Machinery Handbook

[JeffreyPrater]

What is a good handbook for milling, drilling, etc. speeds and other info that a knifemaker would use?

I have finally realized that the proper speed is very important and wanted some recommendation for a good reference book.

Thanks
Jeff Prater

[Don Robinson]

Machinery's Handbook has tables, but use this:

Rule of thumb is when the tool rotates, run it slow enough that you can barely see the individual flutes on the tool. Run a reamer slower than a drill. Don't make blue chips with a HSS tool. White is best.

CS = cutting speed

CSx4/dia.=RPM

CS for low carbon steel is 100.

CS for knife steels is 30 to 50.

CS for Ti is 15 to 30.

CS for brass is 300.

CS for aluminum is wide open.

So I just saved you around $80 for a new Machinery's Handbook.

Send me $40 and we'll call it even.

[T L Smith]

Jeff,

Speeds and feeds can be a tricky subject. There is a relationship between rotational speed depth of cut and speed of infeed. A really good place to start is The Sherline Site . They make small hobby machines and the site is full of info and advice for the beginner. Since I make small knives I do all of my machining on a 27 year old Sherline Lathe with Milling attachment (with a few upgrades).

Tom

[JeffreyPrater]

I couldnt find much at sherlines website but I didnt look at all the links, but the little machineshop.com had some good charts that I copied.

After looking through my books I found a copy of the Home Machinist and it too has some charts.

Don, I'll bet you havent looked at a chart in years; you just know what to set it at and go on working. Thanks for the tip. By the way your advice on the surface grinder has been very helpful. I wasnt dressing the wheel often enough, and not transversing the table fast enough. Those two things helped me a lot. I could never get a price from the company with the hold downs. I finally made a set and was shocked at how well they hold the material in place.

Well I guess we should add another $40 bucks to that debt!

Thanks,
Jeff Prater

[Kevin Wilkins]

If you buy your milling cutters from a good maker, the maker of the cutting tools will provide you with the appropriate cutting information.

Cutting tool technology has advanced so far that it's better to use the exact information for the particular cutter you have. All 3 flute end mills are not created equally.

A good general purpose book on machinine tools is: Machine Tool Operations by Krar, Oswald et al which I think you can get on Amazon.