Any help appreciated. I would just like to be able top cut a nice
smooth(ish) surface on a piece of metal (any colour or type will do!)
Thanks in advance

Can you make a decent cut on someone else's machine?

Is your tool dead center on height or just slightly below? It should be.

Are you cutting too fast? By this I mean spindle RPM. It should be figured with
the surface feet per minute formula for the material you are cutting and the
tool you are cutting with (HSS or carbide).

What are you cutting? Mild steel is hard to get a decent surface finish on. 4140
will give beautiful results. Aluminum needs a coolant like kerosene or WD-40.
The later will yield a mirror finish, if done right.


Ron Thompson
On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

http://www.plansandprojects.com
My hobby pages are he
http://www.plansandprojects.com/My%20Machines/

Severe stupidity is self correcting, but mild stupidity is rampant in the land.
-Ron Thompson