I would like to, very honestly, try HSS end mills to mill aluminum.

To that end, I want to ask if anyone knows a good source of affordably
priced, but decent, HSS end mills. I would start with a few 1/4"
ones.

i

In article ,
Ignoramus24155 wrote:

I would like to, very honestly, try HSS end mills to mill aluminum.

To that end, I want to ask if anyone knows a good source of affordably
priced, but decent, HSS end mills. I would start with a few 1/4"
ones.

i

Depends on your definition of decent, I suppose. I'd start with "what's
on sale at Enco this month" and look for the made in USA (at least) or
actual brand-name domestic product. Other regular posters seem to be
more enthralled with items which I don't consider to be "affordably
priced" for HSM use - YMMV.

Hertel (I don't know where that's made) 4 flute for $7.59 or TiN coated
for $8.89.

Enco (hecho en chine) $2.99 2 or 4 double ended. $2.49 single-ended.

Various other options....

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

I bought a whole cabinet years ago for $200. Still haven't went
through 10% of it

Sounds like a good buy. Any particular sizes which you are
getting low on yet?

Enjoy,
DoN.

I'll probably never buy another cutter except for the most unusual
ones. Just yesterday, I really could have used a 5/16 by 3" reach two
flute, no joy - don't have it. I also have a 1.5" endmill holder
without a cutter. Its the only one for over fifty in the rack that
doesn't have a cutter mounted. I really should complete the set.

I cruised eBay for endmills for over 20 minutes last night. Its dang
near all vendors selling one or two new ones. Not at all like years
ago where many offers were large lots of used stuff. Ebay is not what
it used to be, glad my aquiring days are largely over.

Karl

Karl Townsend wrote:

I bought a whole cabinet years ago for $200. Still haven't went
through 10% of it

Sounds like a good buy. Any particular sizes which you are
getting low on yet?

I'll probably never buy another cutter except for the most unusual
ones. Just yesterday, I really could have used a 5/16 by 3" reach two
flute, no joy - don't have it. I also have a 1.5" endmill holder
without a cutter. Its the only one for over fifty in the rack that
doesn't have a cutter mounted. I really should complete the set.

I cruised eBay for endmills for over 20 minutes last night. Its dang
near all vendors selling one or two new ones. Not at all like years
ago where many offers were large lots of used stuff. Ebay is not what
it used to be, glad my aquiring days are largely over.

Just a grammatical nitpick, but usually "cheap" and "good" don't go
hand-in-hand; maybe "inexpensive" or my favorite, "reasonable." ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

In article ,
Ignoramus24155 wrote:

I would like to, very honestly, try HSS end mills to mill aluminum.

To that end, I want to ask if anyone knows a good source of affordably
priced, but decent, HSS end mills. I would start with a few 1/4"
ones.

I got all my endmills, mostly HSS, from a local used tool place, for a
dollar or two. You do have to sort through the bin and pick out the
useable ones. And even if they are no perfect, I wanted mistakes to
cost $2, not $30 apiece.

Joe Gwinn