Cabinet cutting suggestions please

[bjones]

HI there.. we're just getting into the possibility of mass production of cabinetry with the ol'shopbot and I had a couple questions. Seems these things will be cut from 3/4 double sided black melamine for the most part. For those with the 2 horse spindle how many passes, what IPS and what bit would you use to maximize CNC time cutting this material??

Thanks!
/brian

[dray]

You could cut it in one pass with a good vacuum system around 400-600 ipm I would imagine.

Melamine is not my favorite material to work with but if cutting in a single pass you would probably want to use a double helix compression bit (up and down spiral) to avoid chipping.

Wish I could be of more help but I try to stick with MDF or baltic birch

[richards]

Brian,

Maybe someone who has a 2.2hp spindle can help out here. I have the 3hp Colombo spindle. When I cut MDF in one pass, it takes all the power that the spindle can produce. I cut some yesterday that pulled 11A. That equates to 3.5hp - more than the spindle can handle. At the end of one sheet of material, the cutter was HOT, even though the chip load was 0.025. It was a new cutter.

I would think that two passes would work. In the future, I'll be using two passes with my Colombo.

Melamine cuts a little easier than MDF most of the time, but even then, I get uneasy when I pull more than 8A which is about 2.5hp.

[beacon14]

I have been cutting 3/4" 2-sided melamine-covered particleboard with a lowly PC router at 6ips, using a 1/4" compression spiral, 1st pass .73" deep, 2nd pass through. I could cut in one pass if my vacuum table could handle it.

[bleeth]

Mike-The chip load calculators are a guide only. You need to fiddle with it to get it right due to the major geometry difference in bits that have the same designation in the calculators. There is also the major difference in bit brands as well as geometry. For single or near single pass cutting you HAVE to use the better quality bits and solid carbide only.