Awl --
Here's a technique I'm implementing, for your comment.
I'm facing 2x2x1/8 alum tube, about 48" long, so of course it's being held along X, but not super-rigidly, due to the nature of the fixture -- a kind of diy pallet plate ditty, with no real "stop" along X, just 1/4-20 screws+washers holding the material down in Z. On a fadal 30x16
So facing the ends (em moving in Y) will occasionally present a large milling load, when coming to a vertical wall, as the em moves along Y. iow, for about 1/8", the em will think it's facing solid 2" material.
My solution to this transient load is to first mill out these vertical sections by bringing the em down in Z at the center of these vertical walls, effectively milling out the bulk of the material that would be faced.
NOW, when I face along Y, the transient loads are much lower (judging from chatter), and the em "thinks" it's mostly facing just two 1/8 horizontal walls (top and bottom).
So now, hopefully, I can worry less about movement along X, AND get a more uniform facing.
There are actually 4 of these tubes held on a plate, separated by 1/4" hold-down screws, so there will actuallly be 8 plunges. I figger I'll get all the plunges out of the way, and then do one facing pass, proly won't need sep. rough/finish passes.
So if this is a good idear, hopefully y'all can use it; if there are better idears, ahm all ears...
I figger I'm also getting more "use" out of the em, sharing the cutting load between the bottom and sides.