Ignoramus4117 wrote:
Pete, I always had bad luck with HSS. But, perhaps, it was because I
did something wrong or they were dull. Anyway, I am willing to give it
another try under ideal conditions. So, would you recommend one
particular HSS drill bit (say 3/8), I will buy that one and will give it an
honest try, at the exat recommended speeds and feeds.


The Chinese HSS end mills in the blue plastic tubes with paper labels
with the size
rubber stamped on them are abominable crap! I used to buy HSS end mills
from
some surplus flyers, and got Hanita, Iscar, etc. brands. Then, they
started sending that
Chinese CRAP and I stopped buying from those outlets. Some of them were
very
CLEARLY sharpened freehand!

Now, if I buy end mills larger than 1/8", I get M-42 HSS, with Cobalt.
These have much
better wear properties than plain HSS. I have to admit I am spoiled, I
learned on a big
box of surplus Pratt & Whitney Stellite cutters, which are the best of
both worlds. Tougher
that HSS, but wear hardness nearly as good as carbide. The M-42 is
nearly as good, and
a FAR cry above plain HSS, which I tend to wear out darn quick, even on
aluminum.

Jon