As luck would have it, he lives in the same town as me, and apart from his craft, his second passion is finding old machines and restoring them (so, cutting gears, turning parts, etc.) Imagine that.

Zack

|quoted:

Russel, Ed, thanks for the reply.

Ed, what I actually meant by "what type of tool" was not which type of machine--I meant end mills vs. face mills vs. cutters, etc.

As to spending some time with somebody who can teach me, I've already got that covered. First, the guy who I'm buying the machine from (a retired professional machinist) has offered to spend a few days with me running me through it all. Second, I just met a really fantastic wood turner and machinist who I'm going to spend some time with. As luck would have it, he lives in the same town as me, and apart from his craft, his second passion is finding old machines and restoring them (so, cutting gears, turning parts, etc.) Imagine that.

Zack

Zack, First of all get a machinist handbook, second, get a basic guide to machining. Then an MSC catalog. Then, get some aluminum and play with the machine, try brass, next, try cold roll next, then go to stainless,start with 304 and work up to 316L. Smoke is your enemy.

The game is SPEED AND FEED. The next thing is STABILITY, you need nothing to move, hence a good vice or hold down tooling. Level the machine and check the head for tracking. Put an indicator in the collet, not chuck go right, left on the longitudinal table (X) axis then the (Y) axis, in and out be sure and lock the up and down gib. Get your indicator, .001" gage is a good start, set it up in the collet so it traverses the width of the table, not the length, about 4-6" will do. Put the head in neutral, turn the indicator 360deg.

EWNS East West north south (4 Points) Adjust the head so that all readings are within .001. Watch your forehead looking at the indicator. Did I say to level the machine? do that first.

Now, tooling: it should have come with R8 collets, all things that go into the headstock are R8 and are secured by the drawbar on top of the headstock.

Generally, for slotting you should use a saw but not for guards unless they are "slide on" not "slide down".

2 flute or 4 flute? usually 2 on the softer stuff and 4 on the harder,slower stuff, but above all you want "center cutting" endmills if you are going to plunge cut otherwise you have to drill a hole first and work right and left from that. If you want to "Ladder Pattern like JD's video then Ball mills will work to radius the bottom of the cut. HS Tool steel is fine unless you are doing umpteen million pieces then you can consider TN coating or carbide. Carbide hates interrupted cuts and rough surfaces. If you want to face (flat surface) then think about a face mill or fly cutter (they come is sets of 3-4 and will cut from 1" to 5". Next, get an albrecht chuck, (hand tightening)with a 1/2"+ capacity on an R8 arbor which is for drilling only, not endmills.

If you want to talk, I don't do videos, but am willing to give advice,

All the best,

Al Boardman

Thanks Al!

That's good info, I may well take you up on that. We're lifting my Bridgeport off of its pallet and placing it in the shop today.

I don't think vibration's going to be much of an issue. The head runs perfectly true, there's no play in the table or handles, and my machine came with an AngleLock vise that weighs at least another hundred pounds on its own.

Anyway, thanks again. I may well get in touch if/when I have any questions.

Thanks,

Zack

Wow Zach, sounds like your shop is coming along at light speed. Have you posted photos anywhere? Sounds like you've made some amazing connections both locally and via the net.

Al's post sure sounded like a mouthful. A whole primer in a paragraph. Amazing!

Al

Thanks for the very useful advice.