Got my Journeyman a couple days ago. Running my first job … based on Meyer’s Waste board and it’s an estimated 8 hours 
I clearly have a lot to learn about feeds and speeds LOL. I’m just happy to scratch a 4 year old itch with owning a CNC.
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LOL Yes I was very conservative at first too, its a definite learning curve for sure but you’ll get the hang of it. I run most jobs if they are just milling with a flat end bit on the OF around 75-85ipm and use my DOC to adjust for material variations.
Clearly that is NOT a universal statement but true for most jobs I do at least. That is the same running a 1/8" or a 1/4" straight bit. But once you get comfortable you can surface your WB with a 1" surfacing bit (provided your WB is MDF) in under 7min without much issue at all.
Good Luck & Glad you finally scratched the itch!!
-Alex
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I was curious how I would get feeds/speeds from Bits that don’t provide a guideline online or a V Carve data base - However, within reason you may be able to see other similar bits information as a guideline IE If you look at the Amana speeds/feeds they have on their website, you might be safe using those same feeds/speeds on a bit with the same dimensions or at least using them as a starting point (Maybe go slower then they suggest)
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Thanks for the tips. I think what slowed this down so much is the boring operation to bore 368 holes in the 48x32 wasteboard. I chose a 2 degree ramp which I’m thinking is way too shallow for each pass. Regardless, it’s a lesson learned on the journey and it’s a good exercise to put the machine through its paces and make sure everything is in good order.
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oh Terry one last thing. A good way to learn the speeds is to look at the chips coming out. If you start your carve and let it go for ~30 seconds and watch it. Then stop your machine you can go back to your CAM software and adjust the speeds and reload/rerun your file. It will cut air for the first ~30 seconds but from then on you should see the new feed speed cut ships and again go back and forth till you learn.
I would not do this on a prize piece of wood but its a great way to learn, maybe adjust the speed up 10ipm at a time. or increate the DOC by a 1/32 etc.
Alex
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