I was at a car boot fair wandering around and came across a stall selling tools. In a small tray there were a few milling cutters and one of them was this distinctive cutter – brand new and only £2….
Review
kestag 1636 end millThe numbering is 1636 N Sp31,5 NC-N12 HSS-ECo8
This cutter has a very distinctive treatment at the cutting end of the mill. This cutter goes through mild steel like butter.
End Milling Engine Casing on a Rotary TableThis shows the end mill being used to machine an aluminium crankcase. The outer surface is being profiled with the end mill and a rotary table.
The depth of cut is greater than the depth of cut available for this end mill and so the machining is being done in stages.
I ran the end mill at around 1500rpm and once again it cut through the aluminium without any trouble and this meant that the loads on the milling machine were very low.
Conclusion
I cannot tell you much about this end mill in terms of cost, type etc other than to say it works brilliantly. If anybody knows more about this then please email me and I will add to the review.
Price: approx £2.00 (car boot) for a 12mm end mill.
My Top 10 Milling Cutters
I know this will change as it has in the past, but as of now this is My Top 10 Milling Cutters. Well, let’s get this correct, I only machine as a hobby and so don’t even have 10 makes of cutter. However I will list my experiences and explain.
Mill Stiffness = Top Finish
It’s not just the type and quality of the cutting bit that gives you the best finish.
It’s really important that the milling machine is as stiff as possible and that there is no play in any of the axes.