Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | May 10, 2004 01:06am | #1

   Is your dull bit high speed steel or carbide? If it's high speed steel, I urge you to try a carbide bit before you make any big decisions. If a carbide bit costs three times as much and lasts five times as long (just plucking numbers out of the air), then you'd be money ahead.

   End mills, being designed for cutting metal, are not identical to spiral flute router bits. Click on the Advanced Search near the top of the left hand frame and search for the exact phrase "end mill", without the quotes, for previous discussions on this topic.

   Also, a question on technique. Would it make sense to rough out your joints with a regular straight flute carbide router bit and then go back and finish up with a sharp upcut spiral bit? That would make the spiral bit last a lot longer.

   Where have you looked for end mills? My memory matches the word you have gotten, that end mills are cheaper than router bits, but I don't have any up to date catalogs close at hand to check current prices. MSC ( http://www.mscdirect.com ) and McMaster-Carr are the two suppliers I often see recommended for machining tools. Google for the McMaster-Carr URL.

   Most machine shops don't grind cutters, but any friendly machine shop should be able to tell you who does. Also look in the yellow pages for tool and cutter grinders.

1. 
   johnkollar | May 10, 2004 03:06am | #2

   Doing quick google searches has been my source for end mill prices and locations.  Some of them are actually double sided, interesting, but not useful for my PC router.  I ordered a new Carbide 1/2" and two HSS 5/16" bits that won't come soon enough. 

   Thanks for the suggestion about finding a grinder through the machine shop.  I have ZERO experience with sharpening anything other than a Swiss army knife.  Tried to hone my jointer blades and trashed them, I guess I need one of those honing jigs to hold the perfect angle.  I can hear my chisels cry when I attempt to sharpen them every now and then.

   This is the first project that I am doing where I get paid by someone!!  Unfortunately, I am heading out on a big gray aircraft carrier to fly my plane in the Gulf for 8 months.  It stinks when you have to get a project out the door by May 15th and you don't even know how to ship the furniture!!  Lesson learned . . . leave PLENTY of time when someone else's money is on the project.  Thanks for the help!

   -John

1. 
   douglesso | May 12, 2004 06:00am | #7

   I routinely use end mills for milling steel, brass and wood. I also have an FMT. Now most end mills are HSS with TIN coating. There are also many carbide end mills with different coatings. HSS end mills are cheap, they are also soft and that's one reason they are used a lot in metal working. Try to take too big of a bite with carbide and POP they break. Carbide endmills are about the same price as solid carbide router bits. ALSO, many 3/8th cutters come with 3/8ths shanks-- no good. I use end mills with wood in a metal working mill at about 2000 RPM and they work great. For the FMT, I'd stick with a quality carbide upcut bit. The bit that comes with the FMT is HSS, and it will go dull rather quickly. I'd probably buy two carbide bits. The first one will inevitably be destroyed when you accidentally cut into the aluminum guide/fence on the front of the FMT.

   Good luck,

   Love my FMT,

   Doug

2. 
   rmcjh | May 11, 2004 03:44pm | #3

   You might look at a company called ENCO, I think they mainly have metal woorking tools and equipment.

   Roger

1. 
   UncleDunc | May 11, 2004 04:31pm | #4

   I wouldn't recommend Enco to anyone who's looking for quality tools.

1. 
   IMERC | May 11, 2004 06:07pm | #5

   DITTO!!!

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....                                                                   WOW!!!   What a Ride!

1. 
   Adrian | May 11, 2004 09:08pm | #6

   Wouldn't recommend end mills in a router.....solid carbide up-cut spirals are the way to go, use Onsrud, Courmatt, or other quality makers. The CNC forum at Woodweb is a good place to look for tooling info, and on-line suppliers.cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, N.S