SFA: What's the Answer?
Quartzite: Tool Burnout
Ron Kurtzweil
We have been having a hard time with quartzite, Taj Mahal this time. This bit was working great before this happened. I was running 6 ipm at 5500. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Been struggling with the Z-wheel as-well.
Shelby Duncan
Slow it down to 4800. Check your heights to make sure it’s getting water all the way through the bit. Use a water hose on top to help keep it cool.
Jarred Smith
On 3cm Taj we’re at 3 ipm and 3200 rpm with the Terminator G5. Like Shelby Duncan highlighted, Z height is very important. Make sure those water ports are centered in the stone.
Carson Byers
We just finished a large job with Taj today. Not my favorite material to work with!
Aaron Neal
First pass just to mark it, then stop the saw, run a new program, cut it by hand.
Travis Harper
Not enough water.
Josh Hartzog
I agree. Do the bucket test to see how many gpm you have internally and on the halo.
Bill Dooley
A diamond closed (got hot and glazed over) with quartzite will be common. There is a balance between federate, rotation, and water, lots of water. Different tooling and machinery will have different reactions. Also look at the material itself. Notice as the color changes you will see amp valves fluctuating. It is a dance.
James Bailey
Slow down to 4200. I've found that with more segments it runs smoother, so we use seven-segment.
Christopher Finch
Lapitec core bit.
Ben Dockstader
6-8 ipm @ 3800-4200rpm.
Christopher Graham
Same as Ben Dockstader. Terminator g5. We use it for everything.
Alex Bores
That’s not a quartzite bit.
https://helixtools.net/products/quartzite/
Andrey Telepenko
Make sure you have enough water and I’d recommend the green finger bit from DeFusco, super nice. I can help if you need.
Mike Ezell
Slow your rotation, and feed rate. Also, I have had better luck with the Scorpion bits from BBI.
Jake Reid
Cut out by hand or on saw. Leave 5mm and take rest off on CNC. Yes, I said 5mm. lol
Tyler Winn
Low rpm and feed rate.
Patrick Johnson
Jerry Herring just ran an Italdiamant Evogres Dekton bit through Taj, it ran shockingly well. He could tell you what speed and rpm.
Eric Lievers
Incremental bit 2mm steps 5500rpm at 600-1000mm/min down to 20mm deep. Then, regular router can pass through the 1cm at regular feed rate (4800-5500rpm at 400-450mm/min). If you incremental-bit the entire thing the bottom will blow out. Stopping short and finishing the last 1cm with router prevents this Keep clean edge, good feeds and speeds and reduced amps on machine while getting through process with decent fab time.
CJ Brown
Terminator G5 or Red ADI 5 ipm 4200 RPM
Brad Tvs Trahan
Taj Mahal is wicked. You have to slow the rpms down. Slow production down, take your time, and get it right.
BJ Wallace
I won’t even put Taj on the CNC. It’s a waste of time. We just hand-fab. Did I mention I hate this stuff? lol
Shanon Gregory
Charge double.
Dustin Blagg
I've had luck with not running too many LF at once. Run a few pieces and then run some quartz. The bit glazes no matter what ipm or rpm. It just gets too hot. Run some quartz to dress the bit in between quartzites.
Billy Brown
I usually step-cut it. Sometimes cut like 1/8th down, then I take the aloha saw and follow the cutout and pull it out. Then finish it with the CNC.
Albert Gasparini
Try using S-Complex in your water. I know if you use a quartzite bit and use S-Complex it will cut fine. Pm me if you want more information
Eric Reddick
Call David Stout and get the correct fingerbit and Z-wheel.
Daniel Zamudio
Do step cut and run it on 90% 4800, 5200rpm. Also, don't walk away; keep an eye on it since there are some spots a lot harder!! What matters the most is keeping an eye on the rpm and playing with it.
Cri Cnc
Taj mahal is a bad beast.
Brad Dugan
Make it hand-work.
Michael J Sellars
Use the feed rate and rpm recommended by the tool manufacturer. They're designed to have a removal rate with each rotation. If you spin too fast and move too slow, you'll glaze your tool or round your diamonds.
Richard Tran
Rough-cut by hand, then pre-pass the shit out it with a Z-wheel instead of trying to cut it out with a mill.
Jacob Conrod
These fingerbits work fantastic on quartzite. 200mm/min 4500rpm.
Ron Kurtzweil
Thanks everyone. I will update when our next quartzite job comes in.