Quote Originally Posted by Tenson View Post
Hi guys,

I got one of the X5070 Blue end mills from Cutwell tools recently. It is a 6mm dia. cutter with only 6mm flute length, but it has a very slightly reduced shank above the flutes so it can reach to cut 15mm depth, provided you take 6mm passes.
Unless your cutting steel or hardened steel at high speeds then using these cutters is a waste of money and they are actually less affective in ALi than the cheap chinese 5 for £25 from ebay.
Much much better option if cutting Ali or plastics and not much more expensive than X Blue range are the Karnasch 1 flute. They have flute lengths upto 32mm in 6mm Dia. The cut quality is absolutly fantastic and they last age's in Ali, far far longer than any other cutter I've used.! . . . but they are expensive and you pay for the quality.
Basicly I buy the cheap Ebay cutters for general use and the Karnasch for finishing or better jobs.


Quote Originally Posted by Tenson View Post
I was thinking about getting some of the 6mm K2 stub end mills that have 8mm flute length and then having the shank reduced above the flutes so it can reach 20mm (standard they have 6mm dia. cut and 6mm shank so will rub slightly if you cut deeper than the flutes).
Why.??? Just buy the Ebay cutters which have 22mm flute length.! . . Not a good plan to start hacking bits off what are not exactly cheap cutters they will be severly weakened.