Appreciation post: I was fighting chatter on a deep pocket in aluminum and tried a 3-flute end mill instead of 2

I mean, it cut the noise in half and the finish looked way better, maybe it's just me but has anyone else had luck with that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_eric25d ago

Honestly, that "cut the noise in half" part is exactly why I do it. More flutes spread the load out so it doesn't bang around as much in the cut. The finish is almost always better for me too, way less chatter marks. It's my go-to move for deep aluminum now. I pretty much only use two-flute for clearing out big open pockets anymore.

hayden13324d ago

Way less chatter marks" is where I have to push back hard. In my experience, more flutes can actually make chatter worse in deep slots because they don't clear chips out fast enough. The chips get packed in there and then you get real bad harmonics. A sharp two-flute with high pressure coolant blows everything out clean. That's how you get a good finish, not by adding more cutting edges to gum things up. I've ruined too many parts trusting that more flutes means smoother.

dakotas5416d ago

Check your chip load math, more flutes at the same feed rate means each flute is taking a smaller bite which can cause rubbing.