Thanks for the Tips, I've printed out your message for reference!

Clark Magnuson wrote in message ...
I have a mill, and know a couple guys who operate mills for a living.
They come over and show me how to do it.
If I mill something 6" long and get a .010" variation in thickness
copying the way they did it and got .001", it is frustrating.

So I have some cheat code:
1) run the machine fast for Aluminum and let is scream.
2) spray coolant, not cutting oil when cutting steel, and watch out for
rust under the vice. If you get cutting oil thrown on you, you will
stink and look very dirty.
3) Don't hammer and tighten like the pro's to get the work down in the
vice on the parallel bars, use the quill to push down while tightening
the vice, and the cut will be more accurate.
4) Get a small vice to put in the vice so you don't have to move the big
vice when it is all dialed in.
5) There is standard cutting and there is climb cutting. Climb cutting
could make a nicer finish, but most likely will make the machine shake
on a deep cut.
6) Don't trust a drill will start a hole where you want it to. Use a
short drill to start the hole.
7) Allot of cutting is like mowing the lawn and requires little skill,
just time. I can make a pound an hour of steel chips.