2 or 4 flute will depoend on the type of cut to some extent. 2-flute is better suited to cutting a slot where there is metal on both sides of the cutter, a 4-flute is better when cutting from the side. Same applies for all the materials you list. The bronze and brass will benifit more from a sharp cutter

If you are going out to buy some cutters then a good start would be some 3-flute "FC-3" type cutters which wil do for most things to start with.

Speed will vary depending not only on dia but also depth of cut and material, I'm of the suck it and see school rather than working it out, you will soon get to know what sounds right on your machine and what does not.

Mike

Some of these are a good range to start

**LINK**

Hi Nick,

much good advice offered, if you want a couple of books to read I would suggest two books from the Workshop Practice Series :

Vertical Milling in the Home Workshop (#2, by A. Throp) and

Milling A Complete Course (#35, By H. Hall)

Thor

I shall be following this thread with great interest Nick – as what I know about milling is significantly less than you proclaim to know
Thank you for asking the questions.
Do please let us know how you get on, when your mill arrives.

Edited By Jack Foreman 1 on 14/10/2014 15:13:24

As an Apprentice back in the late 50s, we were given charts quoting cutting speeds for Milling , and feed rates (in terms of feed per tooth). These referred to Industrial machines, such as Cincinnati mils. the lightest machine that we had in the Training School was a Theil Universal. (Wish that i had it now!).

All the rates quoted are depending upon hardness, slower for harder materials, obviously.

AND UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS (Machine power, rigidity, Clamping security, sharp cutters)

The charts indicated that Carbide Tipped tools could be run about 3 times as fast, as HSS/Tool Steel.

It quotes CAST IRON, 55 -70 ft/min Roughing, 65 – 110 Finishing

STEEL , 35 -70 Ft/min Roughing, 50 – 100 ft/min Finishing

BRASS, 150 – 300 ft/min Roughing, 200 -700 ft/min Finishing

BRONZE 100- 125 Roughing, 150 – 180 ft/min

Feed Rates in Feed/Tooth (INCHES)

FACE MILLS

Cast Iron 0.013 -0.018; Steel 0.004 -0.012, Brass and Bronze 0.008 -0.022

SLOTTING DRILLS

0.008-0.013. Steel 0.010-0.003, Brass and Bronze 0.008-0.03

END MILLS

Cast Iron 0.008-0.006, Steel 0.002-0.008, Brass and Bronze 0.005-0.011

SAWS

Cast Iron 0.003-0.004, Steel 0.001-0.003, Brass and Bronze 0.002-0.005

Calculate feed by multiplying No.of Teeth by Spindle RPM .

Then use the nearest that the machine can provide, (try hand feeding at start of cut, certainly the first) if blessed with power feed.

If, like my machine, the feed is "mandraulic" you have to try to match your hand speed to the above!

And, of course, in all cases, watch and listen to the machine. If it struggles/objects/chatters, then slow down!

I NEVER use a key with Slitting Saws. It it jams, no damage is done, just stop, back out and go in again more gently. (I did break a 0.020 saw, to my shame, on a machine with a 3/4 hp single phase motor, this is the only damage so far.) Forcing a thin slitting saw will cause it to flex and wander, even if it does not jam.

Lubricant does help, both cutting and the surface finish.

Hope that this will be of some help.

Howard

When milling for the first time I would not recommend climb milling as unless there is very little to no backlash in the slides then the tool will grab, I only use climb milling on light finishing cuts.