# Recommended Places to purchase quality Carbide End Mills?



## DAT510 (Nov 26, 2017)

What are people's favorite places to buy quality Carbide End Mills?  I've looked at McMaster, MSC, and Shars.....   Poking around on the web, I've found a number of other companies, but most of them I've never heard of, let alone know anything about their reputation.


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## Doubleeboy (Nov 26, 2017)

All Industrial  sells pretty good no name end mills.  They frequently have them in lots of 4 , 5 or 10 on ebay at good prices with fast shipping.  They do not in my experience have the high end hi helix, variable flute jobbies but their prices on conventional end mills is very good, especially the ones under 1/2"  Here is an example  
https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-PCS-2-FL...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


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## mikey (Nov 26, 2017)

I find that when I need a good end mill, I can't find one for a good price but when I don't need it, they're all over the place. So, I've taken to watching ebay when I don't need end mills and buy what I often use but don't need at the moment ... does that make sense? Bottom line is I buy name brand end mills on ebay - Niagara Cutter, OSG, Brubaker, Melin, Regal, etc. 

One caveat - do NOT buy used end mills and if you can, buy double ended ones. 

Quite often, you can buy the off sized end mills for cheap. It may be 1/32" under what you want but they will still cut and you can widen the slot as needed. I use these to open or create a slot, then come in with an on-size end mill to finalize the cut. My on-size end mills last longer that way.


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## Dan_S (Nov 26, 2017)

I've heard a lot of people say good things about Lakeshore Carbide.

http://www.lakeshorecarbide.com/


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## EmilioG (Nov 27, 2017)

I do the same Mikey. I buy quality end mills for great prices when they come up on Ebay, all new and most are Niagara, Putnam, Brubaker,
DoAll, Melin, Guhring, and a few Cleveland.  I find the Niagara cutters the best, they come in many flavors, unlike Guhring, which is a great carbide EM, Niagara makes them in HSS, cobalt and carbide.  I will never buy used. There are some good deals on Ebay. You just have to watch and wait.
Prices go up and down on tooling, just like the stock market.  End mill prices seem to be high right now. More demand?  Anyway, check out Ebay and search Niagara end mills.

Dans_Discount_Tools on Ebay has a good selection of new carbide end mills and the prices are very fair. Good seller.


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## aliva (Nov 27, 2017)

Travers.com


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## ddickey (Nov 27, 2017)

You can find great deals on Amazon once in a while.
Here are two name brands I bought recently.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0080BWVIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083LZATY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I paid $47.52 shipped to me door.


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## TomS (Nov 27, 2017)

+1 on what Doubleeboy said.  All Industrial Tools is my go-to store for cuttings tools.  Since I got into CNC milling a few years ago I seem to go through more end mills than I used to.  It's easier to accept that I just chipped or broke a $15 carbide end mill rather than a $40 one.  Not to say the name brand end mills aren't better than the "house" brands but I do get acceptable results with the All Industrial cutters.


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## ddickey (Nov 27, 2017)

There's a 40% discount going on now at All Industrial Tool Supply today only.


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## kd4gij (Nov 27, 2017)

I haven't bought from them yet but, carbide depot has good prices
http://www.carbidedepot.com/4FL-SQUARE-END-C5427.aspx


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## ACHiPo (Nov 28, 2017)

Doubleeboy said:


> All Industrial  sells pretty good no name end mills.  They frequently have them in lots of 4 , 5 or 10 on ebay at good prices with fast shipping.  They do not in my experience have the high end hi helix, variable flute jobbies but their prices on conventional end mills is very good, especially the ones under 1/2"  Here is an example
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/6-PCS-2-FLUTE-SOLID-CARBIDE-1-8-DIAMETER-END-MILL-X-1-2-LOC-X-1-1-2-OAL-BIT/131431898159?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


Just checked out their Ebay store.  Wow, some great deals.  Not easy to find (search) stuff, but worth browsing.  I ordered a boring bar set--I'm skeptical but figured I'd give it a shot.  Thanks!


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## chips&more (Nov 28, 2017)

Before you think the carbide end mill will be better just because it’s carbide and for that reason you must go out and buy carbide end mills. Please first step back and think it out. Your machine must be rigid, have the proper spindle speed, flood coolant would be nice…to name a few. Lacking any of these requirements will just end up with a damaged carbide end mill. I have a six flute 1/2” cobalt that I have used for years!!! And it’s still cutting!!! I can’t say that for any of my carbide. The cobalt will out cut and out last carbide in my shop…Dave


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## TomS (Nov 28, 2017)

ACHiPo said:


> Just checked out their Ebay store.  Wow, some great deals.  Not easy to find (search) stuff, but worth browsing.  I ordered a boring bar set--I'm skeptical but figured I'd give it a shot.  Thanks!



Being in central California you will like their standard shipping.  I live in northern California and my orders arrive in two to three days.


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## ACHiPo (Nov 28, 2017)

TomS said:


> Being in central California you will like their standard shipping.  I live in northern California and my orders arrive in two to three days.


I'm in the Bay Area so I should get similar delivery times to you I'm guessing.


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