End Mills wanted which brand?

[F-22]

I have an ER32 collet set, and an R8 ER32 collet chuck. I use that set for just about everything. The ER collets grab along the entire length of the collet, not just at the end.

That said, you still need to tighten it well. Just the other day I was milling some snapped M6 steel bolt out of a mangled aluminium alloy casting that someone tried to drill out with a hand drill (but went straight in it with a 6mm drill bit so of course it didn't go straight...). Towards the end, the bolt spun and made the endmill spin in the collet cause I didn't tighten it enough. To be fair - I'm not sure if I'd prefer it to be completely tight cause then the endmill would most likely snap off.

Well, I ordered a new 6mm collet for ~6€ immediately cause I worry the bad one will mangle all my endmills now. All in, I'm happy a single one is as cheap as it is, the MT3 collet that'd fit directly in my mill spindle would be more pricey and probably hold even worse.

 

[908Jim]

Not a professional, but I have sent plenty of time at a Bridgeport and small CNC machines for general prototype work so I feel like I can relate to your needs. If I were you, I'd buy a handful of 4 flute HSS endmills between 1/8" and 1/2" to start with. Your machine lacks the power and rigidity to take big 3/4" full depth passes out of things, so you know you'll be making multiple passes. You won't be running it hard enough to take advantage of any exotic coatings, and you're not using the machine to generate income so you can afford to run it a bit slower and easier.

MSC sells this Cleaveland set which would likely cover your needs, but If you plan on storing them in a drawer maybe buy them individually so you can get the plastic sleeves. For individual, Cleveland or MSC Generic "Made in USA" are more than adequate for you. Other than that, I'd say buy what you need when you need it. If you're hogging out a lot of material, roughing endmills are great.
Set:

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06012991

 

[RoninB4]

I'd suggest you get HSS over carbide. Carbide is so hard it's brittle and will easily chip, shatter under excessive vibration or if there's excess play in the table, spindle, or a lack of mass in the machine itself. HSS can even be re-sharpened (to an extent) where carbide cannot without special grinding wheels. 1/8-1/2" will do just fine even if you're cutting slots. Don't bother with the coated cutters either, not worth the money and often use inferior steel under the coating. Don't buy a set, those are usually inferior cutters. Get individual name brand cutters like Putnam, Niagra, Guhring, Union, Greenfield, OSG, M A Ford, etc. Do a search for brands from an industrial supply NOT from the big box stores (cheap ****).

 

[HenryAZ]

That said, you still need to tighten it well.

My R8 ER32 chuck has a nice big flat spot for a 34mm wrench, and I use this tool along with it:

From my past experience using a wood shaper with individual cutters, I found the best way for final tightening is to get the two wrenches positioned so I can grab both with my hands, and squeeze. That tightens things up very well, so much so they are difficult to undo.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

My R8 ER32 chuck has a nice big flat spot for a 34mm wrench, and I use this tool along with it:

From my past experience using a wood shaper with individual cutters, I found the best way for final tightening is to get the two wrenches positioned so I can grab both with my hands, and squeeze. That tightens things up very well, so much so they are difficult to undo.

I just throw the spindle into back gear to lock / unlock ER32 collets so a second wrench isn’t needed. Doing this also ensures any of my native R8 tooling is also tight.

 

[F-22]

I just throw the spindle into back gear to lock / unlock ER32 collets so a second wrench isn’t needed. Doing this also ensures any of my native R8 tooling is also tight.

Yep, I do the same. But my taper is sadly the MT3 so it likes to get stuck if I leave it in for days.

 

[dr_clyde]

I have ER32 collets in CAT40 collet chucks on the CNC. My tooling rep has told me they're designed to be torqued to 100 ft/lbs so we just bought a torque wrench dedicated to the collet chucks.

If you're seriously having such a consistent issue with tools pulling out of R8 collets that you run a collet system in a collet, I'd have a pretty hard look at your process and what's causing the issue.

I think in the last 15 years I've had exactly one cutter pull out on an R8 collet, and it's because I didn't tighten the drawbar enough. My current mill runs a power drawbar and that helps keep the torque somewhat consistent.

I also almost never run a cutter bigger than 1/2" dia and rarely very hard. If I really was going to push something, a weldon holder would be ideal. That said, a few days ago I was running a 5" long 7/8" mill tapering an aluminum manifold, had zero issues with it wanting to pull.

 

[dutchgray]

I have had my Bridgeport for a little over 2 years and have only just got round to ordering an ER32 collet chuck and collets for it, mostly because I want to get some collet blocks for doing square and hex work and needed the collets anyway
R8 collets hold just fine for most end mill usage, certainly well enough for a beginner.

 

[HenryAZ]

I want to get some collet blocks for doing square and hex work

Those two collet blocks (square and hex) come in very handy.

 

[CHI_Tool&Die]

Millwright is a generic term that means anyone who supports a factory and its equipment. The millwrights in this shop made high precision parts to keep the high-precision machines running. A union shop may have different, specific criteria for what a millwright is and what they do, but this was not a union shop.

I hate the term millwright. So many shops use it for so many different jobs. My shop uses it for guys responsible for moving and setting up the lathes and mills. My last shop used it for guys working only on VMCs and HMCs and used to call the dudes on the other machines machinists. The place before that used to call their tool room guys millwrights and my buddy’s shop has their one-off prototype machinists officially called millwrights. The two biggest shops that recruited from my College used millwrights as maintenance mechanics for the machines. It’s got to be one of the most thrown around job titles I have ever seen.

One last thing to ask. Do I stick with 2 flute or 4?

the 2 flute I currently have has been just fine for my type of projects.

It’s all speeds and feeds, baby! Seriously though if 2 is working out, then stick with it but I’m always going at least 4 because finish and load are important. If you want to get crazy one day, start playing with custom tools. I am using an 8mmx.3Rx20mm 8fl undercut endmill right now at work. It’s got some proprietary coating I never even heard of. I still cannot find the right freaking ratio for the perfect finish pass.

 

[ed_v]

This is what we use at work. www.sandvik.coromant.com

 

[GophersGarage]

Not a professional, but I have sent plenty of time at a Bridgeport and small CNC machines for general prototype work so I feel like I can relate to your needs. If I were you, I'd buy a handful of 4 flute HSS endmills between 1/8" and 1/2" to start with. Your machine lacks the power and rigidity to take big 3/4" full depth passes out of things, so you know you'll be making multiple passes. You won't be running it hard enough to take advantage of any exotic coatings, and you're not using the machine to generate income so you can afford to run it a bit slower and easier.

MSC sells this Cleaveland set which would likely cover your needs, but If you plan on storing them in a drawer maybe buy them individually so you can get the plastic sleeves. For individual, Cleveland or MSC Generic "Made in USA" are more than adequate for you. Other than that, I'd say buy what you need when you need it. If you're hogging out a lot of material, roughing endmills are great.
Set:

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06012991

So I ended up ordering this basic kit

END MILL 10PC SET HSS 4FLT

10 PC. Set End Mills – 4 Flute - H.S.S Size: 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", 11/16". & 3/4" Includes: Wood Case

www.busybeetools.com

I think it should be good with my r8 collets and my mill.

I agree that my machine is not for 3/4" end mills due to its power and size but I do like the idea of having a kit that goes up to larger sizes for the simple reason of being able to machine plastic (nylon blocks). I make tool holders etc so they will be handy with the bigger sizes.

 

[vanapplebomb]

I typically use IMCO carbide end mills. They are not too expensive, and hold up well. They have some nice aluminum specific 2 flute end mills under the Streaker name, and they chew through material well. Apparently they have new 3 flute aluminum end mills which are supposed to work really well. For steel I use their basic four flute carbide end mills.