cheapest endmills

[laddy]

Hey,
What do you guys feel is the cheapsest endmill to buy? I am making an endmill holder and thought that the 3/8ths endmill was the cheapest. If so I will continue, if not I will adjust. What is your opinion. Thanks in advance, see you at Cabin Fever! Fred

[dsergison]

I just use old broken off drill bits for endmills.

/really cheap

hey -what the heck did you expect?

[Tinkerer]

I think your asking about shank dia. as opposed to cutting dia. That's a tossup... build a 3/8" if it works out you can always build other sizes.

Tim

[Thrud]

The cheapest endmill is the one that does the job right the first time, everytime. That is not the same as the lowest cost endmill - two different birds.

I have found that it is never cost effective to buy crappy tools - they always cost you far more in the long run. Some of my cheapest tools (most cost effective) made me cry to buy them. In retrospect after realizing their greaterr worth - I wish I had thought of it sooner. One word of caution though - don't try complicated things with expensive stuff - screw ups are bad. That is something you learn with age - grace and not abusing your tool(s). http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net//biggrin.gif

[SGW]

You'll almost certainly, eventually, want a range of holder sizes. 3/8" seems like a good one to start with though, so do that one. You can get 3/8" shank end mills in quite a range of cutting diameters, so it will a good general-purpose holder. Then you can add 3/16" and 1/2" holders when you're inspired to do so.

Although I certainly can relate to your preoccupation with cost, being a tight-fisted Maine Yankee myself, in this case I expect the effort to find the absolute cheapest sizes of end mills to buy is more trouble than it's worth. I think you'll find it more productive to be on the lookout for good sale prices on quality end mills, in the sizes that are best for the jobs you're doing.

[hoffman]

I may be wrong but I think you guys missed the point. I think he's asking if what's the cheapest size to tool up with. For instance would a good quality 3/8 shank Emill be cheaper than the same brand 1/2 emill.

------------------
Hoffman in Warner Robins Ga

[BillH]

3/8th seams good, but again, thats the max my little micro mill will take.

[metal mite]

The 3/8 would be most useful.
Laddy can get mills from 1/8 to least 1/2 to fit that one holder.

Hey laddy, You do root canals?
My doc says I may need one.

He's not a jack of all trades. Sends me out for everything cept cleaning, drilling and filling.
I may be looking for someone that can do everything.

How's that thing with the blue light work?
Is it like the cold soldering gun now seen on tv?

In your neighborhood.

mite

[torker]

When I first bought my machine I bought R-8 holders from 3/8" to 3/4". I use the 3/8" the most but I'm happy I got the other sizes. I've picked up some really cheap, good quality endmills on Ebay (ya ok...and some crap too) that I can use in all my holders. I have quite a few endmills in 3/8" shank from 1/8" to 1/2" so I'd have to say that is the easiest to tool up in my experience anyway.
Russ

[laddy]

Hey,
Thanks for the input> I guess I will continue with the 3/8ths shank.
Mite, The reason your guy sends stuff out except the cleaning, drilling and filling is because of the "malpractise insurance" junk. If there is someone in your area that is a specialist and he gets a bad result it is OK but if the general dentist gets the bad result he is hung out to dry for not referring. I used to do root canals, extractions and other surgury but the insurance people force the changes.
Thanks all for the advise!! Fred

[dvk]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by BillH:
3/8th seams good, but again, thats the max my little micro mill will take.</font>

I made a endmill holder to hold 1/2" endmills, works real good on the micro.
Made from your favorite steel 12l14..
I want to make a holder to hold all the larger sizes up to 3/4" mainly for doing facing cuts on the workpieces.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/ddkiz/00001278.jpg


[This message has been edited by dvk (edited 01-15-2005).]

[BillH]

DVK, I have 1 3/8th shank 1/2 endmill, im reluctant to try it,ever since I bought a 5/8 drill bit and turned down the shank to 3/8ths and tried drilling on the micromill, it nearly destroyed my workpiece. I also used the .5" endmill for plunge cutting and few times stalled the works. Being my only mill I try not to stress it too far, but it seams like every time I go to use it now, its getting too far stretched. A need for a bigger mill has driven me to apply to Walmart and work there between my classes next semester, and im a full time student. All in the name of metal working.

[dvk]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by BillH:
DVK, I have 1 3/8th shank 1/2 endmill, im reluctant to try it,ever since I bought a 5/8 drill bit and turned down the shank to 3/8ths and tried drilling on the micromill, it nearly destroyed my workpiece. ...</font>

My only mill is my micro, but I had trouble doing a lot of deep slot cutting because of the inherent wobble in the quill. I found that I could push my thumb against the spindle and rock the whole head assembly forward and that was causing all the problems of chatter and everything. So once I got my bench top drill press raised another 8" so I can secure my crosslide table to it, and use it for acurate whole placement, I got rid of the drill feature on the micro, and made it a dedicated mill by locking up the quill with micro feed, then I made a something, picture to follow, that I put between the spindle box and quill head and as I tighten up the screws it would expand and wedge tightly betwen so now the wobble is completely gone, and the quill and spindle box now are solid as one piece and vibration issue is gone, I mill 3/8" wide slots on very slow speed, I can cut close to 1/4" deep in a pass with sharp end mills. This really improved the performance of the mill.

Here is the picture of the expander thing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/ddkiz/00001200.jpg