I'm planning to purchase an indexable end mill for use in my Seig SX2 mini mill. Seems to me at some time in the past I read that the SX2 can only handle a relatively small diameter end mill. Is there someone out there that can fill me in on the largest diameter they've had success with. Thank you.
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Indexable End Mills
- Thread starter oldesalt
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2014
- Messages
- 257
My old X2 would struggle with anything over 1/2" end mills cutting steel. Never used index-able ones though. If you do go that route make sure you get positive rake inserts
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2017
- Messages
- 2,390
I own and use a 1.25" carbide insert EM on my SX2. It produces a very nice finish on aluminum. Depending on the alloy, It can struggle a bit with steel -- it cuts, but the rest of the mill flexes under the load and produces a poor finish on everything except free machining stuff like 1018. I only take .01" deep cuts at the most when I'm machining steel at full width.
YMMV in this regard. I stiffened up the column with a 1/2" steel plate, replacing the belleville washer as a part of that little project.
YMMV in this regard. I stiffened up the column with a 1/2" steel plate, replacing the belleville washer as a part of that little project.
Your post is very encouraging. I may try a 1" diameter EM for use on aluminum and stick to my 1/2" diameter for steel. Not being much into texting acronyms, I had to Google YMMV. That's a good one. Thanks for responding. Happy New Year.
I graduated from a four year technical high school program as a machinist back in 1960. I went into engineering after just two years of working in the trade. Over the years, I have forgotten so much of what I learned in school, not to mention today's machining technology which I was never exposed to. Being retired, I bought a mini lathe and a mini mill to rekindle my enjoyment of metal working. I'll be visiting this forum frequently to "catch up". Thanks for that useful tip on free machining steel.
I graduated from a four year technical high school program as a machinist back in 1960. I went into engineering after just two years of working in the trade. Over the years, I have forgotten so much of what I learned in school, not to mention today's machining technology which I was never exposed to. Being retired, I bought a mini lathe and a mini mill to rekindle my enjoyment of metal working. I'll be visiting this forum frequently to "catch up". Thanks for that useful tip on free machining steel.