Ever since the 1F WW showed up on my doorstep the frustrated makers in the neighborhood have been feeling around for the edges of its capabilities. My stock reply, material-wise, has been wood, plastics & soft metals, no steel/ferrous metals. And I haven’t actually tried anything other than wood and foam. But beyond a vague sense of cutting force, cooling and lube issues, I don’t have an understanding of what drives the actual limitations. Someone asked me this afternoon if it could cut a hole pattern (multiple fan grilles) into, e.g., 28ga sheet steel, and I don’t know if the answer is along the lines of “I’d need a new bit, and would have to cut REALLY slowly and add lube every 10 sec” or more like “NO! Putting an iron atom on the 1F table is like crossing the Ghostbusters’ streams.” Can anyone help a noob understand where to draw the lines, and what crazy things he should never try?
My non-CNC experience cutting in to thin metal sheet with a drill bit is that it often catches an edge and ruins the hole and becomes dangerous. I am wondering if you might experience similar outcomes using a CNC, even with different bits and cutting strategies. I imagine however a thicker sheet of aluminum would work well for a grill.