Sounds like you need a refund……

the spindle speed is ok for aluminium 385 for steel with a 4 flute hiss cutter

Edited By Zan on 11/07/2019 15:08:41

You need to give us a bit more information. Are you cutting using the full width of the cutter? Profiling or surfacing? Are you cutting free cutting mild steel, some unknown scrap, or a known alloy of aluminium. For mild steel 1500 rpm is way too fast for an HSS endmill and would result in a blunted and hot cutter.

Russell

do you mean the Jacobs chuck ? if so then totally unsuitable for milling especially with the size of cutter you are using – you must use a milling collet (eg an ER-type or a collet held in by the drawbar)

What is the chuck you are using? If it is a drill chuck, then it is for drilling only, not for holding milling cutters.

Cutting using the Z axis with a 16mm four flute end mill is not recommended. The Z should be locked and the X and Y should be used.

Most, but not all four flute end mills are not intended for end cutting and will not like plunging more then 1mm.

I'm sure one of the members could recommend a book on how to use a mill.

Is the cutter sharp? is it coated? As it should not be getting hot at that speed in aluminium with only a 0.5mm DOC.

To reduce the top of that part down to height I would be setting the cutter to the full height you need to remove and then taking passes of 3-5mm across the work, why use just the end of the cutter when you have paid for the whole length.

Lock the head to the column and lock the quill to the head and lock the axis you are not feeding along. Bit of paraffin or WD40 will also help

I know of a good series about milling for beginners!

Just in case it's the chuck, here's a photo of a small Jacobs Chuck mounted in an ER32 Milling Chuck.

The Jacobs chuck (silver with teeth) is for holding twist drills; Jacobs don't resist sideways forces well and are really only good for drilling holes. In this photo I have the Jacobs gripped in an ER32 collet chuck; collets are good for sideways forces. You should be using a collet chuck like the upper one.

As mentioned the rpm is high for HSS and Aluminium and there's a good chance you have aluminium swarf welded to one or more of the cutting edges. Not good! Don't worry you should be able to scrape it off with a screwdriver, or dissolve it in Caustic Soda solution. Lubrication is very helpful with Aluminium; a light oil like paraffin or WD40 not water. Doesn't need flooding, just regular splashing with a brush. Also, make sure the cutting area is kept clear of swarf. Recutting swarf is bad too, and will amplify any looseness in the set-up.

The manual that comes with the machine is a simple overview of the various controls etc, what it is, not how to use it.  Jason mentioned his beginners series currently running in Model Engineering Workshop – recommended, otherwise a book like Harold Hall's 'Milling' – Workshop Series No 35, will help and the internet is your friend!

Last point, do you mean cutting downwards by Z-axis? If so 4-flute cutters are complete poo at that because they choke on their own swarf. Four flutes are for slicing shelves or sideways along an edge, not for cutting an enclosed slot. A 2 flute cutter (aka slot drill) is needed for that job.

Possibly there's something wrong with the mill, more likely you're just at Learner Driver stage. It takes a while to get used to milling machines and it's well worth doing some swotting and experimentation. The forum is always good for advice.

Hours of fun ahead!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 11/07/2019 17:12:09

There is a loose end here. Warco say the WM18 is supplied with a 13mm drill chuck. The cutter was 16mm.

Phil said he was machining the top surface down to the reduced height so tool was fine for that use. Also that slot can't be finished with a slot drill it has radius corners soeither needs a radius corner mill or roughing out and finishing with a ball nose cutter.

As to 16mm cutter in a 13mm drill chuck it could be a reduced shank cutter, I have some 1/2" ones with 3/8" shank.