Excerpt from a buying guild on eBay...
The purpose of this guide is to help you with find the proper instructions for preforming safe machining operations helpful to all hobbyists! I was a machinist for 40 years and worked on many different types of machines and machined a large variety of materials.
It is important to use the correct tool for any machining operation and the with the right cutting edge for the material being machined.
. Wether you are a novice or experienced it can be dangerous if you use a tool sharpened for steel and attempt to machine brass or plastic. If you have not be taught to understand the potential danger!.
The work piece can be pulled right out of the chuck and you can be injured in the process. This also holds true for drilling operations in a drill press,milling on a mill or turning on a lathe.
Milling operations are usually a little more forgiving especially if your mill is solid and the drive feed screws are tight! But care should be taken when climb milling. ( A situation that is present when the cutting toool can climb over the work piece, causing the work piece to get caught under the advancing tool damaging the work piece or busting the tool, with tool fragments flying every where].
A good solid machine is needed for this type of milling operation, and the part held firmly. One also needs a good vise or clamping system as well. I would recomend finding a book that shows you the correct shape and cutting angles that one would need to use for the various materials you intend to machine.
Also a understanding of the cutting fluids that help keep the tool cool and cutting freely is useful. The turning speed of the tool for part being machined or the tool turning speed of the part in the lathe is very important for a quality result and will help in prolonging tool life. More Here
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