Download the custom tool library for machining wax here.
What is machining wax?
Machining wax, or machinable wax, is wax that has been mixed with plastic to make it very hard, tolerant of high temperatures, and able to retain extremely fine details. This means that it won’t melt when you mill it, and it also won’t droop, sag, or deform like many other soft materials, so you can mill very thin surfaces and tiny features. Machining wax is one of our favorite materials, and it machines like a dream on the Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine.
What is machining wax used for?
Uses for machining wax include moldmaking, lost wax casting, prototyping all kinds of parts, dental CAD/CAM, and making jewelry. Since it’s one of the easiest and fastest materials to mill, we often use it when we want to test something that we plan to make in wood, metal, or other materials that take a long time to mill. We also love to eat chocolate, and we’ve made many chocolate molds by milling a wax positive and then pouring silicone over it to make the mold. Scroll down for a few examples.
Is machining wax safe?
Yes! The only danger is that you’ll annoy your friends by telling them over and over how much you love milling it.
Where can I get machining wax?
We sell it in our store in large and small sizes. We don’t recommend using candle wax, paraffin, or other waxes not specifically made for machining, as they may melt, gum up the tool, and fail to retain detail.
What's the best way to fixture machining wax to the bed of my milling machine?
High-strength double-sided "Nitto" tape is a great option, and we recommend using it in conjunction with the alignment bracket for extra rigidity.
Evenly place strips of Nitto tape across the underside of the material. Cover as much surface area as you can. Don't let the strips of tape overlap or wrinkle. Then peel off the backing and press the wax firmly down onto the machining bed.
What end mill should I use when milling machining wax?
Both 1/8" and 1/16” ball end mills are the best for machining 3D objects out of wax because they give the smoothest contours. That being said, this material mills easily with any tool. It’s really quite enjoyable.
What are some example projects?
Chocolate Millennium Falcon Mold
Head Model Prototype
Recommended Feeds and Speeds
To make it easier to use these recommended feeds and speeds, we’ve created a way for you to quickly import into our software all the settings you see listed below. To do this, first, download the Machining Wax Custom Tool Library, which contains all the recommended feeds and speeds for this material. Then open our software, click File > Tool Library, click the “Import” button, and select this file. Before using these settings, it’s a good idea to read through our Feeds and Speeds guide.
Download the Machining Wax Custom Tool Library here.
Note: The feeds and speeds below are optimized for the V2 Othermill. If you're using a Bantam Tools Desktop PCB Milling Machine, Othermill Pro, or Kickstarter Othermill, you may need to experiment to find optimal settings.
Tool: 1/8" flat end mill
Feed rate: 37.402 in/min (950 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 1.575 in/min (40 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 12,000 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.013” (0.32 mm)
Tool: 1/16” flat end mill
Feed rate: 37.402 in/min (950 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 1.575 in/min (40 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 12,000 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.014” (0.36 mm)
Tool: 1/32” flat end mill
Feed rate: 37.402 in/min (950 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 1.575 in/min (40 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 12,000 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.016” (0.40 mm)
Tool: 1/64” flat end mill
Feed rate: 37.402 in/min (950 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 1.575 in/min (40 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 12,000 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.005” (0.13 mm)
Tool: Engraving bit
Feed rate: 39.370 in/min (1000 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 1.575 in/min (40 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 12,000 RPM
Max Pass Depth: 0.003" (0.08 mm)
Note: Keep in mind that the engraving tool has a variable width, depending on your “engraving cut depth” parameter. The deeper the cut, the wider the tool. The shallower the cut, the narrower the tool. If you’re using an engraving tool and the generated path isn’t cutting part of your SVG file, try reducing the engraving cut depth.
Advanced Feeds and Speeds
Warning: These settings are for advanced users. Before using any of the information provided here, you must read the section above on fixturing your material. The feeds and speeds specified here are more aggressive (and thus faster), and improperly fixtured material can be knocked loose and damage itself and your machine.
Tool: 1/8" flat end mill
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.118” (3 mm)
Tool: 1/16” flat end mill
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.118” (3 mm)
Tool: 1/32” flat end mill
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.059” (1.5 mm)
Tool: 1/64” flat end mill
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.031” (0.79 mm)
Tool: 1/100" flat end mill
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max pass depth: 0.005" (0.13 mm)
Tool: Engraving bit
Feed rate: 59 in/min (1500 mm/min)
Plunge rate: 20 in/min (500 mm/min)
Spindle speed: 16,400 RPM
Max Pass Depth: 0.003" (0.08 mm)
Note: Keep in mind that the engraving tool has a variable width, depending on your “engraving cut depth” parameter. The deeper the cut, the wider the tool. The shallower the cut, the narrower the tool. If you’re using an engraving tool and the generated path isn’t cutting part of your SVG file, try reducing the engraving cut depth.