Switched from a standard to a high helix end mill for aluminum

The finish on my parts went from looking kinda rough to almost polished overnight. I was running the same 3/8 tool at 12k rpm, but the chip evacuation was way better. Anyone else have a go-to tool for specific materials?

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3 Comments

pat1425mo ago

My 5-flute ZrN end mill made aluminum cuts look like glass, lol.

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gracem325mo ago

Really? I've always found a good 3-flute works better for me on aluminum. The high helix ones can sometimes leave a weird swirl pattern.

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colesanchez4mo ago

The swirl pattern usually comes from running a high helix tool too slow, not the tool itself. A three flute can work, but it often leaves a rougher finish compared to a proper high helix two flute made for aluminum. The extra flutes can cause more chip packing in the cut. Have you tried bumping up your feed rate with the high helix ones?

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