End mill for routing slots in wood?

[Len Rosenberg]

What type/brand of end mill do you recommend for making slots in 3/4" thick maple? The slots will be about 3/4" long and wide enough to allow a #10 screw to pass through. I tried to research this but all the results related to using end mills on metal.

Thanks very much for any advice!

Len

[Jim Becker]

Spiral up cut is what I would use for a hand-held router for your stated purpose, but absolutely have a sacrificial backer under the material so when you make your final pass you keep a clean edge on the bottom. No need to get fancy with brand for these ubiquitous pieces of tooling. While I have some Amanas from early on, most I've purchased since have been SpeTool or similar off Amazon or EBay. (I keep a bunch because I use a CNC)

[Charles Lent]

About 20 years ago I tried using end mill bits for woodworking and gave up. Though they will cut wood, they don't do as good a job as the woodworking bits. Speed and the shape of the metal working bits is not the same as woodworking bits.

Charley

[Bruce Wrenn]

First, I haven't done this, but everything I read says to use up spiral end mills designed for aluminum. I have, but haven't used them, a couple sets of HF's up spiral bits for use in the router. They are supposedly HSS bits.

[Bill Dufour]

Solid carbide, upcut, aluminum cutting. As few flutes as possible. If you try anything other then 1/4" or 1/2 " good luck finding a collet to match.
BilLD

[Bruce Page]

End mills designed for cutting metal typically will have a different flute geometry than router bits designed to cut wood. An inexpensive carbide 2-flute up-cut router bit is your best bet. A 5mm (.196) bit will give you a bit of clearance for a #10 screw.

[Richard Coers]

End mills are not designed to spin at 20,000 rpm. I've always found them much slower cutting than router bits. Including the aluminum cutting end mills.

[Cameron Wood]

I have some end mills that I've used for years. They work, but cut slowly. If the slots are short, i.e. for wood movement, any should be fine.

[Warren Lake]

Onsrud CRO-285, 1/4, " upcut, 1" cutting length, wicked sharp. Best bits ive used for that type of work.

[Len Rosenberg]

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

[Greg Quenneville]

You don’t own a domino by chance do you?

[Len Rosenberg]

You don’t own a domino by chance do you?

Brilliant idea, he said sheepishly ... Thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious to me!

I've actually done that in the past, but so long ago I forgot. Love this forum ...