Breaking a few is conservatively saying I don't know what I am doing
with this machine yet. I don't have a manual and Roland no longer
supports this thing.

I fully expect that it will "overdrive" it's cutting capability at
least once. I don't want to be breaking $30 bits as a regular
circumstance.

I agree it's not a good plan, but during R&D I think it is to be
expected. After some familiarity with the machine I may invest in some
good bits, but not until I am reasonably confident.

JW

Jim Stewart wrote:
jw wrote:

Has anyone here used these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=34640

They appear to be endmills or at least some sort of sidecutting bit.
Is this true?

I would call HF, but I don't expect whomever answers the phone to know
much more than what is already listed on the website/catalog.

Background info: I have a small CNC mill (Roland CAMM3), that I have
FINALLY gotten around to proving actually works. Now that I have done
so, I would like to make some stuff with it. It is a benchtop
modeller, and is designed for small bits. I could buy the bits from
Roland but they want a lot of money. I don't expect that these are
going to be "top-end", but if they get the job done they would be cheap
enough to break a few.

I would like to do some cut PCBs and also cutting some shapes in
plastic sheet(see recent thread in relation to that).

"Breaking a few" is seldom a good plan. If you're
cutting G10, get an 1/8 diamond endmill from Mcmaster
and use it carefully. It will last a long time and
make a beautifully clean cut. It will be about $30
well spent.