Can a Long Mill cut a deep pocket hole on Hard maple

I am considering purchasing a Long Mill. There is one specific project that I have concerns if this CNC is capable of doing. The part that I would like to produce has a 16 mm wide x 67mm deep pocket hole and is 129 mm long
The workpiece is a hard maple block and measures 25 mm wide x 73mm deep x 160mm long
Long Mill staff advised me that the Makita router that they can supply with the CNC can only take 1/4 shank router bits. Before I purchase I thought I would ask the communities opinion

Hi Larry,

Although the Z Axis travel is 4.4 inches or 113 mm, I think the issue may be with bit choice. Hardwood like maple requires a heftier bit, My 1/4" End mills can cut maple just fine the problem is most of the ones I’ve seen are 2 1/2" in length and your requirement is 73mm or 2.87". Need some room for the shaft in the collet. I have seen some longer bits on Amazon 3 1/2" and a 4" but I have no idea how much they might flex. Maybe the longer bit and limit the depth per pass to something very small and a slow feed rate might work. Also, not sure what corner requirements for the job, the larger the bit, the rounder the corner.

Larry, I made some Romeo & Juliette cutting/chacuterie boards out of hard maple. Handles were pocketed and 6/8 deep. Also, I did a 3/8 round over profile around all the edges on both sides. The Longmill churned through it easily. I also did some ball in a cage projects out of oak. This was a 4 sided job so these were 1"deep 5" long pockets from two sides using a .25" endmill, but I am sure the carve could have performed straight through if I wanted.

Hi Bill.
Thanks for the reply. I want to mass produce is a wood block for the percussion industry. I made a prototype with a jig and a hand held router but I used a spiral up cut bit with a 1/2 shank. I took several passes but with good results. I am not sure how well a 1/4 shank would handle the job. Is it not recommended to swap out the Matika for one that could accept a 1/2 and 1/4 shank

Hi Larry,

I have a couple of Bosch routers that accept both 1/4" & 1/2" collets but they are much larger motor OD to fit, most larger units are 3 1/2" Diameter 2HP + motors, my current Longmill mount is the 71mm , 2.79" mount, the larger motor routers are also considerably heavier.
There is a big reason router manufacturers do not offer small or compact routers that accept 1/2" collets, safety is one, motor failure is the other.

Larry, from your description (and my imagination) you are putting a round hole in a wooden block. I could be simplifying it! :smiley:

Wouldn’t that just be easier with a drill press and clamping jig?

Is there more to it that requires a CNC router?

@CrookedWoodTex Tex: His description says the pocket dimensions are 16 mm wide x 67mm deep and 129 mm long. Not a round hole. :grinning:

I’m so confused! :grinning:

My apoligies It is a slot not a round hole

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Larry, do that project with the big router, but build a fixture to guide the router around the slot. These small CNC routers just aren’t made for deep heavy cutting. (I’ve got a Shapeoko.)

I’m not saying it can’t be done, but you did say “I would like to produce” so time is money.

And, BTW, get the CNC router. You’ll find plenty of uses for it; even if this one doesn’t fit.

Thanks for your comment. I am looking for something that can do some production work.
Every machine dealer in my area is trying to sell me a router in the price range of $90, to 100,000 . I could by one from China that sell for less than $5,000. I don’t feel comfortable buying from them

I also would like to be able to produce 6,8 and10 inch circles with a 5/8 inch blind hole in the centre. These are made from 3/4 inch Baltic birch. We presently do them on a band saw . This requires lots of manpower . We make hundreds of them

+1 to you on the China thing. My sentiments exactly.

I really don’t think the current “hobby” machines will hold up to heavy production. They all will produce a part, but …

I think you should be looking at something like a Camaster Stinger or equivalent. ( Stinger Series CNC Router Machine for Sale | CAMaster )

Why not buying an old and massive slot drilling machine?

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