Where should I buy my endmills?

[Virgil Johnson]

...and what brand should I buy?

Virgil

[David G Baker]

Virgil,
It depends on what you are planning on using the end mills for and how much you are going to use them. You can get them from Enco, MSC, Harbor Freight may even have some. I have a small tool room milling machine and 98% of my cutters are used, purchased surplus, garage sales, etc. I don't think I have ever purchased a retail priced end mill unless it was for a specific job that I didn't already have a cutter for. I don't generally even look for brand names, I look for the material the cutter is made from. For my metal lathe tools I like to use Momax which has worked well for me. I do use some carbide cutters that work great if I don't break them.

[Scott T Smith]

Most of mine have been purchased from J&L industrial Supply (now a division of MSC), but e-bay is also a great place to watch for them.

[Leigh Betsch]

I get mine from Mcmaster Carr. Probably not the cheapest but they have them is stock with quick delivery.

[Stephen Edwards]

I get mine from these folks:

MidWest Cutting Tools Inc.
833 West College Ave
Waukesha, WI 53186

262-896-0883

You can see their product line at this page:

http://midwestcutting.thomasnet.com/

And here are their endmills:

http://midwestcutting.thomasnet.com/category/end-mills

They list a toll free number but when I've tried it, it doesn't work. They also don't answer emails, it seems.

Once you get beyond that, they're good folks to deal with and have excellent products at good prices.

They do nice custom work, too. They can make about anything that you want in terms of endmills, drill bits, special cutters for DP circle cutters, etc. Great sharpening service, too.

[Mike Heidrick]

Call Onsurd and ask them.

[Dave Cav]

I have had good luck with WT Tools http://www.wttool.com/. They often have surplus or reground end mills for really good prices; their regular prices aren't bad, either.

[Russ Buddle]

Centaurian tools. The spelling may be wrong. They are located in Luray Virginia. They have a pretty good website, and fast shipping. I have been using their end mills on my CNC for 2+ years, and they last longer than others I have tried. Prices are very fair, and they make a good product.

[Greg Cole]

I buy a fair amount of machining "stuff" from Travers Tool Company (www.travers.com). The online catalog is clunky, so I build my shopping list from the cataglo or from the empty boxes from cutters etc.

[Stephen Edwards]

Why are they called endmills?

Thanks!

[Ralph Barhorst]

I use endmills for spiral router bits and I always get them from ebay.

[Virgil Johnson]

Thanks for the help everone.

I like to get opinions from real users rather than depend on advertising claims.


Stephen

I think they are called endmills because they have flat cutter on the ends.
But I am not sure.

I have a worn set that I use as slot mortising cutters.
They don't "drill" but sort of grind away at a surface bit by bit as they are pushed down into the material and dragged across it.

Virgil

[Bill White]

End mills are primarily used in metal work though I have used them for some WWing projects.
Bill

[Mike Schmall]

Travers tool co.
MSC
Enco

[george wilson]

Atrax end mills are good quality,and USA made. I buy them from MSC. I am not sure if they just make carbide. They were less expensive than a lot of other makes. I was using them on metal,but also mill mortises and other woodworking operations on my milling machine.

DO NOT try drilling holes with an endmill,unless the work is very securely clamped. And by securely,I mean by metal cutting standards. they are made to cut sideways,and you can very easily get into a very dangerous situation if the end mill grabs,like losing a big hunk of flesh. I knew (didn't like the guy. He was an idiot.) someone who managed to run a router across his palm. Really messed up his hand.