INTRO
Hardwoods are produced by angiosperm trees that reproduce by flowers, and have broad leaves that many species shed annually (deciduous trees). Hardwoods are known for their density, strength, and durability, making them desirable for a variety of applications, including furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and high-end woodworking projects.
Examples of hardwoods include OAK, MAPLE, CHERRY, MAHOGANY, WALNUT...
MILLING ON EVO
Hardwood milling on EVO requires a few precautions depending on the wood species. For very dense woods it requires shallow passes and lower feeds compared to softwoods, in order to be easy on the belt drives and avoid tear out due to vibrations.
In general EVO will handle it perfectly but as always: start with our safe parameters and increase them progressively to find the sweet spot for your own setup.
Parameters used in the video :
Machine : Mekanika EVO S / High-Z / AMB 1050W
End mill : Ø 6mm / 2 Flutes Carbide / Upcut spiral bit
Feed rate : 2200 mm/min
Spindle speed : 18 000 rpm
Depth of cut : 2 mm
MILLING ON PRO & FAB
Hardwood milling on PRO & FAB requires a few precautions compared to softwoods. In general, passes should be shallower and chip load lower due to hardwood's density (depending on the species). But there is a wide range of variations depending on fixture, tool used, species etc.
So as always, we recommend to start with the recommended safe parameters and increase them progressively to find the sweet spot for your own setup.
Parameters used in the video :
Machine : Mekanika PRO S / Standard-Z / VFD 2.2kW
End mill : Ø 6mm / 2 Flutes Carbide / Upcut spiral bit
Feed rate : 3 200 mm/min
Spindle speed : 19 000 rpm
Depth of cut : 5 mm
MATERIAL TIPS
- You can go up to a 4 flutes end mill, as chip evacuation is usually easy.
- Using a downcut on the first pass (or a compression bit all along) will help prevent tear out on the top face and get a better general finish.
- Use ramps or helix instead of plunge to increase your tool's lifetime.
- Don't aim for big chips on hardwoods. Perfect milling should produce fine chips and not dust, but some hardwoods are very brittle and chips will break during cuts (making it hard to identify the chip thickness).
- If the surface finish is not good, it can be related to various things:
- check that your stock is fixed strong enough and not vibrating
- check your tool's edges to see if it is damaged
- use the shortest tool possible for the job to avoid tool deflection
- Test different feed/speed (most likely: reduce feed rate or increase spindle speed, within the machine's capabilities).