Greetings fellow CNCers. I received my Elite Foreman with the redline 80mm 2.2kw spindle in June and have been nugging my way through a few projects with my severely limited knowledge base and skillset. I’ve think I’ve exceeded my yearly data allotment from my ISP watching youtube videos on feeds n speeds for CNC beginners and unfortunately I’m more confused than educated at this point.
So I figured I’d ask this community what are the feeds n speeds you’re running the different bits for various woods that I’ve listed below. I completely understand if some members don’t want to share their secrets (tradecraft), of course but I’d certainly appreciate any advice and recommendations from more experienced CNCers. All of my bits are 1/4” currently but I may go up to 3/8” soon.
1/4” downcut and upcut 2 flute endmill in pine, maple, oak and plywood
1/8” downcut endmill 2 flute
1/16” upcut endmill 2 flute
30 degree v-bit 1 flute or 3 flute
60 degree v-bit 3 flute
90 degree v-bit 3 flute
1.5” surfacing bit
Also curious on your thoughts on stepovers and depth of cut passes. Additionally, I’m not sure what the OF elite foreman with the redline spindle can handle in regards to feed rate. I’ve seen some youtubers pushing the OF to some high feed rates and others saying it shouldn’t exceed 100 IPM.
Again, so many conflicting perspectives out there on youtube so I’m hoping to find a more standardized approach to feeds n speeds here. Thanks again.
Work holding, what is the stock (hardwood, softwood, composite, oily wood…), length of bit, desired finish.
I started with armana settings from their website, dialled the feeds back a bit and gave it a bash with some softwood like pine. When I had a new piece of timber I would do a test cut. When I had new type of bit I would test in softwood.
If you’re not running a business or the jobs aren’t massive and you have time I would be conservative on the feed.
For pockets, a stepover of 40%
Depth of cut varied with stock hardness and workholding. I usually start with 1/3 of bit diameter and see what I get.
Some science but a lot of suck it and see and have your hand hovering over the controller pause.
Sometimes I start with what I think is a good feed rate then but reduce it on the controller before the cut starts and then nudge up until I think I’m pushing my luck.
Hi Charlie – as Andy said, it does depend. Generally I run 60-80ipm at 50% DOC for nearly everything – or I used to until I got the spindle. I had to back things down now since apparently the $800 VFD isn’t as capable as my $100 router
Ed and I developed an app to help calculate speeds and feeds – you can try it out here: https://www.cncexplorer.com
Please do not purchase it though – Ed has since passed away and I don’t have access to the store front to link your account to the app. Still trying to work with his family to get access (I obviously don’t want to pester them too much).
Wow, the VFD can’t handle the higher IPMs? Think they highest I’ve gone with my VFD is 100 IPM but I wasn’t paying much attention to it at the time. I have noticed running a 60 degree v-bit at 18k RPM and 60 IPM seems a bit jerky
Thanks for the feedback. I will look into the Armana website for their settings. I have bits from IDC woodcraft and CIC workshop.
I’d like to get the business going but right now I’m just feeling things out with this CNC. Definitely have had better luck with hardwoods over the softwoods for sure.
I mainly machine European Oak in a production shop
Original BB Woodworker 1.5KW water cooled spindle
1/8 Bit 21,000 rpm 175 Inches per min profile cutting full width 3mm depth of cut, profiles can be from 5mm thick to 25mm thick usually 2 flute down work held either with tape and CA or on Vac table
Pocketing if using 1/8 as above if using 1/4 bit drop rpm to 20,000 and increase depth of cut 5mm
Machine generally runs all day
Cutter life I have just cut or 1,000 of 95mm square 10mm thick in oak using vac bed new cutter every 400 items
Wow, the VFD can’t handle the higher IPMs? Think they highest I’ve gone with my VFD is 100 IPM but I wasn’t paying much attention to it at the time. I have noticed running a 60 degree v-bit at 18k RPM and 60 IPM seems a bit jerky
It’s a combination of wood, DOC, and feed rate. I used to use 80-120ipm at 50% DOC with a 0.25” end mill for everything. With my 1.5Kw spindle, that simply doesn’t work in any wood. I had to back the DOC off considerably to keep the speed - I landed on 150ipm at 0.07” DOC for Hard Maple and Cherry. So a cut that used to take 30mins now takes an hour or more.
There’s a lot of confusion and bogus spindle-power ratings circulating in the hobby spindle market these days. I instrumented the Makita router on my Onefinity with an input power meter, and concluded that their 1.25 hp (932W) peak output power rating is legit. But hobby spindle vendors are misleadlingly specifying spindle power by simply multiplying the VFD input current by the input line voltage. This grossly overstates the available mechanical output power at the spindle shaft.
History is repeating itself here. Back in the 1960’s, radial arm saw manufacturers got into a motor-power ratings war. Instead of using the traditional induction-motor power rating system of continuous mechanical output power, the marketing folks starting touting the “available power” of their saws. Which wasn’t even a thermal limit. If you exceeded the “available power” even momentarily, the motor torque basically fell off of a cliff, and the motor immediately stalled. But hey, those “available power” specs looked damn good to the average consumer, in comparison to an honest continuous-output-power spec. So the honest manufacturers suffered, and the dishonest ones drove the market right into the ground.
How many of you guys own radial arm saws? In the off-chance that you’re interested, buy one made before 1960.
Uh-oh you uttered the banned words! I like Daniel, and I have a lot of respect for him. I bought his “2.2 kW” spindle, eyes wide open, even though the power specs didn’t add up. Based on real engineering numbers, it still has more power than I am likely to actually ever need on my Onefinity. Having advanced degrees in electrical and motion-control engineering, plus over forty years of real-world engineering experience, and after interacting with his tech support, I honestly believe that Daniel simply doesn’t understand his vendors’ performance claims in depth. To be generous, I’ll also extend that opinion to include our forum hosts.
A bit off-topic for this forum, but I’m curious - what kind of RAS did you once own, and why did you part ways with it?
The best advice on feeds and speeds I’m getting from Copilot AI assistant. Describe all the parameters and it will come up with the best solution. So far everything was running great according to the speeds it suggested.
Feeds & Speeds. Sounds like a NASCAR race at Darlington… Sometimes the best Feeds & Speeds can take you out in an instant. I recently found a piece of red oak that proved “dialed in” means absolutely nothing. It’s a game of constantly adjusting….
Which leads to safety… I had a bit snap off at the collet of the spindle and the projectile vanished into thin air. After resetting the machine and replacing the bit, it appears the dust shoe prevented me from obtaining a mild to severe flesh wound. Just a reminder that keeping the dust shoe on the machine is a very good idea.
I doubt Onefinity will replace a destroyed dust shoe or cover stitches under warranty, but I’ve had my eye on one of those new and improved dust shoes anyway….
I like Daniel, and I have a lot of respect for him. I bought his “2.2 kW” spindle, eyes wide open, even though the power specs didn’t add up. Based on real engineering numbers, it still has more power than I am likely to actually ever need on my Onefinity. Having advanced degrees in electrical and motion-control engineering, plus over forty years of real-world engineering experience, and after interacting with his tech support, I honestly believe that Daniel simply doesn’t understand his vendors’ performance claims in depth. To be generous, I’ll also extend that opinion to include our forum hosts.