Face Mill

[dwentz]

I am also looking for a good inexpensive face mill that has a MT2 mount.
I have a Mini Mill as well as a Clausing 8520 which has the MT2 so I have standardized on on the MT2 vs the MT3 of the Mini Mill.
I would like to hear from anyone that has used a small face mill on machines these sizes and their experience.
I have flycutters but am not supper happy with them. Most of the time I just use a 3/4 inch endmill and the finish is not great. It I need a super good finish the part goes in the shaper, but it would be nice to have something nice for in the mill when the part is already in the vise are held to the table.

Dale

 

[Jasonb]

I have the Chronos/Glanze one you link to and use it in an X3, I would not want to go any larger so you may struggle with your X2. I mostly use it for Iron Castings where there is a risk of a hard spot or welded fabrications whioch again can be a bit hard and take the edge off a HSS flycutter.

Jason

 

[boxcarmj]

Hi! Have you seen page 15 of Engine Model Builder issue #24? This may do the job. MIKE.

 

[Goldigger]

Is that an old issue? if so where can i get a copy?

Thanks

 

[boxcarmj]

Not old it is the current issue, www.modelenginebuilder.com. This is a great magazine, it is for IC builders and machininst alike (I have them all) enjoy! MIKE.

 

[bob ward]

I bought one of these a while ago, cutter, 10 inserts and delivery about $60.
http://www.ctctools.biz/servlet/the-630/45-DEGREE-INDEXABLE-CHAMFER/Detail

Its really a chamfer mill but I use it as, and it works very well as, a face mill. At 2400RPM and a 1mm deep cut in mild steel, it removes steel effortlessly at maximum traverse speed.

 

[t_ottoboni]

I bought one of these a while ago, cutter, 10 inserts and delivery about $60.
http://www.ctctools.biz/servlet/the-630/45-DEGREE-INDEXABLE-CHAMFER/Detail

Its really a chamfer mill but I use it as, and it works very well as, a face mill. At 2400RPM and a 1mm deep cut in mild steel, it removes steel effortlessly at maximum traverse speed.

2400RPM? Isn`t that too much even for inserts on a 36mm facemill?

I have a 2 1/2" 4 TPK inserts facemill on my BF-20, and I run at 600-700RPM. I try to go easy on depth of cut: 0,5mm max and 0,1 finishing. I get great results everytime: the chips come out straw to blue colored and a mirror smooth surface.

 

[Blogwitch]

If you want to try out tipped tooling on your machine, and don't want to spend a fortune on it, then buy yourself a Little Hogger set.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/s...ARCH&SS=little+hogger&ACTION=Search&TB=A&GB=A

These items are available from US retailers, and I have been using them for many years with no problems. Maybe not up to best standards, but they will most probably be plenty good enough for you for normal work.

Bogs

 

[milotrain]

You could easily make a face mill like this:
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=4719.0

Or style one off this flycutter:
http://66.163.168.225/babelfish/tra...e3.nifty.com/rockhill/furaisu-17.htm&.intl=us

You could also make a face mill like this:

This one is made in a shell style, but it doesn't have to be:

Lastly Shars tools 404-1867 is a 2" face mill that takes a 3/4" arbor, costs $75.99 and uses APKT inserts with positive rake. That's pretty close to perfect. The FM90 on glacern's website is a 2.5" for $99 and is a bit better and made in the states, which is why I think it's worth the extra $25, but I'll grant that $25 is another made in the US small carbide endmill.

 

[picclock]

@ Dwentz

>> I have flycutters but am not supper happy with them.

Have to ask why. I bought my first (and only) one super cheap to find that the MT2 taper 'wobbled' and the tool did not cut on the centre of rotation. Complained and was told to keep the tool and got credited. So I figured I'd have a go at sorting it. Taper was easy to fix, though how you can get it that wrong I've no idea. Milling the cutter head to get the correct cut position/vertical angle and to take thicker tools was hard but with a carbide endmill the job was done.

Ground up an HSS tool as in John Bogs crap O cad, and although it worked well it went blunt very quickly - probably OK on soft metals. From Lathe experience I've found that HSS steels vary - I suspect its the cobalt percentage - so it may be that the HSS steel I used was not that great either. Then, just for fun, I tried it with an indexable insert tool (from Glanze - DCMT insert) and it turned into a star. Amazing mirror finish on some chunk of mystery steel, and you can push the depth of cut until the mill complains.

I use it a lot now for getting those really good finishes, and have recently purchased a profiling index tool (round insert) for getting best possible finish on some surfaces which need to be very flat to form a seal.

Downside is it chucks metal shavings all over the place so its a cleanup job every time its used.

It may be that your flycutters need the accuracy treatment to get them performing properly. Only other things to make better are good tram on the mill and possibly power feed on the table.

In the hope this may help

Best Regards

picclock

 

[bob ward]

2400RPM? Isn`t that too much even for inserts on a 36mm facemill?

The cutting points are actually 24mm apart, at 2400RPM that is 600sfm, which is at the top end of the range. The inserts are tough, I've removed a lot of metal with the first pair of points and they are still going strong. I have another 19 pairs of tips to use up and for $60 that is a metal removal bargain.

Its great fun to use, purple chips flying over a 2 metre diameter, and interestingly the work piece remains at room temperature, it doesn't heat up at all.

 

[Goldigger]

Hi Picclock..
Which Glanze indexable face mill did you get?

Thanks

 

[SmoggyTurnip]

When someone talks about a 45 degree face mill what angle does the 45 degree refer to?

 

[t_ottoboni]

When someone talks about a 45 degree face mill what angle does the 45 degree refer to?

That`s a 45 degree face mill:

That`s a 90 degree face mill:

The angle refeer to the edge angle after cutting
Also, the 45 degree angle need less HP to cut, so it`s better in smaller machines.

 

[SmoggyTurnip]

Thanks for the pics. I have seen those before and I don't see any angle that looks like 45 degrees so that is why I am asking.

 

[milotrain]

These might help

 

[Goldigger]

Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced 45 degree face mill please?
Remember its for an SX2 so i dont want it costing as much as the mill ;D

 

[Paulsv]

Search the term face mill at the Shars website. They have 2 inch 45 degree face mills starting at under $80.

http://www.shars.com/product_categories/search/?search=Face+mill

 

[Paulsv]

I like this one:

http://www.shars.com/products/view/7865/2quot_45_degree_Face_Mill_SEHT_Insert

 

[Goldigger]

Had a look on the shars site, cant find any MT3 arbors
Other problem might be shipping costs for the US to uK..

Cheers