WAY too many holes!!!

Mainly just venting. Cutting about 800 3/8" holes through 5/8" plywood with .060" AL laminated to the face. Tried drilling, didn't work. Tried 3/8" center cutting plunge router bit, didn't work (left a slug that burned as it was pushed through the ply).

Settled on 1/4" upcut, spiraling into the material. Toolpathed a drilling routine, then find/replace the M3 commands with a CP so I could use the spiral feature.

So far it is working decent, but at the expense of about 2 hours per panel!!!

Customer was supposed to supply HPL with metal face, but they brought .060" solid aluminum sheets, Oh well.

Also, anyone have any experience cutting cement type Wonderboard??

Thanks for listening


Gabe

I've cut 1/4" wonderboard. Only had to cut one sheet. I used a 1/4" masonry bit, it had the checked diamonds on it, not flutes. I ran with ramps in (no plunging, bit did not look like it would allow that) and ran fairly slow, 1 ips if memory serves. I ran at 18k RPM. I doubt I got it "right" but it did the job leaving a dusty mess. Not something I'd not want to do in production but all my plumbing holes were cut quite nicely.

/RB

What about using a Rotozip carbide or diamond bit?

To be honest... I think the 1/4" bit I used was a rotozip, it was from the big orange store. The bits I had on hand did not have cutting edge all the way to the end. The bit I purchased did and seems to have worked fine. The bit was labeled for use with cutting masonry.

/RB

First hurdle is that the .060" is laminated to the wonderboard as well. So I either need something that can cut both media, or cut the AL first, then swap bits to cut the cement board.

We'll get there


Gabe

sounds like getting the originally planned material will be well worth the time and inconvenience.
Good luck though. We would generally give it a try, requote, and recommend something we either know works as planned or carefully explain the charges for the R&D and tools to experiment.
Hope it turns out as a positive for you.

Jerry, that was my initial request, but not happening.

I'm running the AL covered cement board right now. 1/4" 2-flute up-spiral, 19K rpm (mainly to get thru the AL without chunking), 3 ips spiraling into the hole. Seems to be running fine, 1600 holes and no breaks


Wish me luck,

Gabe

Amazing what happens when forced to make something work or figure it out.
Good for you and I'll cross my fingers for you.