Milling machine tutorial - cutter selection, speeds and feeds, coolant, high speed machining

I discuss the basics of selecting the right cutter for the job, choosing feeds and speeds, and general setup and planning of CNC milling machine cuts.

[@ZomB1986]

7 years ago and I almost don't notice a difference in your way of narration. Unlike some others where you can really see the progress they've made in 7 years, you've been top quality for at least this long. Keep it up.

[@PAINTuRED]

"the moon might be in the wrong phase"...I love that quip!!!!

[@christianlewis7055]

Your videos are just wonderful, they're always so easy to follow. You talk in a consistent but not boring way, you're not too flamboyant and distracting. Just clear, helpful information.

[@mrracer98]

Best Speeds and feeds video I have found to date. Thank you!

[@pf0xx]

A CNC Lathe and CM programmer here. Great video. Very informative and technically correct.

[@tonythomas951]

Very nice. You were able to help an old electrician learn about machining in an easy to understand way.

[@ggattsr]

Amazing. The extent of your knowledge seems limitless. But whats even better is your ability explain things in concise, easy to understand terms. Thanks for sharing.

[@JShel14]

So much pure and logically flowing information. Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge.

[@EddieVanHalen1977]

This video tells me, a complete newbie to machining, exactly the main things I would need to know if I were to try to do some milling. This is the best video I have seen on that for getting started. It is long but never gets boring, and there are just a lot of things to know about this, and if you don't really no much at all about it, this video cuts to the heart of what you would need to know to get started. It talks about the feel, speed, and vibration of cutting, tool flex. Awesome! 5 stars

[@helicrashproprocrasher2367]

ZrN coatings on endmills are specifically for aluminum and not for ware resistance or strength but is for friction (low coefficient of friction). Aluminum tends to "weld" itself to cutters and causes lots of problems and the ZrN coating stops the aluminum from bonding to the cutter. Aluminum cutting endmills coated with ZrN are great. The geometry of aluminum specific cutters is different as well but another topic. If you cut a lot of aluminum, try an aluminum specific cutter coated with ZrN and you will love it. I'm a big fan of Lakeshore Carbide aluminum ZrN coated cutters.

[@ChrisGammell]

Ben was instrumental in my learning about machining, simply from his helpful KZbin comments. Glad he's doing this as a video. Thanks Ben!

[@EddieVanHalen1977]

The best thing about your videos is that your start with a perspective and context, and purpose, and reason. In most videos from other people, the guy just starts talking about some minute detail he was working on and gives you no context or perspective at all. It is like they are so down in it, they can't rise above it so you can see a perspective of what we are talking about, and why, and what you need to know, and the gotchas and tricks involved. Maybe a make a video on how to make a video?

[@tannersword1]

Very informational video, thanks for posting! Seeing this video and your other videos, it makes me glad you're posting all of your work. I'm starting a small machine shop in order to have the capability to do all of the miscellaneous experiments and prototyping that I want to. It's cool to see others doing the same or similar thing.

[@suckmybat]

So much great information crammed into a half hour, and presented so lucidly. Thanks very much for your time and expertise.

[@reinhardtusa]

Excellent :-) Lots of useful info for a rookie machinist. Saved for reference

[@joegreen7766]

What a great video! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this!

[@koopsbullitt3874]

thanks, I buying my first CNC and this gave me lots of information and direction on research I need to get operating in a safe manner. I appreciate your time

[@RimstarOrg]

Thanks! That cleared up some things for me and highlighted some things I should do differently. Very helpful.

[@FretsNirvana]

Very very well done. Thank you. I have a manual RF-30 mill and this is still very helpful to me.

[@tnekkc]

I have owned mills and milled ~ once a week for 15 years. And I learned some things from this video.

[@seanmcmunn88]

This was a great tutorial and I cannot wait to share this with my greenhorn engineer colleagues

[@electricananda]

Great video! This was more informative, useful and understandable than two courses worth of Mechanical Engineering studies on milling that I've had.

[@xesior]

To communicate is one thing, but to exchange experience and knowledge through words is greatest feature of human-kind. I really appreciate these kind of video's. People really underestimate and under-appreciate the value of this kind of knowledge. If only people realize how much time, effort and money this knowledge must have cost Ben Krasnow. They would know... How valuable it really it.

[@michaelskoblin2315]

I use both HSS and carbide cutters in my CNC converted PM-30MV. I use the carbide for its rigidity more than anything else, and secondarily, they may not be as sharp as a new HSS tool, but use the HSS tool in wood, G-10, carbon fiber once, and it is no longer sharp. It will cut, but will not cut like new. The carbide tools stay sharp for a much longer period of time, as long as you don't chip them. I love your informative videos, keep em coming!

[@BM-jy6cb]

Ace. As alwaysl. One of the best KZbin channels out there.

[@glenrodgers5532]

Thank you I have been looking for the information you just gave me since I bought my mill lathe combo a year ago. I'm going to save your video to watch over again. Glen Rodgers

[@johnpaulcarter6770]

Fantastic video - perfect speed at just the right depth.

[@SeerSnively]

This was amazingly informative. I'd like to see more videos like this, instructions for using tools.

[@WinstonMakes]

This is better than 6 hours of classes at my school. Also, it makes me second guess pre-ordering the Shapeoko 2. Rigidity is not that device's middle name...

[@charlesthomas7970]

Great info and advice, especially the moon phase variable! I'll have to remember that one for work when something goes wrong

[@GuyFawkes911]

This is really an awesome tutoral I would love to see more of mill tutorials

[@MorRobots]

Ben this video sums up hours of machining knowledge so well!

[@johnk756]

In the video you mentioned not being able to get a right angle on a slot cut!due to the infinitely small radius issue. Me and a friend actually figured out a way to do this, and although definitely not SOP, it does work with most non exotic metals. We just used a drill mill bit held at an angle and raised the table slowly so our cut angle would come to a point and match with the radius of our end mill bit. It was quite tedious and required precise matching of the bit angle to our end mill radius but we managed. If you would like to know more feel free to comment or message back for details. Fantastic videos and I love your channel! Please keep these entertaining and highly informative videos coming!!!!!

[@jameshyatt9529]

Yes. Rigidity is everything!!! If the part moves or cutter howls, don't run it. I have used a peck routines (G83 G73) with end mills, center cutting only of course, many times, .005 from the finish bottom, then did the pocket, or an X/Z -Y/Z ramp into the part. Consider trying 3 fluter's for aluminum. Yes there a pain to mic but they are way more rigid and still clear the chip well. And how about 10000 RPM, 160 ipm, 1.750 x .500 Carbide, 3 flute ball end mill on T-6061. No joke. And we were doing that 30 years ago. And find a good T&C grinder. Totally worth it. Thanks again Ben.

[@Lance14352]

Thank you very much. I have done quite a bit of machining for school (ME student) but I was never actually explained some of these things. I have just been told what to put my settings at and then learned the rest from experience.

[@ericreynolds74]

Loved this, its as important to know WHY youre doing a specific process as to How youre doing it.

[@massey760man]

Very helpful video for a complete newbie to machining. Thanks!

[@vladone428]

This was great! I'd love more videos on cnc milling.

[@echobravo5488]

You're brilliant bro! Keep up the good work!

[@scottrichardson7195]

I'm just learning how to run a mill and this video has so much great information! Thank you!

[@jayfulf]

Great explanation. Covers pretty much everything I learned however, I did learn to use conventional for a rough pass and climb for the finishing pass.

[@ChrisB257]

Nice refresher material Ben, thanks.

[@mlr1941]

Thanks Ben, I found this instructional vid very useful. Keep the good information coming, I have a project working at this time that encompasses an 80% lower receiver for a AR-10 rifle. Answered many questions about the set up fir the mill tools that will be used. Mike

[@jacobberry7665]

Excellent tutorial. Thanks!

[@hienaz723]

thank you to share your video. i learn a lot from you than my instructor at school. when he taught me manual mill machine last semester. i am taking cnc mill now but your video is really helpful. thank you again

[@KowboyUSA]

The most useful information you've shared here to date.

[@ARVash]

this is fantastic thanks so much for the brief break from your normal awesome. very helpful

[@w8fg]

what an awesome shop you have! Amazing!

[@yashmanwani6232]

Awesome. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@hesperaux]

Really great video. Thanks so much!

[@TignMeg]

One of your best Ben Well done!

[@josephswift7622]

This was the video I was looking for thank you

[@raidenshang4216]

great video. It is really helpful to me. thanks!

[@MacoveiVlad]

Great video! After watching other milling videos I found this surprisingly well structured and straight forward. I feel that if i had the machine and tool data sheet i could make some chips. :)

[@Inductable]

I can just imagine Ben's calm voice describing the details behind a mass decapitation machine.

[@w0mblemania]

This was very good. Thank you!

[@656u]

Great info. Great delivery! Thanks.

[@Killerpie4578]

Excellent knowledge

[@elboa8]

Thanks for your time. Interesting.

[@craftedbyalvint]

Very informative, thank you

[@Nazral]

Yes! Thank you Ben!

[@magidavid]

Fantastic, thank you. I'm just starting to get into milling and this was very informative.

[@jamescullins2709]

Good job, love to see more

[@UberAlphaSirus]

Ben, this has to be the most concise explanation I have ever come across in any format, be it the internet or machinists I know. All in 30 minutes! Just 2 things I personally think would make this gold plated and 100%. Is if you could explain "pecking" for chip clearing etc. and explain that conventional milling means the cutting edge is head on collision with the material rather than overtaking maneuver, best metaphor I can think of. Kind regards and best of luck.

[@jonnyhifi]

Superb ! thank you so much for this video : so helpful for me as I'm gearing up to learn how to use my newly purchased small hobby CNC mill.

[@mlentsch]

Yea, no - this is really good. It's the kind of "finesse", experience-based info that's the hardest to come by and is easily missed since, well, you don't know what you don't know! This fills in some gaps - I'm sincerely appreciative.

[@etothejtheta]

This was excellent. Thanks for sharing.

[@howardsway782]

Great presentation with loads of useful tips, thank you so much... 1/2 hour seemed like 5 minutes.

[@AppliedScience]

Some cutters can plunge and others cannot. This feature is called "center-cutting" since the cutter has edges that extend all the way to the center. My CAM software is very old and using plunges is the easiest way, but this will cause more wear on the tool. Using helical or ramp entry is better since the cutting area is spread over more of the tool.

[@constantinguraliuc1504]

Very useful, thank you.

[@clusterfork]

I don't have a mill, nor am I in the market for one. But somehow I am sitting here after work, sipping wine and watching this.

[@Enoch8283]

Wonderful video. Ben could be a good teacher. Thanks

[@ExMachinaEngineering]

Very, very useful!!! Thank you!

[@stensonlindal7929]

great video! very helpful and very well spoken! thanks

[@sammyspaniel6054]

Very useful. Thank you.

[@jbrownson]

Great intro, thanks!

[@deadlyrabbitz]

Your videos are awesome. Good job.

[@funnyman8593]

VERY GOOD INFORMATION. THANK YOU

[@dorindraghici348]

Thank you very much, it was very instructive!

[@shootgp]

Thank you for the excellent video.

[@eaglesdood16]

awesome video! thanks for sharing i learned a ton

[@Steve_Just_Steve]

Your absolutely right about not running too small of a chip load, however as a rule manufacturers recommendations are an OPTIMAL load and a figured using optimal work holding and optimal rigidness and thats certainly not always the case, so going below manufacturers recommendations is not a bad thing at all as long as you dont go too low normally around a .001 load

[@marte3no]

Love your tutorials! Thank you :-)

[@kevinxbuffalo]

Great informative video! Thank you!

[@02mick75]

i made quite a few notes, thanks, much appriciated !

[@tomrum42]

Me too. Great video an one of the best I have seen on the subject. I'm a newbie to milling.

[@bomataralshamsia4007]

Thank you so much bro your explanation was very very useful and grateful thank you bro 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@jcjimenez5327]

Such a great video thank you..

[@armedziak]

Great video, very helpful :) Thanks!

[@panchovilla1486]

Thank you for that video I hope you make some more

[@Codewalkers]

Nice tutorial

[@ProbablyDrunkATM]

Great video.

[@sagaertj]

I always use alcohol as coolant to dril and chamfer aluminium it avoids sticking and gives a clean cut. It also gives you a non greasy finished part. For taping thread in polycarbonate i use soap on the screaw tap,it avoids the threading tool to heatup and melt into the plexi.

[@clevinski]

Great video; I found it very helpful!

[@davevario]

Thanks. That was very informative.

[@elchuco00]

GREAT VIDEO!!! THANK YOU!!!

[@ChevyGbody1987]

nice mill to have in a garage

[@moara1949]

Very well. Thanks

[@1wILLTELL]

Thanks a lot for that really informative video. That will help a lot nekt time I go into my Shop!

[@JerodMatlock]

Nice job thanks

[@theskyerow]

Wonderful man, thanks! Liked and subscribed