I found this today and thought that I would find an answer for a question that I had. It was headed hard Al vs mild steel-
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=9651.30
I am still confused!
I recently bought an Atlas horizontal mill, and I very happily took it home. Shortly after replacing the original motor, I started to make a light cut on a piece of steel to cut a hex and my spindle pulley started spitting pieces out of the machine. I started making the pulleys out of pump shaft material that I scrounged up, but it was hard on all my HSS and carbide cutters that I used on it. Plus when I had the largest one started- the motor countershaft pulley- I realized that it would be very heavy compared to zamak.
I decided that the 6061 T6 would work fine after doing some research, and switched to it. After reading the thread, I wondered if I should have tried using something else.
I am making 4 new pulleys for the machine.
Could somebody give me some advice before waste any more time and effort? ???
Thanks for the help.
Fred
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=9651.30
I am still confused!
I recently bought an Atlas horizontal mill, and I very happily took it home. Shortly after replacing the original motor, I started to make a light cut on a piece of steel to cut a hex and my spindle pulley started spitting pieces out of the machine. I started making the pulleys out of pump shaft material that I scrounged up, but it was hard on all my HSS and carbide cutters that I used on it. Plus when I had the largest one started- the motor countershaft pulley- I realized that it would be very heavy compared to zamak.
I decided that the 6061 T6 would work fine after doing some research, and switched to it. After reading the thread, I wondered if I should have tried using something else.
I am making 4 new pulleys for the machine.
Could somebody give me some advice before waste any more time and effort? ???
Thanks for the help.
Fred