Milling cutters

[timber]

Does anyone on here use milling cutters (the ones made for metal ) in their routers, and if so what size cutters are available with a 1/2" shank.?
When I asked ARCEURO this is their reply i.e:- Quote (All our products are suitable for milling metal. Generally, they are not suitable for wood. Please accept our apologies.) I must admit the answer to my question was responded to in seconds.
Timber

 

[Racers]

I use slot drills in mine, they work very well, the long 1/2" ones are fantastic for for the ends of wooden worktops.
I use 1/2" and 1/4" mostly but I have 10mm and 6mm collets.
You can get cobalt (tungsten carbide) ones that seem to last forever, my 1/4" one just doesn't seem to blunt.

Pete

 

[Harbo]

No but I've used a wood type to mill some brass using a router.

Rod

 

[graduate_owner]

I have tried milling wood with new milling cutters in my milling machine and they cut very well. The finish is generally poor but I put that down to the cutting speed which is only about 2000 rpm, so I only do this where the finish is not important, eg cutting a mortise. I can tell you though that new milling cutters are very sharp, certainly sharp enough to slice fingers when fitting them into the miller.

Overall I think it would be worth giving it a go, but I would suggest new cutters, as the edge will obviously be affected by cutting metal. You can probably get a new cutter for about £6 depending on size. Used cutters might give you a poor finish and put you off this for good, and you would go through the rest of your life never knowing how well this technique might work for you. ( How dramatic).

K

 

[oakmitre]

I have used tiny ones 1.8mm-0.8mm with a 1/4 to 1/8 inch reducing collet in my trim router.

They can be used for resin filled inlays, but are limited in depth.

 

[shed9]

Does anyone on here use milling cutters (the ones made for metal ) in their routers, and if so what size cutters are available with a 1/2" shank.?
When I asked ARCEURO this is their reply i.e:- Quote (All our products are suitable for milling metal. Generally, they are not suitable for wood. Please accept our apologies.) I must admit the answer to my question was responded to in seconds.
Timber

timber, can I ask what you intend to cut with this scenario, I assume wood but it's possible you want to cut metal.

Also depends on your router what collets you can fit, i.e. you may get away with 8mm and 6mm along with the usual 1/4". I know you specify 1/2" but you asked what could be fitted within that.

And of course you could fit an ER collet system straight into your own router collet. It will introduce some imbalance and not the best method but it opens up your options in one feel swoop. Something like this is what I mean;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Standard-ER20 ... SwqrtWnHNc

 

[timber]

Does anyone on here use milling cutters (the ones made for metal ) in their routers, and if so what size cutters are available with a 1/2" shank.?
When I asked ARCEURO this is their reply i.e:- Quote (All our products are suitable for milling metal. Generally, they are not suitable for wood. Please accept our apologies.) I must admit the answer to my question was responded to in seconds.
Timber

timber, can I ask what you intend to cut with this scenario, I assume wood but it's possible you want to cut metal.

Shed9
I have a milling machine for metal and quite a few cutters.
I have just bought a Legacy router lathe and just thought of using metal cutters in the router.
They are a lot cheaper than wood router bits, and I am sure they will last longer when cutting thick ply.
Although the Legacy is a ornamental lathe it can do other things when fitted with a rotary table etc. Very much like rotary milling on my metal working mil, also straight line cuts,and fluting on flat pieces. All good fun!!
Timber

 

[shed9]

Does anyone on here use milling cutters (the ones made for metal ) in their routers, and if so what size cutters are available with a 1/2" shank.?
When I asked ARCEURO this is their reply i.e:- Quote (All our products are suitable for milling metal. Generally, they are not suitable for wood. Please accept our apologies.) I must admit the answer to my question was responded to in seconds.
Timber

timber, can I ask what you intend to cut with this scenario, I assume wood but it's possible you want to cut metal.

Shed9
I have a milling machine for metal and quite a few cutters.
I have just bought a Legacy router lathe and just thought of using metal cutters in the router.
They are a lot cheaper than wood router bits, and I am sure they will last longer when cutting thick ply.
Although the Legacy is a ornamental lathe it can do other things when fitted with a rotary table etc. Very much like rotary milling on my metal working mil, also straight line cuts,and fluting on flat pieces. All good fun!!
Timber

Same here, I have a CNC Bridgeport and a Wiess 30 clone. Can't say I've used any of my end mills in wood yet though.

I have however posed the question myself before (based on the cost of end mills comparative to spiral wood cutters) and was advised to use carbide or carbide tipped with dual flute and upcut spiral. That said, if you have a selection, try it and see what works. Start slow and build the rpm's as you go. I suspect you will get better finish the harder the wood.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Racers]

All these mortices where cut with slot drills.



Apart from the square ones!

Pete

 

[Rorschach]

Just a note, cobalt and tungsten carbide are not the same thing.