25
Stuck with using a HSS end mill for a steel job instead of carbide and it worked out fine
I had a rush job last month in Cleveland and my carbide 1/2 inch end mill snapped on the second pass. Local supplier was out of carbide so I grabbed a HSS one just to get through the shift. Ran it at 50% slower feed and took super light cuts, like 0.010 per pass. Honestly it took forever but the finish was actually decent, no chatter or burn marks. Would I do it again? Probably not for production work. But has anyone else had surprising luck with the wrong tool in a pinch?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
schmidt.blake17d ago
Man I feel like I'm always the guy grabbing the wrong tool and hoping for the best. My shop calls me "Crashmaster Blake" after that time I tried to drill through a 3/4 inch plate with a dull bit and it just spun in place making that sad whining noise. Anyway yeah, coolant made all the difference for me on that HSS job. I kept a constant drip going and stopped every 10 passes to let the tool cool off while I checked my machine's alignment. Still took 3 hours for what should have been a 45 minute job but hey, the part came out smooth and I didn't have to explain a broken tool to my foreman.
6
Did you run it dry or use coolant? I used to think HSS was junk for steel but a buddy talked me into trying it on a small job last year and I was surprised how well it held up if you take it easy. Now I keep a few HSS end mills around for those emergency situations.
0