Quote Originally Posted by Danimal View Post
SST has some heat transfer issues. Basically you have to have the exact right milling speed. Too slow and you rub meaning that you contact friction melt your tools. If you have a super expensive mill, and the $20,000 plus software package to run it there is no issue and they can crank it out as easy as anything else. But anything less than that you have to sit there and watch the machine to make sure you don't eat a end mill. It is very interesting, if I mill too slow even on wood it will friction start a fire, but if I cut through with blazing speed it is not even warm to the touch. I think that the added hassle makes some machinists shy away from it for small one off production.
Right tool for the job definitely helps. SS can certainly eat tools if the Surface Footage is off. Machine rigidity is crucial as well.
The software only gets you so far. The principles you outlined make a project run a lot smoother when added to awesome CAM software.

I have always been intrigued by the home built equipment. Nice work.