Mark,
This question has been answered many times if you do a
Forum Search - but generally speaking, 13-15,000 RPM, 0.7, 0.5 MS should get you in the ballpark.
There are a few rules when cutting AL. ALWAYS ramp into the cut & never drill or plunge straight down into the material. AL will weld itself to the tip of the bit, rendering it useless. If you do need to do 'drilling' select a smaller diameter bit than the hole to be drilled & do an inside profile toolpath - preferably with a spiral ramp plunge. You will find ramp entry options in the profile and pocketing toolpath strategies in PWorks.
You will want a single flute spiral-O flute tool for cutting AL. Onsrud & Harvey Tool are excellent choices. If you use dust collection, no coolant or lubrication are required.
In terms of hold down, you will want to make sure the AL is held down well. If it moves around, it can break the bit in short order. The ideal setup would be vacuum. I have not yet designed one specifically for the Desktop series of tools, but it would not be too difficult. A good shopvac is all that is needed to hold down most parts, but if you have smaller parts (surface area matters!) you will want to get a vacuum pump capable of delivering higher levels of suction than a shopvac can deliver.
You can use carpet tape (Ace Hardware indoor/outdoor with fiberglass mesh works well) to hold down the AL as well, but it sometimes holds so well that you run the risk of bending the AL when you go to pull it up on the thinner gauge stuff. If you cover the back of the AL with masking tape, then use carpet tape, it will be easier to get it free. Clamps and screws are not very effective in my experience, because they tend to tweak the flatness of the sheet, making it pop up in another area. You can add tabs/bridges to the AL to aid in hold down, but it all depends on the design & if you want to trim/sand tabs after you cut the parts.
Two more things...1) Wear safety glasses - even with the machine off, sometimes static electricity is generated and when you move the material, polarity can shift where you get a -- or ++ condition & AL chips WILL shoot straight in your eyes. (This usually happens with vacuum) and 2) AL sounds 'all wrong' when you cut it. It has a resonance to it that is different from anything else you've cut. As long as you choose the correct bit, and get the RPM & MS in the ballpark & the material is held down well, you will be successful.
-B