DrawandDuck Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ok, got the mill, bits, clamps/vices & related tools......What did everyone use to practice their milling skills before jumping into slides/frames? Thanks Randal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentlemanJim Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Aluminum is rather forgiving with cutter speeds and feeds 1018 steel is sorta gummy... Some sort of relitively low carbon steel is a fair starting point...nothing with any heat treat Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conqueror Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 It's been a long time since I played around with a mill, but when I learned it was on mostly aluminum. It's quite forgiving, doesn't overheat quickly, doesn't work-harden, etc. Brass is also a nice soft learning material if you have a source of scrap pieces, though it's too expensive to go out and buy just to practice on. Personally I'd stick to aluminum until you know your way around the knobs and switches. Once you're comfortable with the workings of the actual machine, then move on to mild steel which adds the trickiness of worrying about materials and speed to the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianH Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Once you're ready for steel find your nearest metal scrap supplier and ask if they have any 12L14. It's low carbon steel with sulfur and lead added and makes learning on steel a bit easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpspeed Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 If you ever come across a shooter with a cracked slide, give him $5 and take it off his hands Nothing like the real thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 BrianH is right on. The lead really makes it cut smooth. That's what they use at the local college to teach lathe work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle40 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Ok, got the mill, bits, clamps/vices & related tools......What did everyone use to practice their milling skills before jumping into slides/frames?Thanks Randal Do you mind me asking Sir. What kind of machine do you got there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Make SURE the aluminum is a 60 or 70 series with a T6 heat treat, if it isn't you can run into some REALLY sticky material that thrives on a diet of carbide..... Stay away from 300 series, 15 and 17 series stainless steels like they will give you cooties, harder than woodpecker lips and tough to cut. 1018 steel is relatively cheap, cuts decently and should be easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Hello: They sell machinable wax for just your purpose. Plastic works great. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 If you want to practice on actual slides, Sarco had some factory rejects that were partially finished. Should be just the thing for practicing lightening cuts, flat-topping the slide, cocking serations, dovetail sight cuts, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Man Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Make SURE the aluminum is a 60 or 70 series with a T6 heat treat, if it isn't you can run into some REALLY sticky material that thrives on a diet of carbide.....Stay away from 300 series, 15 and 17 series stainless steels like they will give you cooties, harder than woodpecker lips and tough to cut. 1018 steel is relatively cheap, cuts decently and should be easy to find. I worked at a place that machined aluminum gas meter bodies. Thier cast aluminum was hell on any type tooling. FM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Probably a 300 series die cast, high silica content and slightly sticky...... Ren Board or 'red board' is a low cost practice material. It is almost wood, almost plastic, machines very easily and is very true in dimension when machined. It is also stable. Bad part is it makes a mess, a dust collector (shop vac zip tied to the head) helps a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Scrap is a few $ a lb for anything from steel to aluminum and back. Pop by the local scrapyard (now called "metal recycling center") and see what they have chunks of big enough to cut on. What kind of machine do you have? 12L14 steel is great stuff, but they don't make many slides or frames from it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrawandDuck Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 If you want to practice on actual slides, Sarco had some factory rejects that were partially finished. Should be just the thing for practicing lightening cuts, flat-topping the slide, cocking serations, dovetail sight cuts, etc. Thanks John, they still have 90% 1911 frames for $29.95!! I am going to order a couple as they will exactly serve my purpose. As for the type of mill, it is a central machinery X2. Not a bridgeport but then again I do not have the room and this table top mill will serve my purpose just fine. I have changed out the chuck to collet holder and added a quality milling vice. For some odd reason I have taken on the task of building my own open gun with the parts I have accumulated over the last 2 years. I'll keep you posted on my progress. Randal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 Practice???? I just put a new slide in and went for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrawandDuck Posted February 26, 2008 Author Share Posted February 26, 2008 Practice???? I just put a new slide in and went for it. WEll, IF I was to JACK UP A SLIDE I would rather it be a $30 to start with instead of a $200....It would definitely keep the cursing and swearing down!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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