CNC Cutting Bits

engraver, end mill and slot drill

I’ve been using milling machines for my hobby of model making for over 40 years, but CNC is new to me and CNC cutting bits are new. The primary first task for the CNC engraver is to machine the brass smokebox door on my miniature traction engine. The CNC engraver in question is a Sain … Read more

High Speed Steel

high speed steels

High Speed Steel, abbreviated HSS and commonly just listed or described as HSS. A hard steel, about 6 times harder than carbon steel, used for metal cutting tools as it remains hard even at dull red temperatures. It normally contains: Tungsten 12 to 18%, Chromium up to 5% and Carbon 0.4 to 0.7%. Some of the … Read more

Carbide or Tungsten Carbide

rennie tools slot drill

Is it Carbide or Tungsten Carbide, nowadays tools are often referred to as being made from “carbide” – what they actually mean is Tungsten Carbide. The reason for using Tungsten Carbide is it has some great properties: melting point 2,785–2,830°C hardness of 9 on Mohs scale, 2600 Vickers number Some tungsten carbide tools consist of a mild … Read more