Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

Ignoramus31934 wrote:
Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

cut as fast as you can using lots of household bleach.

"Cydrome Leader" wrote in message
...
Ignoramus31934 wrote:
Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

cut as fast as you can using lots of household bleach.

First, Iggy; what did you do to make this jerk always add the wise a$$
comments to your queries?

I like WD-40 for brass cutting fluid. For a smooth finish on the end of an
endmill you have to hone the corners to get rid of swirl marks. If you're
cutting on the side of the EM, use climb milling. Turn the speed up pretty
good - how's that for an exact answer? Alos make sure that thin bar is
clamped as close to your vice as possible.

Karl

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...

"Cydrome Leader" wrote in message
...
Ignoramus31934 wrote:
Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

cut as fast as you can using lots of household bleach.

First, Iggy; what did you do to make this jerk always add the wise a$$
comments to your queries?

I like WD-40 for brass cutting fluid. For a smooth finish on the end of an
endmill you have to hone the corners to get rid of swirl marks. If you're
cutting on the side of the EM, use climb milling. Turn the speed up pretty
good - how's that for an exact answer? Alos make sure that thin bar is
clamped as close to your vice as possible.

Altho, I have noticed in diff. situations much smoother cuts with
conventional.
Weird, eh?

Also, 4 flute for the finish cut, slow feed.
The Q is: how lite is a finish cut? .001? .005? .010?
I have noticed that there is an "optimal bite" that varies with machine,
material.

You could always buff the end, as well.

Also, if you hold the piece off the side of the table in Z, you could face
mill the top, for a near-mirror finish, and then chamfer the edges, if nec.

--

Mr. PV'd

Mae West (yer fav Congressman) to the Gangster (yer fav Lobbyist):
Hey, Big Boy, is that a wad (of cash) in yer pocket, or are you just
glad to see me??








Karl

On 2009-06-16, Karl Townsend wrote:

"Cydrome Leader" wrote in message
...
Ignoramus31934 wrote:
Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

cut as fast as you can using lots of household bleach.

First, Iggy; what did you do to make this jerk always add the wise a$$
comments to your queries?

I did not do much.

I like WD-40 for brass cutting fluid. For a smooth finish on the end of an
endmill you have to hone the corners to get rid of swirl marks. If you're
cutting on the side of the EM, use climb milling. Turn the speed up pretty
good - how's that for an exact answer? Alos make sure that thin bar is
clamped as close to your vice as possible.

I will practice today a little on my own copper bars, I do think that
with the above steps, and a new endmill, it should work well.

i

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Ignoramus31934 wrote:
Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

cut as fast as you can using lots of household bleach.


Plonk. Left or Right, jerks are jerks. The question is on topic for this group. Global
filter set to kill.

Bye

Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

Ignoramus31934 wrote:

I will practice today a little on my own copper bars, I do think that
with the above steps, and a new endmill, it should work well.

Copper, I've heard milk works. My mind goes yuck though.

Wes
--
"Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect
government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home
in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

I will practice today a little on my own copper bars, I do think that
with the above steps, and a new endmill, it should work well.

Yuck. Copper is gummy, brass cuts like a dream.

Use a new endmill (no dings), 200 sfm, clamp it close to the vice.
http://www.endmill.com/pages/trainin...nd%20Mills.pdf

On 2009-06-16, Wes wrote:
Ignoramus31934 wrote:

I will practice today a little on my own copper bars, I do think that
with the above steps, and a new endmill, it should work well.

Copper, I've heard milk works. My mind goes yuck though.

I would rather try WD-40 first.

A little followup. I tried milling 360 brass. I picked a brand new
carbide endmill for this. I milled and polished one end, and milled
another without subsequent polishing.

I did this at high RPM, 3,000 or so, with a 3/8" end mill.

The result is very decent. What I learned is that after a thin cut,
0.01 inch or so, it is good to make a couple extra passes without
changing positions of anything. This way, the endmill removes
remainders that were not milled off on the first pass. Even the
unpolished surface has a very decent visual appearance and smoothness
of surface.

Make sure you try both climb and conventional milling. A conventional
mill cut followed by backtracking over the same cut in climb mode will
often yield a great finish.

Ignoramus31934 wrote:
A little followup. I tried milling 360 brass. I picked a brand new
carbide endmill for this. I milled and polished one end, and milled
another without subsequent polishing.

I did this at high RPM, 3,000 or so, with a 3/8" end mill.

The result is very decent. What I learned is that after a thin cut,
0.01 inch or so, it is good to make a couple extra passes without
changing positions of anything. This way, the endmill removes
remainders that were not milled off on the first pass. Even the
unpolished surface has a very decent visual appearance and smoothness
of surface.

On 2009-06-17, RoyJ wrote:
Make sure you try both climb and conventional milling. A conventional
mill cut followed by backtracking over the same cut in climb mode will
often yield a great finish.

That's what I ended up doing, to great results.

i

Ignoramus31934 wrote:
A little followup. I tried milling 360 brass. I picked a brand new
carbide endmill for this. I milled and polished one end, and milled
another without subsequent polishing.

I did this at high RPM, 3,000 or so, with a 3/8" end mill.

The result is very decent. What I learned is that after a thin cut,
0.01 inch or so, it is good to make a couple extra passes without
changing positions of anything. This way, the endmill removes
remainders that were not milled off on the first pass. Even the
unpolished surface has a very decent visual appearance and smoothness
of surface.

On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:15:29 -0500, Ignoramus31934
wrote:

Someone at works wants me to mill a end of a rectangular brass bar,
about 3/16x1 in cross section.

This is a one time deal and I can go slowly, or fast etc.

So, on a Bridgeport, what sort of cutter/feed/cutting fluid
combination would give the smoothest, best finish. Thanks

i

Just use a nice sharp endmill, either for end milling or edge-milling.
That'll get it square and to within a thou or so of dimension if that
matters. With light cuts on brass, you can go about as fast as the
B'Port will spin. I wouldn't bother with cutting fluid.

Then a few licks with a sharp, clean, single-cut smooth file will
give a very nice finish. Lay the file on a bench and wipe the
workpiece on it so you can keep it square and true. Brass responds
very quickly to a file. If you don't have such a file, you should.
Get single-cut *******, second-cut and smooth files from Enco, MSC,
McMaster, whatever. They're inexpensive and very handy.

From there, 20 seconds at the buffer will make it a mirror finish if
that's desired.

On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:51:13 -0500, Ignoramus31934
wrote:

A little followup. I tried milling 360 brass. I picked a brand new
carbide endmill for this. I milled and polished one end, and milled
another without subsequent polishing.

I did this at high RPM, 3,000 or so, with a 3/8" end mill.

The result is very decent. What I learned is that after a thin cut,
0.01 inch or so, it is good to make a couple extra passes without
changing positions of anything. This way, the endmill removes
remainders that were not milled off on the first pass. Even the
unpolished surface has a very decent visual appearance and smoothness
of surface.

Try a new HSS endmill, see what you think about that vs carbide for
milling brass.

On 2009-06-17, Don Foreman wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:51:13 -0500, Ignoramus31934
wrote:

A little followup. I tried milling 360 brass. I picked a brand new
carbide endmill for this. I milled and polished one end, and milled
another without subsequent polishing.

I did this at high RPM, 3,000 or so, with a 3/8" end mill.

The result is very decent. What I learned is that after a thin cut,
0.01 inch or so, it is good to make a couple extra passes without
changing positions of anything. This way, the endmill removes
remainders that were not milled off on the first pass. Even the
unpolished surface has a very decent visual appearance and smoothness
of surface.

Try a new HSS endmill, see what you think about that vs carbide for
milling brass.


I have very few HSS endmills, but I will try.

i

On 2009-06-16, Ignoramus31934 wrote:
On 2009-06-16, Wes wrote:
Ignoramus31934 wrote:

I will practice today a little on my own copper bars, I do think that
with the above steps, and a new endmill, it should work well.

Copper, I've heard milk works. My mind goes yuck though.

I would rather try WD-40 first.

Milk for copper.

WD-40 for aluminum.

I usually turn and mill brass dry.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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