Question Max. tool diameter to mill oak (roughing pass) ?

Max. tool diameter to mill oak (roughing pass) ?

Hello,

I intend to buy a Stepcraft 420 with a Kress 800 spindle to mill small decorative oak panels.

For the roughing pass, what is the maximum straight cutter diameter I can expect to use ?

Can I foresee a 7mm slotting cutter (shank 6mm, www.sorotec.de/shop/Cutting-Tools/WOOD/slotting-cutter/Slotting-Cutter---7-0mm-S6.html ) for oak rough milling ?

Are the following cutting parameters adequate ?

pass depth : 1,5mm
stepover : 30 % (2,1mm for a 7mm dia. Tool)
spindle speed : 15000 rpm
feed rate : 25mm/sec
plunge rate : 10mm/sec

Do you think these parameters values are acceptable or not ?

Thank you very much to share your experience on this point.

Best regards,
Norbert

Hi Norbert.

I successfully removed 2.00 mm per pass at 2,000 mm/min (33 mm/s) on oak with a 4.00 mm diameter solid carbide four flute flat end mill at a spindle speed of 20,000 rpm recently so I would say that your parameters are acceptable, perhaps a little conservative.

Do some testing at higher speeds and greater depths to see what your system can easily accommodate.

Regards.

Doug

Thank you very much for your answer, Doug ; I will try with those values.

Best regards,
Norbert