Milling Aluminum Molds

[Hand Crafted Angling]

I picked up a new toy. I got a desktop cnc router thats suposed to be able to cut aluminum. I want to cut some lure molds with it. Its been a pretty steep learning curve. I cant find much information out online. Im trying to figure out what endmills to use and what toolpath operation to use. I havent cut any molds yet. Ive been trying out some 3d carving using a rouging stratagy and a parrallel finish cut. Im not sure if that would work on the mold. Anyway for anyone who has done this I am having issues getting fusion 360 to cut vent lines and scale patterns. Does anyone know what bit and cutting operation I would use for these? Thanks

[dlaery]

does fusion have a cam program in it or does your router have that?

end mill size depends on the cavity size you are cutting.

I have a desktop cnc and cut mostly small jig molds. I use 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 ball nose mostly. I also use flat end mills in the same sizes. 

 

[Hand Crafted Angling]

Fusion 360 does both cad and cam. Is the 1/16 bit small enough to do fine details like ribs and scale patterns?

[dlaery]

does your cam have a simulator? that helps me to decide if it cutting enough detail.

I do use 1/32BN to get finer detail. be sure and buy plenty of them, they like to break.

[Hand Crafted Angling]

22 hours ago, dlaery said:

does your cam have a simulator? that helps me to decide if it cutting enough detail.

I do use 1/32BN to get finer detail. be sure and buy plenty of them, they like to break.

It does. I'm still trying to figure everything out. Its been a pretty steep learning curve. I've been trying to do some 3d carvings in wood to learn the cam part before I try aluminum. Are you just running one roughing and one finishing operation? 

[dlaery]

here is a screen shot of the operations I use to cut this mold. it is a 5 inch bait

the 1st one is Feature 2 axis, that uses a flycutter to face off the top.

then next on is 1/4" BN does a rough and advanced planar. so on and so on.

looks like 6 operations with 4 tool changes.

you have to figure out how you are going to cut, how deep to cut and or stepover, how fast to cut.

also you have to know what rpms to run the spindle.

[Hand Crafted Angling]

2 hours ago, dlaery said:

here is a screen shot of the operations I use to cut this mold. it is a 5 inch bait

the 1st one is Feature 2 axis, that uses a flycutter to face off the top.

then next on is 1/4" BN does a rough and advanced planar. so on and so on.

looks like 6 operations with 4 tool changes.

you have to figure out how you are going to cut, how deep to cut and or stepover, how fast to cut.

also you have to know what rpms to run the spindle.

Thank you very much. Im trying to learn the toolpaths first and then move on to feeds and speeds once i figure that out.