Beginners Guide to CNC Bits - Including Speeds and Feeds

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

SpeTool Introduction Bit Set spetools.com/products/spetool-wd-2-router-bits-set-8-pcs-1-4-shank?ref=JDDesigns Bit selections from Sainsmart amzn.to/3p0O8kn Bits from FoxAlien www.foxalien.com/collections/... Bits from Spe Tools amzn.to/3lNko8R Amana tools from Tooltoday shrsl.com/37eun

[@johnscelta776]

Over the last year, I have watched this video several times. I keep on catching new things I missed the first time. Thank you for making this one.

[@andrewspiers201]

If only I'd have watched the video first!!! One laminated guide is now hanging in the workshop :)

[@murph3194]

Just purchased my first little starter cnc machine. I am assembling my brand new Fox Alien Masuter Pro today and this video was massively helpful. This learning curve seems like Mount Everest on some videos but this video gave me hope and enthusiasm. Thank you for the content.

[@Utube2Itube]

Hands down the best channel for beginners. Thanks a lot James, keep up the great work.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you. That means a lot 👍

[@jbreezy3146]

Thanks for taking your time to explain all the difference and applications for which the bits should be used for.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it helped

[@fredmandery8620]

Thank you James. I'm a beginner and this information is what I've been needing and missing. Plus, I now understand why there is no 'Use this speed and feed rates' video.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I would love to be able to do a video or guide like that and make it easy. Maybe someone will come up with an app or calculator one day to do it all for us

[@mattymerr701]

Thanks for all these quality videos. Props to both you and Graham Bland. You are both deserving of a lot of praise!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Much appreciated! Graham probably deserves more than me as I've gained a lot knowledge from him :)

[@henkpunt4159]

Love your tutorials man. Helps me out a lot. Clear and detailed explanations! Keep it up!

[@scorpianspirit5124]

After all of my own research and I don't know how many videos I have watched, you have been my go to channel James. Always great information in the way I prefer to hear a presentation. I have finally taken the plunge and have ordered my machine which is coming in this week. I decided on the Proverxl 6050 after looking at so many machines. I'm excited to get started and what a great enhancement to my newly constructed workshop. Thanks again James for always providing quality content. Cheers from Utah ! Thumbs up for sure. ;-)

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Really appreciate comments like this 😁 good luck with your new machine 👍

[@lovinglife3675]

Hey James , thank you so much ! great tutorial and foundation knowledge for me being a newbie … we have a laser incorporated into our studio workshop and just purchased a desktop cnc which we are looking fwd to … will binge watch your channel for more info … thanks a million 🙏 regards Steve (Adelaide Australia)

[@michaelvalenty9547]

I've been following this channel for a year or so and chatted with you a few times and always appreciated the info. I took time off from CNC to learn my 3d printers and now concentrating on learning the CNC. Lots more videos now than a year ago. Looks like a good time to start back up again. Cheers.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi Michael and welcome back 😁

[@rattanartdesign4654]

i just bought my genmitsu 4040 yesterday with basic typical accessories. very excited to work on my machine with your advices and information. thanks james

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Excellent. Hope you enjoy it :)

[@killerwhiskey0125]

A bit late to the CNC party but I was about to give up until i found your helpful videos. Take the time, set it up right and its a brilliant bit of kit. Thanks for these vidoes. Best help and advice.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you. Glad they have helped 👍

[@nathandrouin4730]

I just started using my 3018 a month ago and this video was super helpful to understanding bits thanks

[@chrismoose5824]

Thanks for this and the others you have done. Always pleasantly surprised by knowledgeable people sharing valuable knowledge.

[@martintemplot6765]

Hi James, great videos! As a toolmaker may I point out an error in your terminology? What you are calling an End Mill is in fact a Slot Drill. The difference is important because true End Mills cannot do plunge cuts. They have usually 4 flutes, and the cutting edges on the bottom do not meet in the middle. Which means they don't cut the full area of the bottom surface - if you try to plunge with them you will have a crash. They are mainly used in metal cutting, moving sideways into material to make slots and rebates. The reason for using them is that they can cut faster with a better finish than a Slot Drill in situations where you don't need to plunge in the material. The cutter moves sideways out of the material, moves down in fresh air, and then moves in again. Or they are used for finishing side cuts inside a pocket, where the material has previously been removed to the required depth using a roughing Slot Drill. For the type of work you are doing you will probably not have much use for End Mills - if your viewers order them they are likely to get the wrong thing and have big trouble on their machines trying to make plunge cuts. What they need are called Slot Drills - usually having 2 flutes. cheers, Martin.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hi Martin, Thanks for the feedback. Historically I believe this is correct but not so much these days and especially in relation to CNC. For example, if you search for a 1/8 slot drill, the result that come up are more for metal milling machines than CNC. But if you search for 1/8 end mill you will get bits for a CNC machine. I believe the development of technology in how the tools are made ultimately broadened the term of what an end mill actually is (or so I read somewhere) and now includes bits that plunge. Either that or the term just got misused with in the CNC industry and it eventually stuck. Either way probably pretty annoying when you're a tool maker and everyone is calling them end mills.

[@villemerisalo9957]

Thank you for your videos! I think im coming back to these once my 3018 has arrived and built. Amazing content. Very easy to listen, comprehensive enough to get started and very clearly explained. Cheers!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you very much 😁

[@KetterHomeImprovements]

Thanks to Leo for leading me to your channel. I am now a subscriber. Great job.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Excellent. Hope you find it useful 👍

[@johnbourgeois6863]

Brilliant video James, as a complete novice (my PROVer machine is on its way to NZ !) I found this video very helpful, it answered many of my questions.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Excellent. Thats good to hear

[@warrenking1815]

Good job James, the feeds and speed comment about experimenting with your bit and your machine is the best advice.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thanks 👍

[@SandyBoone]

Phew, now I understand so much more. Thank you for teaching this!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheSAJKW]

As I am starting to learn, I thought to myself that I needed to learn more about bits and was hoping you had a video as I learn better by video first then reading. Thanks for the great video and awesome info.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

No problem, having some background knowledge always helps before getting stuck in :)

[@OzarkArtsandCrafts]

I have enjoyed watching this informative vid. I have about 3 years of CNC Routing under my belt and learned something new. Well worth my time to watch. I am a subscriber and will be recommending this video.

[@ahmed12op]

Keep up the good work James, I’m learning so much from you. Thank you!

[@asrock49]

You're the man James! Keep it up. You'll be at 100k subscribers in no time.

[@APKVblog]

First channel with usefull information. Great job James and thank you for what you're doing.

[@stuartcrisp2027]

Nicely done James. A difficult topic to cover fully, but you did it well. And I entirely agree that feed rate and depth of cut are more important than adjusting the speed - most of the time at least (which, I suppose, is a bit like saying "except when it isn't!)

[@jeffjimenez299]

Great job James. I just got Ex pro. I was wondering if you can tell me about where to get collets that fit my spindle .to accommodate 1/4 bits

[@fretboy5028]

New 3020 machine and greatly appreciate the insight, presentation style, and common sense approach. Compared to my scroll saw projects, CNC projects lean into the setup and technical aspects for creativity more than the creativity of hands-on feeding/turning wood into the blade. Hopefully, at the end of the finished project, I will be equally (though differently) pleased. Thanks, again.

[@neilharrickey8261]

Dont forget with the ER series collets; the nuts have an eliptical ring inside. You must insert the collet into the nut first, then slide the milling bit in. We had to replace so many collets at my work because people put the collet in the holder, and tighten the nut over it. This rips the collet up, and prevents it from unlocking properly.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Good point Neil

[@raysmith6776]

Great job James, when you talk about the chips produced, is it possible to see an example of good and not so good, (English oak being one of the woods I’m really struggling with. Sorry for newbie question. TIA.

[@expressivephoto]

Thanks James, that helped so much in understanding what bits I need to start off with. Excellent video as always!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you 👍

[@PLRAHAPL]

Bravo 👏 great video for beginners, plenty of information and easy to understand! Thank You

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it was helpful!

[@optikon2222]

Awesome James.. here is an idea for a future video: Runout - what it is, how it affects your cuts and how to measure and improve it. I spent quite some time with the 3018 developing a quick way to measure it and ways to improve it. For ~ 0.1mm engravings it can make a difference in the final result!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

It really can, even things such as actually measuring your bits and using the actual measurements makes a difference.

[@andrewklotz1436]

That would be a tough video for James to do. Wood, depths, bits all effect your cuts. You can take and set a 90 vbit to do a depth cut and it look right on the screen and the vbit will blow out the carve due to the need of a endmill being needed to do the step down to prevent the blowout. It's a super big area to try and cover in a short video

[@ericburres2875]

Very good explanations about a very complex subject. And it definitely does reinforce testing and experimentation. Thanks.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you!

[@gaynormorris7597]

Your videos are amazing. Certainly giving me the confidence I need to start my CNC journey. Thank you so much

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad to hear that 😁

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Once you've set your Z probe up like in the video, you just run the Z probe command before every job

[@aminemabrouk5118]

Thank you James. You have no idea how valuable your videos to me 😊

[@mikemcdonnell6814]

hi, all your video's are first class, very infomative, keep the great video's up.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad you like them! Thank you

[@bamamike1013]

Great video at the perfect time. I’m experimenting with bits on carving out names, i.e. key chains. 1/16 corn cobs work pretty good. 80 degree, not so much.

[@SethCNC]

*Excellent overview of bits and even the concepts of F&S !!*

[@MadMio2U]

Brilliant video. Very informative and very professional. Thank you. 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@stefanotstudio]

-MASTER CLASS- Thanks James for doing this video, better is imposible. Greetings from Guatemala XD

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you. Thats a great compliment

[@jaybingo2950]

Thanks so much for the videos you provide. You are truly a master of relaying information in a down to earth and concise method. Cheers mate.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

You are very welcome and thank you for the kind words

[@mickob8160]

Feed and speed calculator? I’m a cabinetmaker by trade that specialises in cnc programming and operating with nearly 30 years of experience. To work out rotation speed you look at the tool specs. Spiral cutters are usually good for 24000 rpm tct and tok cutters are 18000 rpm max with less for larger diameters. To get your feed rate you start with a reasonable number and listen to the machine. A cutter that is rotating and cutting in the sweet spot will run quietly. Not much louder than the spindle itself. Using this method I have managed to make spiral cutters last for over 100 hours before needing to be sharpened.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I completely agree for most part but people watching this video are starting at the lower end of the CNC scale where the spindles top out at 10-12,000rpm and are lower in torque. Finding that sweet spot audibly I think can be quite difficult on budget machines especially when you are new. But the more experienced I gained, the easier it was to listen for that sweet spot

[@henkpunt4159]

This tutorial and a feeds and speed calculator helps when you are just starting out with a budget machine you bought with your own hard earned money from a Chinese website with Chinese instructions. Especially when you have zero experience with cnc milling, but a passion for making things and no one explaining how to use it. It gives me a great starting point

[@mickob8160]

@@henkpunt4159 I’m speaking from experience. I have my own cheap Chinese machine to mess around with but when I was in the industry I got put on the machines when they only just started to become mainstream so my experience came from trial and error

[@lucianoag999]

rey to find a side hustle training AI to tune CNC from the sound so your experience doesn’t get lost. ;)

[@jeffwise4465]

thank you. im a newbie here. can't wait to build the machine and build.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Hope you enjoy it :)

[@spudnickuk]

This tutorial is great and thank you for spending the time to make. I do love DeskProto, as when you setup a tool it gives a starting point of feeds & speed , and once you get to a sweet spot then you can go an edit the tool with the correct settings for that tool and name it Like 3mm Flat End 2 flute Pine kiln dried and your have those tools and settings at hand in a nice organised list Best thing is, its a lot cheaper the Vcarve, and I own that to but find DeskProto better to work with.

[@JohnColgan.]

Very good explanation to try break the mystery of bits, Feed rates. Chip load & V-Carve. As you said it is a confusing loop, but importantly we don't need to get hung up on the detail, look & listen to what the CNC is doing, how to interpret difference between smooth running cuts & chattering, noisy cuts. I don't know all this will resolve my particular V-Carve problem of rough bands approx located 1-2 & 7-8 on a clock face.had it on 3018 & 4030, ! Anny ideas? I don't think it's feeds & speeds or dull bit as 90% perfect!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thanks John. Send some photos on Facebook. Sounds odd that's its on both opposite diagonals.

[@outislandcinema2897]

Awesome content. It's refreshing to get great information delivered precisely and clearly. Keep up the great work. Thumbs up all around.

[@dazallen3324]

Great Vid. Thanks a lot, very informative, just starting my CNC journey. Keep up the great work.

[@gordongroves6674]

Thanks James, another excellent learning tool!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you 🙏

[@realone8602]

AS usual a verry good video , you are a good engineering instructor , and i like your instructions ; it reminds me empirical itterations ...thanks a lot

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thank you very much. Glad you've found it useful 👍

[@realone8602]

@@JamesDeanDesigns I'm so gladfull to hear you, so keep ongoing

[@realone8602]

You are doing a great kob

[@realone8602]

Job

[@dalekubichek5710]

As usual your vid's are very good. We need some help in a different direction... Where can we buy a single replacement blue-coated corncob bit? SS does not sell single corncob bits nor ten-packs of a single corncob size bit - only a ten-kit of different sizes. I need two bits to refill my kit gaps - but HOW? 🙃

[@tolgafutaci]

Hi James, Great video again. Thanks. I need to know something. I hope you can help. I want to make a branding iron from brass with my 3018. Is iti possible? if yes, which bits and speed/feed would you use ? Thanks in advance. My best

[@theblackdotnetworksss]

Hi James, great video, please do you have a cut plan for the enclosure for your CNC machines ?

[@edinaperle7094]

Thank you for the great video. You make so easy to understand all the technical details. I love your channel

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thats really kind. Thank you very much.

[@kenslawich3148]

Thank you, very informative and well explained.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thanks 😊

[@andyr6913]

Hi James. Thanks for your videos on this 3018 unit. They are very informitive. Do you think the upgrade of spindle motor to 20,000rpm motor is a good upgrade to do?... Is it beneficial for cutting/engraving quality or is the 10,000 rpm good enough?

[@n1spen]

Hi there james love your vids just started with 3D carving in easel but it seams to only allow 1/8 finishing bit is it posable to change this for 1/16 for finer detail?

[@ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟΣΧΑΤΖΗΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΥ-θ8μ]

Thanks for the quality video, what software do you use?

[@lesleymcclureweick2863]

Excellent video explained so well

[@jeffreyjhouser]

Brilliant explanation! So much terrific information!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sfcvelasco2412]

This is great information. Thank you for the work.

[@GeekRedux]

Lots of great info here, thanks! I would suggest the use of "obviously" should be avoided in anything called a beginner's guide, though. 10:35

[@AndyBradley1984]

Just wanted to say thanks for these vids, I'm a complete beginner. Helped massively. Is a Roland/Techsoft TS-30 a good machine? or would the £800 have been better spent on something else?

[@johnliu8801]

Hi James, I'm trying to add V bits to easel and I'm not sure how to input the specs properly. For a V bit that has a tip of 0.1mm, 20 degree angle and 1/8 shank, should I input 0.1mm or 3mm (1/8inch) as cutting diameter? I suppose that if the v-bit is fully plunged in to work piece, it will cut at a diameter of 1/8 inch (same as the shank size)? Thanks!!

[@ChuckAloha]

Thanks James, again a great video

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad they help 👍

[@epoxyresindesigns8737]

Great Job, Well explained

[@robotcactus_mk1882]

Looking to do a juice groove for a cutting board. Need 1/8” shank. Any recommendations?

[@raycap]

Thank you James, very interesting.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@ruhtra-k]

What about diamond drag bits? What bit do you select in easel to se them?

[@mqawaf]

Thank you James for your Video. Can you please advice what are the best bits (such as no. of flutes, up, down or straight cut) for carving an EVA foam 6-9 mm. thickness? Because it is very delicate material and tricky to carve. Thanks.

[@Grimlock77]

I'd also like to know this, but at a guess, I'd imagine laser cutting is the better option. CNC on thin foam sounds incredible likely to push the material around too much.

[@terrybullett493]

James, Can you provide video examples of good and bad feed rates? Us newbies have a hard time with that ‘feel’ you mention.

[@swamihuman9395]

- Great presentation. - Thx.

[@Silverturky]

Hey man what's a good starting point in terms of feeds and speeds for 3mm aluminum composite panel

[@epiendless1128]

Newbie question: What material did you use for those cream-coloured pieces, please? Some sort of laminated ply?

[@vk2let]

Great video mate, very informative.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Thanks 👍

[@davidmacdonald2943]

Great information. Thank you.

[@erniegray3500]

I want to get a new bigger cnc but I want to add a at least 10W output laser I have a 3018pro and have replaced boards and spindles would like a good one to run both appreciate any advice thanks

[@burgerhattingh8625]

Thanks. This was very informative.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@dopert2]

Super helpful. I'm very thankful

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad it helped!

[@crudersphere8593]

What feed rate and depth would you recommend trying on walnut? I am experimenting with roughing cuts using a 3mm 2 flute end mill (on an unmodified 3018).

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Me personally, I'd start off around 450mm/min with something like 0.3mm depth per pass. Possibly a bit conservative but as it's hard wood it's better to start slower and build up

[@crudersphere8593]

@@JamesDeanDesigns Thanks!

[@crudersphere8593]

@@JamesDeanDesigns I've tried now on several hardwoods, and it seems like 500 mm/min at 0.6mm works most of the time (with a very sharp bit). Thanks for the help, it's great to know a safe place to start as so much experimenting is required.

[@seanw1550]

Hey James. Fantastic videos. Really appreciate your knowledge and experience. I'm struggling with a question. Hopefully you might give me some direction. I have a new 3020 Pro Max and I would like to create some bigger projects with some fine details. I would need a small bit for the fine details and a large bit to cut out the bigger sections that need removing. Is this possible? Done in the software? Do I just run the job twice (first time with large bit and second with small bit)? Or am I stuck with using the small bit and running it for many hours? Any guidance would really be appreciated. Tried looking through all of your videos and haven't seen this answer. Thanks James.

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Its kind of covered in the beginners guide to Easel. You have a roughing pass and then a detail pass. A lot of software can do this. for the roughing you use something like a flat endmill and then for the detail you could use something like a tapered ball nose

[@seanw1550]

@@JamesDeanDesigns Thanks James. Great videos! You certainly help make things a lot easier for the newbie.

[@arbjful]

Can these bits be used for aluminum also? 6063? I am more into aluminum milling bits

[@Kaiju3301]

Awesome video! Though I did get an ad for mental health services while watching so maybe that is a bad omen lol

[@jumpman2680]

Generally, you want to choke up as high on the shaft as possible with the collet to reduce run-out. When you're cutting wood tho, I guess run-out tolerances must be pretty lenient so it probably won't matter that much.

[@SkaMateria]

I'm literally about to start my journey into learning CNC, so I'm still not at all first in the terminology. What do you mean by choke up on the bit, and what is run out? Thanks for any help!

[@jumpman2680]

@ Choke up like with a baseball bat, you clamp the tool higher up in the tool holder’s collet. When the tool is held shorter in the collet with less length sticking out, it’s more rigid and won’t bend or flex as much when you’re cutting. When it sticks out further it can bend more when pushing against the material being cut, which is known as tool deflection. The amount it deflects is your run-out, the amount it can cut oversize versus your target cut dimensions.

[@SkaMateria]

@@jumpman2680 I really appreciate the response! That's what I thought, but from my experience with 3D printing and laser platforms, I've learned to always double check. From what I've been learning with CNC, it seems there will be a lot of that.

[@jumpman2680]

@@SkaMateria It’s almost impossible to cut material to an exact dimension. To some degree you are always working against tool deflection and run-out. That’s why print dimensions always have tolerances included. Efficient machininsts constantly adjust tool compensation to hit the middle of their tolerances and keep moving along. You can easily get distracted going down rabbit holes trying to hit your target dimension rather than using allowed tolerances.

[@SkaMateria]

@@jumpman2680 Thanks for the advice. Are you suggesting rather than chasing the perfect cut with the CNC, jut hit a comfortable spot then move on to cleaning it up by hand?

[@bobbybehan6672]

Excellent tutorial, thank you.

[@mireyacela]

Excelent video, thanks again!

[@JAYTEEAU]

Thanks James, I'm still in the research phase, but loving your videos. Is there value in running an initial down cut pass and then a subsequent up cut pass? Would you even bother? Cheers, JAYTEE

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

If you have a powerful enough machine then you use the compression bits, buy yes, using a downcut to begin with will get you cleaner surface results especially on something like ply wood

[@JAYTEEAU]

@@JamesDeanDesigns Thanks, I'm just mentally working through the processes ;)

[@jhtrice]

Hi James, Great Video. I have a few follow up questions. In the Speeds and feeds section you reference the size of the chips created by the bit during the cut. Any examples you can point to to related to too small chips vs to big or the machine noises? I've been running slower speeds than you've referenced in a couple videos and maybe I'm being too conservative. You mentioned a feed rate 400-500 a few times, and I'm closer to maxing out at 325-350 for softwood (Pine) @ .5 mm Depth of cut. Also, do you normally suggest a faster feed rate with a shallower depth of cut? Thanks!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

I'll try and get some examples but it can be tricky as different bits give off different types of chips. Yes, generally speaking the shallower your passes are, the faster you can go but its all about experimenting. just do a few small jobs and each time just up the speed a little and see how you go.

[@frankligas2249]

Thanks for the video.

[@blacknight10bc]

What is a good software to convert from PNG to STL format. I have a foxalien cnc

[@blacknight10bc]

I'm a beginner beginner 😅 I need all help

[@jhunobanana8571]

I am struggling with cutting foamboards and coroplast material. What bits will be recommended for softer materials?

[@Aronphobia]

Foamcor and Coro should be used with blades. (I have a colex)

[@malcellison8831]

Excellent! Thanks.

[@1949lwd]

Great, helpful video. Thanks.

[@flypic1098]

Hi James, Did you mean Feed of 500 not speed at about 25 - 26 mins. I think you used speed twice in stead of feed. Just trying to help. Very interesting Vid. Thanks. Jim

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

You are right. It was nearly 8 minutes straight talking with no break, I was bound to get something wrong 😄. I'm surprised I kept it all in a single take

[@flypic1098]

FAR better than I could do James. Well done. Jim

[@zmanfishing3361]

Thank you. Awesome info!!!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad to help

[@Roy_Tellason]

You mention two different collett sizes, 1/8" and 1/4" -- do these pretty much cover what bits would be useful on these small machines? Or would it be a good idea to acquire a whole set of them in different sizes?

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Those will probably cover 99% of any bits you'll need 👍

[@PaulTreefella]

Can you use Opensource software for these cnc machines ?

[@richardsandford1607]

Outstanding!!

[@JamesDeanDesigns]

Glad you like it!