Milling Of Small Parts

I think the dials would suffice for that accuracy. ''Trust but Verify'' with your mic. Since you posted a picture and I can see what you are doing, I would use a 1/2 inch, 4 flute end mill, about 400 RPM, full depth of cut (- 0.010 for a clean up), and about a 0.200 step over.

Just grind the radius on the end unless it requires a lot of accuracy.
 
Thank you all. I'll try a corner rounding end mill at another time on a rotab. for the radius.
I'll posy a photo of the completed project soon.
 
Can you drill holes with a center cutting end mill?
 
Yes, you can make holes with a center cutting end mill, but expect them to go oversize.
 
EmilioG said:
Can you drill holes with a center cutting end mill?
Click to expand...

T Bredehoft said:
Yes, you can make holes with a center cutting end mill, but expect them to go oversize.
Click to expand...

I normally avoid drilling holes with an end mill where possible. It's better to at least drill a pilot hole then plunge with the end mill. As Tom says, the end mill will walk around a bit. The primary reason I would use an end mill to drill a hole is to move a hole over or straighten out a miss drilled hole.
 
in addition to Jim's excellent advise.
i sometimes will use an endmill smaller than the intended size on purpose, then clean the bore up with a reamer or correct size drill.
i'll use this process when removing broken bolts in soft substrates like aluminum
 
Yes, that is sound advice. I've seen where a machinist drilled a pilot hole /through, then used an end mill to open it up then used
a tap to get a nice clean straight tapped hole.
 
If done on a BP, I would use a 1/2" endmill and take one pass and leave about.01 for a finish pass (for depth). From end of part take half diameter of cutter and step over. 5-600 rpm, use oil or spray bottle with coolant.
 
Thank you. I won't be doing any drilling with an end mill. But I did see that Guhring has a new end mill called
the Diver, that claims to do it all, ramping, drilling, plunging etc...
 
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