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| Machining Wenge https://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10106&t=45993 |
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| Author: | PeteFede [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Machining Wenge |
Has anyone had success machining wenge? I love the look and sound of quartersawn wenge. I've had nothing but trouble with it clogging uncoated upcutting carbide endmills though. I just cant seem to find the right feeds and speeds for it. I'm wondering if there is a good coating that works with it. What's your experience... advice? |
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| Author: | Rick Hubka [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
Oh Great! I too just bought some Wenge last week for a retirement plaque project and have never cut it before. I guess I'll be watching this thread:) |
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| Author: | Seeders [ Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
It's been a little while since I've machined it but I don't recall having any issues when I did. For general cutting I typically run at 18500 rpm and for a hardwood like that probably .5-1ips. It depends on what kind of cuts you're making and size of bit as well. What speeds are you running at? Have you tried a downcut bit if the upcut is giving you trouble? |
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| Author: | Sheldon Dingwall [ Thu Jul 09, 2015 11:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
We machine a lot of it. Our problem is blowout on end grain not clogging but we're limited to 9K RPM. We don't use coated tools. What tools and processes are you having problems with? |
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| Author: | Bob Garrish [ Mon Jul 13, 2015 11:06 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
It cracks and blows out, but no woods are particularly difficult to machine. Tool coatings also don't apply in wood. If it's clogging then it's burning/packing and you need to speed up your feed rate relative to your spindle speed or take a lower depth of cut. Sometimes the easiest thing to do with woods that have sticky chips is to just run a double or triple finish pass (spring pass) to clear out or loosen the chips so they can be blown out with air. |
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| Author: | Bobc [ Thu Jul 23, 2015 8:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
Have you tried using a climb cut? Higher RPM slower feed? |
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| Author: | Sheldon Dingwall [ Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Machining Wenge |
We climb cut, slow the feed down and take three light passes instead of a roughing and finishing. It seems the light colored soft grain in wenge deflects or crushes when the tool edge is engaged in the hard grain allowing the hard grain to fracture. |
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