# Feeds and speeds for cutting HDPE **URL:** \ **Category:** Plastic\ **Created:** [February 12, 2024, 3:50am UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/feeds-and-speeds-for-cutting-hdpe/25308 "2024-02-12T03:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![YXYJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@YXYJack](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/YXYJack)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 3:50am UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/feeds-and-speeds-for-cutting-hdpe/25308/1 "2024-02-12T03:50:10Z")
Sharing my experience in case it helps someone else. Material: HDPE - “King StarBoard Marine Board” brand in 0.490" thickness Operations: full thickness slotting, full thickness pocketing Here are the feeds and speeds that worked for me: 0.125" dia conventional upcut endmill, two flute (an single flute O-flute is often recommended but I didn’t have one of those) 100 IPM @ 0.08" DOC (probably could go both faster AND deeper - provided can clear chips) spindle speed ~11K rpm (even slower normally better with HDPE, but it seemed like I had a harmonic around 10K) plunge cuts at 30 IPM with full retract (to clear chips; probably could plunge faster) ​conventional cut (NOT climb cut) NO FINISH cut necessary to achieve good surface …and the big secret: blow compressed air at the bit to aggressively clear chips. A dust shroud was simply inadequate for clearing chips in the slots, leading to chatter and chip rewelding onto the base material. -Mark ![IMG_4485](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/onefinitycnc/original/3X/4/0/40475a2bb7ca4b718abd422b1e98a92e7c927e03.jpeg)