"Doug White" wrote in message
...
I have a technique question about milling. Lets say I'm machining a
rectangular pocket, or just an inside corner of an "L" in something. I'm
coming along one wall, using conventional milling. When I get to the
corner and touch the next wall, the end mill will want to flex sideways
and dig in a little bit into the wall I just finished. This produces a
small 'snipe' (a woodworking term, not sure if there is a metalworking
specific equivalent) which looks a little fugly. I'm not sure if using
climb milling will help or hurt. I think you just end up with a snipe
in the next wall instead of the one you just finished. I have a small
Clausing mill, which isn't the most rigid thing on the planet, and
probably makes matters worse. I need to do something in stainless, and
cosmetics are important. The stainless makes taking light cuts
difficult, and the cosmetic issue means I really don't want a divot in
the corner.

Any suggestions or tricks?

Thanks!

Doug White

You can minimize the problem by "sneaking up" on the final dimensions. Cut
a little under (maybe 0.010 or so) and then take a final cut to take that
last ten thou... Or, as an old machine shop instructor put it, "On the last
cut, make Brillo..."

Jerry