12/14 free machining mild steel

[Quadro]

I have been ask to make a custom golf putter head out of 12/14 'high speed' free machining mild steel.
What is classed a 'high speed'?
Has anyone had any experiance with machining it?

[KenC]

I think its 706

[Surfcnc]

http://www.ajmarshall.com/Manganese.htm

Looks like carbide mills will do it but no Rockwell hardness data to go on to be absolutely sure.

Ross

[Allegheny]

I could be wrong and you might be able to do this, but I wouldn't even think about trying it.

The surface cutting speed and chip load for steel is one, if not two orders of magnitude below what a router or spindle can commonly be set. A MM also has nowhere near the rigidity needed for machining metal - consider that a Bridgeport weighs in at 2,00-2,400# and it's top speed is around 1,000 rpm (which is almost never used).

If you decide to try this, I suggest you set everything on the slowest speed, with a feed rate as slow as possible (as in 0.001-0.005" per second - but only if you can get the spindle rpm to the 400 - 500 rpm range). Even then, I'd make sure you set up plenty of guarding with plexiglass as the bit will almost surely shatter.

Brian
Taxachusetts

[Quadro]

Thanks for reply Brian,
I think the spindle will burn out at that rpm.
I'll put it down to a bad idea.

Thankyou once again.

[MetalHead]

First real question should be why the heck do you need a HSS golf putter :)

[Quadro]

I don't know?
I have only 'played' golf once, 20 years ago it involved beer at each hole and golf buggies with a trailer full of beer to 'top up'. By the end of the game the Golf Club offered me a job to mow/slash the grass, double vision was not helping:D:o.

I was given this link to a steel putter (http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/272049-cstoker-handmade-no2/) thingy.

[danilom]

this guy made a cnc mill for that task, but his are made from brass

here is his site
http://www.deschampsputters.com/process.html
and thread on cnczone
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/vertical_mill_lathe_project_log/96410-diy_aluminum_vertical_mill_build.html
and video of machining
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vWqH3gp62g&feature=player_embedded

I am posting this as its very interesting and parts have a beautiful finish, you might learn something or even try machining brass on mechmate :)

p.s. don't know why I remember all this stuff but 2 years ago I got cnc crazy and read all interesting stuff on the cnczone :)

[KenC]

Always fancy copper head. some how it feels & sounded better than steel head.