Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] What is the difference between Center Cutting vs Non-Center Cutting EndMills?

glee@... wrote:

> I'm looking at the latest Airgas flyer with end-mill specials. They have
> "Non-center cutting" end mills.
>
> Is this a way of describing if the end mill can cut from the end vs the
> sides?
>

A non-center cutting end mill cannot plunge straight into the work, like
a drill bit. The center of the cutter is not ground to cut metal, and will
just mash it a bit. These mills can be made to plunge when moving
sideways, however. Note that most endmills, even those sold as
center-cutting, don't really cut well at the center, because the velocity
is so low there.

A number of outlets sell extremely poor quality Chinese-made end mills,
in blue plastic tubular packages, with a paper label. These are horrible
tools, and not worth more than about $0.30 each. The metallurgy is
VERY inferior, and the sharpening looks like it was done by a blind man,
by hand, with a bench grinder! You really want to avoid these tools.

Jon