End Mill Recommendation for new mill owner.

R

Redmech

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This Saturday I'm going to go buy a Grizzly mill. I'm just a couple hours away from the store in Springfield MO. I've weight out many of my options and have decided on the G0761.

I'm looking for end mill recommendations. Should I buy some at Grizzly to get started? My plan is to start making some of the normal machine tool projects out of normal cold roll type steel. Like a toolmakers vise out of 1018, maybe mill some aluminum.

I was thinking some 4 flute end mills, maybe a 3/4" roughing end mill, and then an assortment of smaller ones.

I have a wide assortment of drill bits, some center drills, taps, and that sort.

What brand? Who has the best prices?

I searched the forums and didn't see any threads that matched the info I'm looking for.

Thanks
Ross,
 
Until you really know what you want, search Ebay for specific tools (1/4" four flute end mills) etc., you can often find real bargains, 4 for $5.00, sort of thing. (any other size, too, of course) this is what I've done, it doesn't matter if they don't last, they're cheap. Find out what works best for you then get some name brand, or TiN coated HSS, Don't worry about carbide until you've got a mill that puts out a couple of horsepower.
 
Thanks guys for all the info. Lots of good info on this forum.
 
E-bay for sure if you are just starting out. You'll be burning them up, busting them off, chipping them. I would just search for end mill lots at auctions. You can usually get HSS end mills at various sizes for a dollar or two apiece. They are everywhere on there. Don't go crazy on prices, if you get outbid, another lot will be coming right behind it.
 
Uglydog said:
If you are like me, Then you will trash a few before you figure out speeds and feeds.
I'd suggest that your first several are the cheapest you can find.
Wear eye protection.

Daryl
MN
Click to expand...

I bought one of those cheap boxed sets of TiN coated end mills with five sizes of two and four flute end mills, and I completely trashed the ends of a couple of them. The tools are actually pretty good, now I've learnt more about using them. I recently bought a couple of cobalt end mills to replace the damaged ones, and they are very nice to use. I have a mini-mill and I was advised against buying carbide end mills because if there is any flex in the mill (and there is some, being only tiny) the cutters will break quickly, apparently. That's ok. The cobalt ones are fine for what I'm doing at the moment.
 
I like that idea.

That gives me something to start with, and replace as needed maybe with better quality.

Much appreciated.
 
I picked up a handful of crap chinese 12mm endmills off amazon to learn on.
Non center cutting, terrible material, ect. ect.
But once I got the hang of it and moved to real endmills it was like butter, and the many that ended up snapping only cost like 4 bucks each instead of 10 times that!
 
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