First Set End Mills???

Hi Kroll,

An abrasive wheel will cut HSS easily. You will need a diamond one for carbide !
 
I suggest you look at Craig's List daily and pick up what you can. Although probably not the quickest, this is a very good way to build up your inventory of tooling, holders, tools, etc..

Ted
 
All Industrial Tools is my go to place for end mills. Their pricing is competitive and delivery is very good. I usually watch for sales and pick up what I need so I have them on hand.

BTW - over time I have learned that I rarely need an end mill larger than 3/8". While a 3/4" will work I don't like paying for the extra material.
 
Before you run out and buy the cheapest set of Chinese end mills you can find, check out what is available on ebay. You might be able to buy a 20 lbs grab bag of once-sharpened name brand end mills for a similar price as the China metal, and be better off for it.
 
I got a cheap set of end mills with my Grizzly, you will make mistakes, it's called learning. I learned a lot about my mill from sound, and vibration, and then bought name brand tools.
 
Luck is on your side, then. Others have learned a lot by ruining a part with an end mill made of TiNi-coated chinese butter. :dejected: :cower::cry:
 
pontiac428 said:
Luck is on your side, then. Others have learned a lot by ruining a part with an end mill made of TiNi-coated chinese butter. :dejected::cower::cry:
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I started with projects that could not be messed up, lots of noodle room.lol Don't ask about the ditch I dug on the bed after a bad vibration pulled the bit out of the chuck, and I didn't check.:mad:
 
get some cheap azz Chinese end mills off amazon or ebay, play around with them for a while, struggle to get good cuts, then once you get all the kinks out of your system buy a few decent new endmills of Amazon (you can get HSS or Cobalt for $5-8 if you're patient and aren't too picky) and marvel at how much better they cut. I used to buy endmills off ebay, but unless they're new it's a crapshoot about how worn they are. A dull endmill will cause you no end of frustration and it's not like you can sharpen them easily yourself.

Over the last couple of years I've built up a very nice set of new long, short, 2, 3 (prefered), 4 flute, finishing, roughing and ball end mills from 1/16 to 1" for probably about $250. I think the most I paid was $10 for a 1" 2 flute to use as a mini face mill.
 
Aukai said:
I started with projects that could not be messed up, lots of noodle room.lol Don't ask about the ditch I dug on the bed after a bad vibration pulled the bit out of the chuck, and I didn't check.:mad:
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I'm glad that I wasn't using and expensive carbide endmill when I learned about climb milling on a machine that's got some backlash.
 
I get it, ruin something cheap since you're going to ruin something... so buy your tools twice... But how about skipping that part, and just going with what works really well? I dunno. Maybe I want good steel because I can sharpen it again and again. Maybe I don't like junk because it costs more than it saves. Maybe I see no reason to buy Chinese gold end mills when we can buy used, resharpened Niagra end mills for $2/ea in lots.
 
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