Free Tool Libraries for Every Material and Common End Mill Size

2018-09-05 | By Bantam Tools

License: GNU Lesser General Public License

Courtesy of Bantam Tools

Even if you’ve only done just a few projects on the Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine you know the importance of using the correct feeds and speeds for your design and material type. This is a topic we’ve previously covered in detail in our Speeds and Feeds Guide and Materials Guides, but with the recent addition of SVG milling in Otherplan, we've made it possible to mill designs without creating G-code or thinking about speeds and feeds ahead of time.

If you're using a dedicated CAD/CAM application, such as Fusion 360, feeds and speeds are set within that application and built into the G-code that you export. When milling PCBs, .brd or Gerber files are loaded into Otherplan, and the feeds and speeds are automatically configured for milling FR-1 boards when you select an end mill.

Now that you can mill SVG files out of any material in Otherplan, we had to create a way to preload all the speeds and feeds for each material and end mill. You can always create your own custom tools by using the Otherplan Tool Library, but we decided to make it even easier and create tool libraries for every material and common end mill size. You can import our standard tool library .json files into the Otherplan Tool Library and use them right away.

So, for instance, if you’re milling aluminum, you can download the custom aluminum tool library file, which contains the standard and advanced feeds and speeds for all the tools we carry. Then open the tool library in Otherplan and import the .json file you just downloaded.

Next, select this custom tool from the drop-down menu, and you’re ready to mill an SVG design in aluminum!

Before using these custom tool library files, it’s a good idea to take a glance at our Speeds and Feeds Guide, which describes how to think about the feeds and speeds found in these libraries. In general, our standard speeds and feeds are best viewed as a safer starting point, and it’s smart to mill a test part, modify your feeds and speeds based on the result, and repeat testing until you get the results you want. You can always open up a tool description in the custom tool library and tweak it until you get the perfect finish.

Are you ready to mill some SVGs? You can download all the custom tool libraries here:

If you’re interested in learning more about creating custom tools in the Otherplan Tool Library, the process is covered in greater depth in our Tool Library Guide.

If you run into any issues, have a question or feedback, please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know!

Got a neat Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine related project you've made? We'd love to see it! Either tag #bantamtools on social media or drop us a line at support@bantamtools.com.

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Free Tool Libraries for Every Material and Common End Mill Size

2018-09-05 | By Bantam Tools

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