Chapter 3. End Mills and Cutting

I’ve talked to hundreds of new CNC users over the years, and one of the most popular topics is CNC tooling, specifically end mills and how to use them. Fear not! Although these tool types may seem intimidating at first, there are only a few key features to understand before you dive in and begin experimenting.

End Mills

End mills are the sharp spinning tools used in CNC machining (Figure 3-1).

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Figure 3-1. An assortment of common end mills

Drill Bits Versus End Mills

Although similiar in appearance to each other (Figure 3-2), an end mill and a drill bit are not the same thing, nor do they perform the same functions. ...

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