using a 1/2" solid carbide compression bit at 15,000 rpm and 600 ipm I can only cut 10 sheets of medium density melamine before my bit dulls. I also have tried a 3/8" at 15,000 and 600 ipm but get the same results. I increased the rpm to 18,000 and to a feed of 700 ipm but cannot tell it made any difference. What is the suggested rpm and ipm for cutting melamine and lam. particle boards?

Randy,

I try to shoot for 0.023" chipload for melamine and laminate. For me, this means 16,000 rpm spindle speed, and 736 inches per minute for a 2 flute compression, or 1,104 for a 3 flute compression.

Your not that far off on the first numbers you listed. Have you looked at the collet care? Spindle runout? Not sure why they aren't lasting. I'm using Leuco brand, but Vortex, Onsrud, and Leitz all make good bits.

Try pushing it as hard as you can until you loose parts, have poor cut quality, or snap the tool. The bigger chip size, the cooler your tool stays, the longer it lasts. It is always a balancing act for these variables.
A LOT depends on your machine. How fast does it accelerate, de-accelerate, etc. When I ran Northwoods I could push a 3/8" 2 flute at 18k ~1200ipm new through 3/4" melamine, but kept it set at ~950 for my operators to make it easier. However 900ipm was all I could go on the Komo without breaking the tool.... I dunno why, it just did? My older, small CNT barely ramps up to 900ipm across the Y axis, I run a 3/8" 2 flute at 18K and still get good bit life even though its actual chip load (due to longer accl & decel times) is lower.
Don't be afraid to snap a tool a time or two to find the limits then operate just below them.

Hope that helps :-)

You should try a 12.7mm Single Flute Compression Diamond Tipped from FS Tools made by FS Cruing, works great outlasts solid carbide bits we have. FS Cruing has many other Diamond tipped Router bits for the woodworking industry you should check it out.

We are running 3/8" 2 flute compression Onsrud Marton bits (coated) We will get 60 sheets of melamine and another 30 sheets of MDF or particle board. Running a Komo @600",16K. When the bit is new we will push it a bit faster, 700". It is running cool enough you can take hold of it right after it stops. HPL is hard on bits we will only get about 25-30 sheets on it. I like to have a very clean cut, no crushing of the melamine face or burring of the HPL. The problem with the diamond bits is they are usually single flute, meaning your feed rate has to be slowed a lot.

Larry-- Yes your right because of the single flute we run it slower but, you can get a two flute of three flute diamond bit if you wanted to. We are using a single flute just because thats what we have usually used but we would like to look into the two flute or three flute but they cost more, but at the same time they do last a while.