End Mills

End Mill Range Explored

End mills & slot drills are those all-rounders of the milling world, thanks to these cutting tools being used in milling machines to shape, carve, and cut into materials like metals, wood, and plastics.

Unlike milling drill bits, which only cut straight down, end mills can move in all directions — sideways, downwards, and sometimes even at an angle.

As a result, some are great for smooth finishes, while others are made for rough cutting, so whether you are making slots, pockets, or fine details, the right end mill makes all the difference.

But, how do you know which end mill is right for you?
Well, if you are not sure, we have put together this handy guide to these to help you work out which one is right for you or not. Then, if you are still not sure, we have our friendly customer service team waiting to help you as well.

What Are End Milling Cutters?

Definition: End milling cutters really are the most versatile cutting tools used on milling machines to remove material from a workpiece creating profiled shapes, pockets & slots.

Unlike drill bits, which only cut vertically, they also have sharp cutting edges on the sides and the tip, allowing them to cut in different directions. As a result, they are commonly used for shaping, contouring, slotting, and drilling in metal, wood, and plastic.

End mills also come in different shapes and sizes, with variations in the number of flutes (cutting edges), coatings, and materials all to suit different machining needs, making these a great all round cutting tool.

What is the Difference Between End Mills and Drill ?

While both sets of cutting tools are used in machining, the key difference here lies in their cutting capabilities.

For instance, drill really are designed solely for making holes, whereas end mills & slot drills can shape and contour surfaces, cut slots, and create more complex profiles.

For example, End mills come in a range of designs, including for example:

• Square End Cutters
• Corner Radius Cutters
• Bull Nose Cutters
• Ball Nose Cutters
• Chamfer Cutters
• Angle Cutters
• Dovetail Cutters
• T-Slot Cutters
• High Feed Cutters
• Miniature Cutters
• Up-Cut/ Down-Cut Routers
• Roughing / Ripper Cutters
• Finishing Cutters
• Variable Helix Cutters
• High Helix Cutters
• Differentially Pitched Cutters
• High Performance Cutters
• Stub - Standard - Long & Extra Long Series End Mills
• Double Ended End Mills
• HSS – Cobalt - Powder Met & Carbide End Mills
• Coated Cutters - TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, AlTiN & AlCrSiN

Common Types of End Mills

As you can see in the list below, these milling cutters can give you a lot of different options to choose from, including, for instance:

Flat End Mill

Flat-end mills, or square-end mills, for example, feature a flat cutting edge, which in turn makes them ideal for machining flat surfaces and sharp corners especially well.

Corner Radius & Chamfer End Mill

These types of end mills then have a very small radius or chamfer on the corners of each flute. This helps to reduce premature chipping which ultimately extends the life of the cutter. As a result, these are ideal for high-performance machining or machining harder materials such as stainless steel, heat resistant alloys & hardened steels for this reason. This feature is also known as an edge break or edge protection.

Ball Nose End Mill

Ball end mills then have a rounded tip, making them perfect for creating curved surfaces and 3D contouring especially.

Bull Nose Cutters

Bull nose cutters have a larger corner radius than the corner radius cutters above, these are designed to give strength to the component where a sharp corner in certain circumstances could become a fracture point.

These cutters have a full radius on the bottom of the cutting tool rather than a square end or a corner radius, these are typically used for 3D scanning milling operations in Mould & Die tools.

Roughing End Mill

Designed for high material removal rates, roughing end mills then feature a more serrated cutting edge, which help to break up chips.

Tapered End Mill

Tapered end mills are then used to create tapered side walls in deep pockets and profiled edges, which is commonly found in the mould & die industry.

Drill Mills

A drill mill, is what’s known in the industry as a multi-tool. These combine drilling and milling functions together, which allows users to perform multiple operations all from a single tool.

Finishing End Mills

Finishing end mills then have sharp edges and are used for final machining passes to achieve smooth, precise finishes as a result.

End Mill Materials

End mills can be manufactured from a variety of materials, including, for example:

• Carbide
• Micrograin Carbide
• HSS (High Speed Steel)
• HSS-E (M35 High Speed Steel with 5% cobalt added)
• HSS-Co8 (M42 High Speed Steel with 8% cobalt added)
• HSS-E-PM (Powder-Met – The end mill is manufactured by sintering powder)

With the benefits of some of these are due to the following:

High-Speed Steel (HSS) End Mills

HSS end mills offer you a cost effective tooling solution, these cutters are designed to be used on manual milling machines on softer materials such as mild steels & non-ferrous alloys. These cutters are tough which reduces the chances of chipping the sharp cutting edges while under harsh cutting conditions.

Carbide End Mills

Solid carbide end mills really are a different animal when it comes to machining. Carbide end mills can run at elevated speeds & feeds and can with stand much higher temperatures that are generated during machining processes. Carbide end mills are designed for CNC machining where production times need to be at a minimum. Carbide also works very well across all workpiece material groups due to it’s high hardness structure.

Hss-e with Cobalt End Mills (M35 & M42)

Cobalt end mills are still made from high speed steel except a percentage of the cutting tool contains cobalt – Cobalt has a much higher temperature resistance than high speed steel on its own, these types of cutters are still mainly used on manual milling machines but are designed more for harder materials like, stainless steels and tool steels and heat resistant alloys.
Hss-E (M35 = 5% cobalt)
Hss-Co8 (M42 = 8% cobalt)

Coatings for End Mills

End Mills can then be further enhanced with multiple choices of coatings applied to them.

For example, some common ones here can consist of:

Titanium Nitride (TiN)

This coating will help you improve the tool's wear resistance while extending its tool life at the same time.

Titanium Carbonitride (TiCN)

TiCN is then ideal for cutting harder materials at high speeds.

Titanium Aluminium Nitride (TiAlN) & Aluminum Titanium Nitride (AlTiN)

TiAlN & AlTiN coatings then gives you some great heat resistance, which is ideal for extreme conditions.

How to Choose the Right End Mill ?

When it comes to choosing the right end mil for your application, there are several areas that you need to factor in.

For instance, these can consist around:

The Material Being Cut

Different materials require specific tools and coatings for optimal results. So here, you want to align the end mill with the correct workpiece material it will be being used on.

Speeds and Feeds

Choosing the correct speeds & feeds to run your end mill will prevent premature tool wear while improving the cutting efficiency quality of the surface finish and accuracy at the same time.

Type of Cut Required

You also need to align the type of cut you are after to the end mill being used. For example, roughing end mills will remove large amounts of material while finishing end mills gives you a more precision to use on the workpiece - consequently, you do not want to get these the wrong way around.

Flute Designs and Their Uses

Here, these can have many different flute designs depending entirely on what you need to use the for, including, for instance:

2-Flute End Mills

These are ideal to use in roughing operations ie, full width slotting on softer materials like aluminiums and mild steels where you require a large chip space for the swarf to evacuate.

3-Flute End Mills

These are designed give you a good balance between roughing & finishing with less chip space but faster cutting feeds.

4-Flute and Multi-Flute End Mills

These are designed for finishing cuts on harder material like stainless steels where the chips are smaller in size but more flutes allow for faster feed rates.

In terms of number flutes most commons ones are for example:

• 1 flute Routers – for machining plastics and aluminiums
• 2 flute Slot Drills – for roughing operations in softer materials
• 3 flute End Mills – for medium machining operations
• 4-8 flute End Mills – for finishing harder materials

Why Flute Length is Important?

The flute length of an end mill determines how deep it can cut into a material. For example, a longer flute length allows for deeper cuts, but it can also make the tool more flexible, increasing the risk of deflection and vibration.

Shorter flutes then give you better rigidity and precision, making them ideal for high-accuracy machining.

Maintenance and Care for End Mills

For maintenance of these , you also want to regularly clean your end mills to remove debris, dust, and built-up material that they have left on them, as this will help to then give you the best long-term results on the next use.

Next, you want to make sure that you store them in a dry, secure place as this will help to prevent rust and accidental damage from occurring as well.

Another area to review regularly for the best results is how these tools' cutting ability is becoming.

For instance, if they show signs of becoming blunt, you should either consider a full-on replacement or consider sharpening them to make sure that the output you expect remains consistent.

Applications of End Mill

End mills are used for many applications uses, including, for instance:

Slot Cutting

End mills are commonly used to cut slots in metal, wood, or plastic for mechanical and structural purposes.

Contouring

They help shape and refine the edges of a workpiece, allowing for smooth and precise contours.

Pocket Milling

Used to remove material from within a surface to create pockets or recessed areas in a workpiece.

Drilling

Although not their main purpose, some end mills can drill into materials really well.

Engraving

End mills with fine tips can be used for engraving detailed markings and patterns on surfaces.

Profiling

They are great for shaping the external profile of a workpiece to meet specific design needs.

Chamfering

End mills can create angled edges, known as chamfers, to improve appearance and function.

Face Milling

Used to smooth large surface areas by removing a thin layer of material.

Cutting Keyways

End mills are used to cut keyways in shafts and gears to allow for secure fitting.

Mould and Die Making

Essential for creating detailed moulds and dies used in manufacturing and tooling.

Why Overall Length is Important

The overall length of an end mill cutter will affect both its reach and stability and, therefore, is an important property to make sure that you get right when deciding on which one to buy.

For example, a longer end mill will allow deeper cuts to occur, but it can also be more prone to vibration and deflection, reducing the precision you get as well. Whereas shorter end mills provide better rigidity, making them ideal for high-accuracy machining.

As a result, you can see why choosing the right length will give you the best balance between depth and performance here.

Why Does the Shank Diameter of the End Mill Matter?

For the shank diameter, this matters as this determines the strength and compatibility of an end mill with a milling machine. For example, a larger diameter shank will increase your machining stability while also reducing your tool deflection as it does so, making it especially suitable for heavy cutting.

However, it must match the collet size of the machine for instance here. As a result, selecting the correct shank diameter will help to give you a secure fit with the most efficient cutting performance.

So Are End Mills Right For You?

We hope that by now, you are starting to understand end mill in more detail than you started and how to choose the right one for you.

So, whether you are using high-performance solid carbide end mills or general-purpose cutting tools, selecting the right for the job will always help you get the best results.

Consequently, we hope that by now, you understand the importance of how you should be considering the material, flute design, coatings, and maintenance to get the best performance from your end mills and if you are still unsure, our customer service team is here to help you get the right tool for you.

Contact Customer Support

If you are still not sure about which are the correct Corner Rounding Cutter and cutting tool for you, or you need help, then for further information please contact our team, and we will be happy to help you understand which ones are perfect for you and your team. We can also help you with a number of other drill from Jobber Length Drills, Taper Shank Drills to the right Twist drill set as well, or even cutter drill with a straight flute design to ones with a varying number of flutes and lots more - our team is here to help you.

Standard Delivery Options

We have also extended our delivery service and ordering hours to offer you free next-working-day delivery with immediate despatch, making your shipping experience even easier.

Place your order online by 7 p.m. and choose the delivery charge that suits you - including next-day dispatch - to ensure you get a timely, UK mainland hassle-free delivery of your products.

Standard free UK delivery is also available for all products ordered within the specified time, with free shipping and a good returns policy for certain items as well.

Who Is MSC Industrial Supply Co.?

Here at MSC Industrial Supply Co., we are a leading supplier of industrial machine tools, equipment, and maintenance supplies across the United Kingdom. As a result, we can offer trade accounts, a vast selection of new and great-value products from tool sets to metalworking cutting tools and lots more, with free next-day delivery on eligible orders as well.

Our extensive range includes everything from hand tools and power tools to specialised hole-making equipment like blacksmith drill , core drills, and machine reamers, to name just a few.

As a result, we can provide you with a comprehensive selection of products, including:

• Blacksmith Drill
• Countersink Drill
• Step Drill
• Masonry Drill
• Hand Tools
• Indexable Insert Drills
• Cutting Tools
• Abrasives
• Power Tools
• Reamer Tools
• Safety Equipment
• Centre Drill

As a result, we serve a wide range of industries, from manufacturing and engineering to maintenance and beyond. Consequently, our commitment to providing quality products and exceptional customer service makes us a trusted partner for all your industrial needs.

With our knowledgeable customer support team and technical assistance available Mon-Fri, we ensure you have the support you need to succeed.