Carbide end mills are extremely heat-resistant and used for high-speed applications on some of the hardest materials such as cast iron, non-ferrous metals, alloys and plastics. They have an excellent performance rate and abrasion resistance and can be used on a wide variety of materials.

These Router End Mills are ideal for plunge routing and producing precise contours – making them ideal for sign making and metal forming.

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Often more expensive, these coatings are added to the bit to reduce wear and friction. However, not all coatings are suitable for all materials and whilst a particular coating may be good for productivity on one material, it may not be on another.

End mills, slot drills, routers, milling cutters, drill bits, V-bits and burrs - what does it all mean? And which bit do I need for what job? For instance, which are the best end mills? and which is the best end mill for aluminium, and which are the best end mill for stainless steel. This article gives you the low down on milling cutters and CNC tooling and the right tools for the job.

3. End mills are the cutters of the milling world and are used for slotting, profiling, contouring, counter-boring, and reaming.

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Endmills, routers and milling cutters are those used in a CNC machine, but if you don’t have a CNC machine then you can use Burrs in a rotary tool.

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The helix angle is the space between the cutting edge and the centre of the tool, so the length of cut if you like. The larger the helix angle the more likely it is to be used on softer materials, the smaller the angle the more likely it is to be used on harder and stronger materials.

They are sometimes referred to as Corn Cob cutters, or Hog Mills - so-called after the pig who ‘grinds’ away, or consumes, anything in its path, meaning they have high material removal rates.

Wonderful for use on a wide range of applications on plywood, hardwood, fibreboard, chipboard, softwood, PVC, plastics, acrylics, ABS, MDF, PMMA and more.

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Similar to square end mills/flat end mills but these have a round cutting edge also known as bull nose (not to be confused with Ball nose as mentioned above).

The craft market has recently exploded with exciting compact, tabletop CNC Routers and Mini-milling machines. CNC Routers are now affordable enough to allow DIY enthusiasts access to this high-precision milling tool for carving and engraving.

1. End Mills cut rotationally in a horizontal,  or lateral (side to side) direction whereas a drill bit only cuts straight down, vertically into the material.

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Cobalt end mills come at a higher price than HSS but provide high-efficiency milling, better wear resistance and toughness.

Fish tail points prevent any splintering or breakout and will plunge directly into your material producing a flat surface.

Most end mills are manufactured from either cobalt steel alloys – referred to as HSS (High Speed Steel), or from tungsten carbide.

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There are multiple types of End mills, each designed with a variety of different factors to enable you to choose the right end mill to match the material you’re working on, and the type of project you’re going to use it for.

The choice of material for your selected end mill will depend on the hardness of your workpiece and the maximum spindle speed of your machine. A solid carbide end mill will give the best performance, with high accuracy, can be used at higher feed rates, and benefits from a long tool life due to the strength of tungsten carbide.

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2. Endmills are available in a wide variety of lengths, diameters, flutes and types, and are chosen according to the material they are cutting and the surface finish required for the project.

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Ball nose mills have a radius at the bottom which makes for a nicer surface finish in your workpiece, meaning less work for you as the piece won’t need to be finished any further.

Great for large surface area work, roughing end mills have numerous serrations (teeth) in the flutes to quickly remove large amounts of material, leaving a rough finish.

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They come in a range of angles and tip diameters. The small angles and tips provided on these V-shaped engraving bits produce narrow cuts and small, delicate engraving of lettering and lines. Available on a 6mm shank, or a 3mm shank.

These TCT Straight Routers have extremely sharp cutting edges for plunge cutting, routing grooves, cutting dados, rabbeting and mortising and will achieve a clean, smooth, high quality surface finish.

So why use an Endmill and not a drill bit? In short, a drill bit moves up and down, and an end mill moves side-to-side (Note: there are endmills available that move in all directions).

4. End mills allow for precision parts to be cut, anything from machine parts, jewellery designs, wood engravings, sign making, plastic cutting, mold making and circuit boards.

Chamfer Mills are used to bevel a wide range of materials, sometimes referred to as countersinks. They will grind and smooth centre holes, deburr, bevel, and countersink on various applications.

4. The exception to this rule is diamond drill bits which have a flat end rather than pointed or fluted. (Unless it is a diamond twist drill which is not used for drilling but for expanding already existing holes such as in beads)

2. Most drill bits have a spiral groove (flutes) which gives the drill bits a twisted appearance and helps to cut away material as they move up and down in the hole.

Specialised software is used to send automated milling instructions or a ‘toolpath’ to the machine which then cuts away a design in your stock material.

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HSS end mills come at a cheaper price, but do not offer the high efficiency, high performance, tool life, or speed capacity of solid carbide end mills.

Commonly referred to as Flat End Mills, square-end mills produce a sharp edge at the bottom of the slots and pockets of the workpiece.