[dreygata]

Hey guys,
You all have been a great help while I've been setting up our Arrow 500. So I have another question, what is a good tooling set for a shop that is going to only be doing prototyping (occasional use of the machine) with aluminum being the likely material?

Thanks!

[txcncman]

Machining tools are not generally sold in "sets". You pick and choose the tools most likely to be used in your operations. Just saying "prototyping" does not give anyone else enough information to make any recommendations. Give some examples of material types, sizes of parts, and types of geometry to be machined.

[dreygata]

I wish I could be more specific, but I cannot, as this is more for future applications rather than us needing anything now.

We will definitely be using aluminum (probably the cheaper stuff, nothing aircraft quality)
As for sizes, I really have no idea, probably smaller parts (smaller robots for example)
Geometry... um mostly rectangular parts if I had to make a guess.

I guess to better specify the question, what are the most commonly used end mills that are used for aluminum? What would be a good set to have that could cover most aluminum applications?

[txcncman]

End mills for aluminum are usually best uncoated carbide (and HSS). Only get lengths needed for flutes for maximum depths of cut that you are doing (i.e. don't use a 2" flute end mill for a 1" depth of cut unless you absolutely have to). 3 flute end mills usually work best in aluminum for optimizing speed and feeds while reducing chatter. Since you are working on CNC machine, usually there is no need to get "special" sizes, normal "regular" fractional sizes should work just fine (i.e. 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 1/2", etc.). Drill index that covers all fractional, number, and letter sizes to 1/2". Silver and Demming drills as needed for sizes over 1/2". One good 3" inserted face mill with inserts for aluminum. ER32 or ER40 collet tool holders and collets are highly recommended. Specialty cutting tools and inserted drills only as needed.

Again, tools needed depends specifically on the part to be made.

[uli12us]

I generally recommend collet holders before drillchucks as well for drills and taps. They are much cheaper, smaller and have no problem with CCW rotation. Except you make only single parts, the toolsetting don't lasts longer. For colletholders I use many ER16, only for the bigger tools I hve 5 or so with ER32 or Er40 if you like it better. For the tools I use the same as txcncman, but for small diameters in ally there is fewer are better, if you need a 1/10" slot theres better you use a singleflute tool then a 2 or 3flute, because the chipspace is much bigger. If you want use facemills or generally tools with changeable cutting inserts, don't buy special tools from a single manufacturer, instead that take a tool, where many manufactureres have the inserts, like SEKA, APKT or similiar. They are generally cheaper and if one can't sell you the insert you need, you can easy buy it from another source.

[dblox]

txcncman said it best, I started out with a slightly bigger machine doing prototypes in aluminium, and what he said is what I did.
Lots of ER32 holders, a good set of drills, a few solid carbide uncoated endmills in common sizes and a big inserted facemill.
The only thing I would add to this, is buy a smaller maybe 3/4" inserted two flute endmill with uncoated inserts.
This will save you on tooling costs when roughing out big pockets or profiling large shapes.