[Busch_dk]

As a hobby project I am thinking about making custom playing pieces for a board game. To get a reasonable level of detail I would probably have to use a 1mm(1/25") router bit but I have no idea if it has a chance of working - without the acrylic chips clogging up the bit or the material melting or the bit breaking.

Anyone willing to guess if this could work and give any advice on feeds, speeds and depth of each pass? Additional info: the bit has two flutes, spindle speed between 5,000 and 25,000 rpm

-Søren

[Fred27]

Yes. I do that sort of thing all the time on my little Proxxon MF70 mill. Make sure you use cast acrylic rather than extruded, as extruded tends to melt.

[Busch_dk]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you have any advice on feedrate and depth of each pass using a 1mm bit?

I tried using using a 0.5 mm pass and the bit broke instantly when it made contact with the material.

[Fred27]

I do 1mm depth cuts with a 1mm two flute end mill happily at 100mm/min. I have done 200 but that felt like pushing it. Spindle speed was about 8000rpm. Did the bit break when cutting sideways or as entering the material? End mills don't work well as drills. I find I need to either ramp it into the material or plunge very slowly.

[Busch_dk]

The bit broke when ramping into the material. Probably because the feedrate was much higher than 100mm/min. I'll get a handful of 1mm bits and try again, starting with the feed rate you have been working at.

[beone]

Use a mix of dish detergent and water as a coolant-lube. Bout 50-50. Just brush on before and during cut
Dave