Can Maxituf plastic lumber be machined?

Yes - you can turn, mill, ream, shape, route, plane, drill and sand it; and  you can even tap it. Best results are obtained, as in all machining operations,  if your tooling is sharp. Start with slow feed rates and work your way up to  an optimum. A few pointers: Turning: Both high speed and carbide tipped tools work well. Negative back rake  is recommended. Make sure that your work piece is at ambient temperature before you make your final cut. Milling: Works best with two-fluted end mills (chip clearance). Drilling: All drilling devices work very well. Again start with lower feed rates  and work your way up. Taping: Back off your tap frequently to remove chips. In general, you will be amazed how nice and easy Maxituf machines. On the other  hand, if the feed rate is too high or the cutter geometry is not quite right you might find yourself fighting long, stringy shavings, especially on the lathe. Maxituf is great for mockup pieces (to verify the path of CNC equipment) or  many little shop projects you may have. A piece of 3x6" with appropriate  holes drilled in it makes a great organizer for all your drills, end mills, tool bits etc. Maxituf is resistant to fuels, cutting fluids and most other  shop chemicals. But best of all - you get a good chunk of material for very  little money and it will not mar the ways of your lathe or milling machine table.

 

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