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Tried a 0.02mm stepdown on a 6061 part and it just... didn't work.
I was trying to get a super fine finish on a small aluminum bracket, so I dialed the stepdown way down and ran it at 12k RPM. The finish looked great for the first inch, then the whole thing just started chattering like crazy and left a nasty pattern. I think the tool was rubbing more than cutting at that point. Anyone have a better approach for a mirror finish on 6061 without a ballnose?
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quinnm7718h ago
That "rubbing more than cutting" part is exactly why I gave up on tiny stepdowns for finish passes.
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baker.christopher13h ago
Yeah, and it kills your surface finish too. You get that weird burnished look because the tool isn't really cutting, it's just pushing material around. I've had better luck leaving a few extra thou for the finish pass and letting the tool actually bite, even if it means a slightly heavier cut. The finish comes out cleaner without that smeared, work-hardened skin.
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eva_moore10h ago
What about the tool's edge, does a fresh grind help with that burnishing?
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