Is this end mill really worth 90 dollars?

Question

Is there an alternative?

So far its the only one like it I have found. Carbide, 1/4 radius, 1/8 pilot. I have bought three of them. Would have only been two, but I destroyed one the first time I used it. CRINGE!

Sure HSS ones are cheap, but they are huge lumbering lumps by comparison. This carbide one from Lakeshore is neat tidy, and very precision designed.

Is there an alternative?

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The tiny leads, and small pilot are what make this mill more useful than others.

Jim Wilkins · Accepted Answer

On alternative is a tool and cutter grinder, or the fixtures that turn a surface grinder into one. I grind concave circular arc cutters with a round or tapered stone in a die grinder. For making safe edges the exact radius doesn't matter. An old worn lathe with an index plate on the spindle and a grinder on the compound could sharpen those. The small 6-jaw lathe chuck with tapered instead of stepped jaws is meant for tool grinding.

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I have a similar stepped-jaw one made in Mongolia. It's a "Set-Tru" if chucked in a larger 4-jaw.

dcaster · Answer

On Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 9:23:31 AM UTC-5, Bob La Londe wrote

Try checking out AliExpress. You may have to accept a metric sized shank, but I believe you will find corner rounding carbide end mills that are close enough.

Dan

Bob La Londe · Answer

Yep I checked it. Also Alibbaba, Bang Good, and Gear Best.. I'd have to totally change my setup to use a 6mm or a 7mm radius round over mill.

Now if they had a 6.35mm... LOL.

Metric shank is no big deal. I'd just get a metric collet for it.

Is this end mill really worth 90 dollars?

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