Harbor Freight Micro Mill

[Bruce Johnson]

I was going to speak up before about this...

Please don't encourage people to try cutting aluminum with woodworking routers! Someone is going read that, misunderstand the limitations, and get themselves seriously hurt. When (not if) the bit grabs, it will explode the bit, rip the router out of your hands and/or throw the workpiece violently.

Yes, aluminum can be routed, but it's almost always done with special aluminum cutting bits that are designed with zero rake geometry and blockers to limit the bite per tooth. And, unless you have a router with 5hp or more running at the right speed, the depth of cut will be limited to less than 1/16" per pass.

Don't even attempt to rout a pickup-sized opening through 1" thick aluminum plate with a woodworking router. Please don't even suggest it, because someone will try it.

[jonson]

Sorry if I come across sounding as I am suggesting people try this Bruce. I am not, I am just saying what I do. I would have thought anybody would at least try and find out as much as they can before trying something. I have also stated I am running at very slow speeds but no I don't use cutters fitted with limiters because that is not the normal practice in the window industry.
Most aluminium cutters look like this, DIYTOOLS.COM: Trend TRES551014TC Router Bit - Aluminium and give very little problem.
I am no so called expert and there are people that have gone a lot further in this than I have. this is worth a read BaDassumption - The Photo Shoot... - update - 5-5-2007 - WizD Forums.
My problem is I never like being told this can't be done, as in the threaded magnet one going on at the moment which say's you cannot machine alnico.
So this morning just for the sheer hell of it I lathe turned a spigot on the end of a 5mm alnico slug. Bit rough but then I couldn't be bothered to sharpen the cutter I was using.

[David King]

Well I'll be damned!
Sorry I repeated some lore I got from a magnet supplier that proves to be fictitious.
Since Alnico comes in 6" rods, we can all start threading our own magnets on the lathe and making our own custom lengths.

[Spence]

I have a slightly larger version of this mill. It's got me out of a lot of sticky situations. However, they are not accurate really. You have to be accurate.
If your budget allows, MicroMark have mills with digital axis readouts. A better prospect all together.