# Aluminum facing bit alternatives? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Chat\ **Created:** [February 9, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704 "2023-02-09T23:18:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ROTM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@ROTM](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/ROTM)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/1 "2023-02-09T23:18:29Z")
Good day. I am looking for a bit for facing aluminum. The only one I found with inserts is this one [RC-3400 CNC Solid Carbide 4-Flute Insert Face Milling for Non-Ferrous Metals 2-31/64 Dia x 15mm x 1/2 Inch Shank End Mill / Router Bit (amanatool.com)](https://www.amanatool.com/rc-3400-cnc-solid-carbide-4-flute-insert-face-milling-for-non-ferrous-metals-2-31-64-dia-x-15mm-x-1-2-inch-shank-end-mill-router-bit.html) Any other tried and true alternatives? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![davidcnc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@davidcnc](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/davidcnc)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/2 "2023-02-09T23:32:49Z")
What’s your spindle RPM envelope and how much material do you need to remove? What kinda hurry are you in? ---
**Author:** ![ROTM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@ROTM](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/ROTM)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/3 "2023-02-09T23:51:39Z")
I’ve got the 3hp so 8000-24000. Not really in a hurry I usually do small items. 4x4" max. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Erik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@Erik](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Erik)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/4 "2023-02-10T13:31:09Z")
I was told by RIP precision tools that you could face aluminum with the Slab Slayer as well. ---
**Author:** ![antero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@antero](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/antero)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/5 "2023-02-10T15:56:24Z")
I have used that Amana Tool RC-3400 with pretty good results. My dialed in settings were: 8000 RPM 60-80 IPM 1/64" DOC 2" WOC The only trouble I had was with the imperfect tramming of the Avid (have a 2x3 Benchtop Pro), nothing to do with the cutter. Surface quality of the cut was great, but you could catch the edge of the passes with a fingernail. Good enough for the project at the time, but wish it was better and doubt that I can reliably get a better tram across the whole X axis range. So, I also got a Datron 0068444, haven’t tried it yet - the hope is a smaller diameter cutter would be less sensitive to the imperfect tram. ---
**Author:** ![Bstanga](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/bstanga/32/791_2.png) [@Bstanga](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Bstanga)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/6 "2023-02-10T20:13:34Z")
can you tram the benchtop? Dial that sucker in, it will be time well spent ---
**Author:** ![subnoize](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/subnoize/32/2197_2.png) [@subnoize](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/subnoize)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/aluminum-facing-bit-alternatives/1704/7 "2023-02-10T21:44:45Z")
I am a Havey guy but I hear the YG-1 O-Flutes Rock some serious surface quality on the cheap. I can’t find them in Amazon but they have the 3 flutes which are good too. > **[YG-1 28593 Carbide Alu-Power End Mill, 3 Flute, 45 Degree Helix, Regular Length,...](https://www.amazon.com/YG-1-28593-Carbide-Alu-Power-Uncoated/dp/B0080AVYFW)** > > YG-1 28593 Carbide Alu-Power End Mill, 3 Flute, 45 Degree Helix, Regular Length, Square, Uncoated Finish, 3" Length, 1/2": Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific