Carbide End Mills

This blog will educate the user about end mills with posts about speeds and feeds and tricks of the trade. We will discuss the various types of end mills from HSS to Cobalt to Carbide. We will also discuss major advancements in geometry of end mills such as Variable Helix Carbide End Mills for tough to machine materials such as those available at Toolinghouse. www.toolinghouse.com

Toolinghouse offers US Made HSS, Cobalt and Micrograin carbide End Mills at discounted prices. Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 flutes with various lengths of cut and choice of coating. Toolinghouse also offers a high performance 4 flute end mills with a variable helix and built in radius for tough to machine materials. Their VH Series Carbide End Mills offer faster speeds and feeds in such materials as Titanium, Inconel and Hastaloy. It is these types of advancements in end mills that we will be discussing in more detail on this blog.



So what exactly is an end mill? Perhaps if you looked up the definition of End Mill it would read something like this: a milling cutter held by its shank that cuts on it periphery and, if so configured, on its free end. Ok, so what the heck does that mean? Well, an end mill cuts out material to form pockets in materials or channels in materials. It can also be used to plunge cut if the free end of the end mill is designed for center cutting. Perhaps it is a good time to discuss a few end mill terms.

1. Clearance or Secondary Relief: Additional material removed behind the relief to facilitate high metal removal rates without rubbing.

2. Core diameter: Diameter of the, sorry to use this word, "Core" of the end mill as measured at the lowest point of the flutes.

3. Gash or Notch: An additional chip carrying space provided on the end of the end mill.

4. Helix Angle: Angle of cutting edges relative to a plane passing through the tools centerline. The angle can be altered but is typically 30 - 60 degree depending upon the material to be milled.

5. Flutes: Ranging from 2 and as many as 10 or even 12, this is the business end of the end mill. Typically, end mills have 2-6 flutes such as those offered at Toolinghouse. Toolinghouse End Mills

6. Substrate or Material Type: Basically, end mills are produced in a choice of four materials:
HSS, Cobalt, Powdered Metal and Carbide. Carbide is available in a "regular" grain which is usually about 1 micron and a sub-micron grain which is typically in the area of .8 microns. We will discuss more on this in a later post.

7. Land: The area immediately behind the cutting edges.

8. Tooth: This is the portion of the end mill that contains the face, edge and backing of the cutting edge.

9. Flats: A flat surface ground on the shank of the tool that allows for secure holding of the end mill.

These will all be expanded on in later posts. Thank you for your time and please feel free to post any questions or comments.

Check back soon as we are just getting started. For technical support on carbide end mills Click Here.