Can you climb mill while facing off the top?

I was watching Tom Lipton take a full bite into thick steel using a 1/2" end mill about a half inch doc.
He made a comment, how nice these Niagara multiple fine pitch roughing end mills cut.
I couldn't do that and we have basically the same mill. I priced one that he was using. It was over $100, for one end mill!!
I guess it does depend on the cutting tool! Maybe I could do it but I'm never going to find out :)
 
Janderso said:
I was watching Tom Lipton take a full bite into thick steel using a 1/2" end mill about a half inch doc.
He made a comment, how nice these Niagara multiple fine pitch roughing end mills cut.
I couldn't do that and we have basically the same mill. I priced one that he was using. It was over $100, for one end mill!!
I guess it does depend on the cutting tool! Maybe I could do it but I'm never going to find out :)
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I've never seen any of Tom Lipton's videos, but I do have a number of Niagara roughing mills, and NO I didn't pay anywhere near $100.00 per unit. There are currently several listed on eBay in the $10.00 to $25.00 range. They do make short work of things, and can all but be buried in the workpiece and still cut with no chatter. Rather than chips they make a metal version of saw dust. More like what comes off the bandsaw blade.

You can remove a lot of material in a short time. The key is to stop using them when you're within .020" or so of the final dimension. They leave a finish similar to a saw, so you have to use a standard (finish) mill to get a quality surface finish.
 
I did invest in some fine pitch roughing end mills from Travers, you know what, they cut real good. For now. HSS is what it is.
 
Janderso said:
I did invest in some fine pitch roughing end mills from Travers, you know what, they cut real good. For now. HSS is what it is.
Click to expand...
.
I find I use HSS mills far more often than carbide. They hold up well at speeds manual machines generate, and are relatively inexpensive to replace and sharpen. There are several shops in our area that will sharpen them for between $5.00 and $10.00 a unit depending on size and whether or not they are chipped. They also give volume discounts when sharpening lots of 50 or more. I have a fairly large inventory, so I generally wait until I have more than 50 before I take them in for sharpening.

Sizes 1/4" and under are generally less expensive to replace than to have sharpened.
 
On my Bridgeport I like to stay with 1/2" a d smaller endmills because I think they better match the rigidity of the machine. Facing cuts with insert tooling is good. I like to go in the climb direction on facing to minimize the burr but like about 2/3 of the tool on the part.
 
Does anyone know the meaning of >>>> However, though Climb Milling is the preferred way to machine parts, there are times when Conventional Milling is the necessary milling style. One such example is if your machine does not counteract backlash.

Counteract backlash? Are there newer machines (like a CNC) that have a way of counteracting backlash to prevent pulling-damage during the cut?
 
Janderso said:
Does anyone know the meaning of >>>> However, though Climb Milling is the preferred way to machine parts, there are times when Conventional Milling is the necessary milling style. One such example is if your machine does not counteract backlash.

Counteract backlash? Are there newer machines (like a CNC) that have a way of counteracting backlash to prevent pulling-damage during the cut?
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Some higher end manual milling machines, and almost all CNC machines have an anti backlash system on both the X and Y axis. Essentially it's a set of springs incorporated in the leadscrew nut system to keep tension on the nut in both directions. On CNC machines they generally use ball screws. In this system the ball bearings are spring loaded against the screw.

Here' a link to a company that makes anti backlash leadscrews for a variety of industries;
WDG Anti-Backlash Nut | Lead Nuts | Haydon Kerk (haydonkerkpittman.com)

Here's a link to another forum discussing anti backlash systems. Posts 5 and 6 have pictures of these systems. I believe the first one is on a Cincinnati. The ones in post 6 are on a Cunliffe machine.
Anti-Backlash Mechanisms? (practicalmachinist.com)
 
Note that Joe Pie recommends climb cutting at times because it can reduce or eliminate the deburring afterward.
 
Pcmaker said:
I was using a 3/4" 2-flute endmill to take off .107 off the top of 3/4" rectangular steel and I noticed vibration on my 1500lb. knee mill when going from right to left. The endmill is taking off the entire top portion, there's no steel left on the side.
Click to expand...

I was reading through, "A treatise on milling machines", sponsored by the Cincinnati Milling Machine Co.
Thinking about the old massive, heavy cast iron milling machines, surface grinders, lathes etc.
I found this statement I'll share here.

"""" It is impossible to eliminate
all vibrations from even the very best types of machine construction,
but they may be reduced to a minimum, or, in other words, to
a point where they will not affect the accuracy of the work, if every
part is so constructed that it is capable of resisting heavy stresses, and
absorbing vibrations. Weight and well-proportioned construction are
most necessary to overcome vibrations.""""

Thinking of my surface grinder, It's on three points and has a massive, heavy cast iron construction. The 6x18 table is going back and forth automatically with no discernable vibration or movement in the casting. The table must weigh over 100 pounds.
Think of that, 100 pounds with no vibration/movement.

One of the complaints on the lighter imports is they are just that, lighter. It has to affect the performance relating to depth of cuts and how much you attempt to take off in a given pass.
Sorry for blathering, I find this subject interesting.
 
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