High Feed End Mills

[JakeL]

We are cutting some Duplex SS and are trying this tool:
https://www.helicaltool.com/products/tool-details-82700

We almost never use high feed end mills. If we do use feed mills, we usually use larger diameters that are indexable.

My question is where do you guys get high feed end mills? I see a bunch of different options (SECO, WIDIA, Ingersol, Sandvik) but would like to know who offers the best tool?

Thanks in advance for any information.

[Jeff]

I don't know if there is a best, but I've had good results from Sandvik high feed indexables. Although I haven't used that kind of tool a ton.

[gcode]

I use a lot of hi feed insert mills
I've had very good results with Ingersoll and Mitsubishi
I've never tried hi feed endmills as only a couple of spindles here with enough RPM to support
a high feed endmill

[MIL-TFP-41]

I have used a bunch of the solid high feed endmills. Performance wise, I don't really recall any standing out a whole lot from the rest. So price & availability usually dictates the winner. Ingersoll, Mitsubishi, YG-1, Kennametal have all been in our spindles at one point or another. Ingersoll was likely the price/performance/availability winner.

[champshire]

Finally something I can give some input on. Ingersoll makes some really nice HFM. You get a lot of edges typically and they hold up well. Iscar, you would think would be right there with them since they are both IMC companies, but, I still like the Ingersoll better. Sandvik's stuff is nice and works well, but the issue with them, as always, is number of cutting edges. Tungaloy is ok.... I use their do-feed mini on some long reach 3/4" stuff. It holds up well as long as you're not pushing it to the limit. Kyocera makes a nice one also. It has similar geometry to the Tungaloy, but the inserts seem to be thicker. Walter has a good one, but same issue as Sandvik....not a lot of edges. Kennametal, I have never really been impressed with. They don's seem to have a grade that holds up as well in crankshaft machining.

My winner currently, believe it or not, is YG1. For the price of the inserts and cutting heads, nothing can touch it. Great value cutter. Did I leave any brands out LOL!

These are all inserted cutters btw.

[JakeL]

These are all inserted cutters btw.

This is some great info that I will definitely use in the future, but for this project I'm looking specifically at the endmill style HFM.

The Helical we are using is 3/8" dia 5 flutes. I don't think I can get an insert cutter with those characteristics.

[Jeff]

but for this project I'm looking specifically at the endmill style HFM.

The only end mill style hfm I've used is a Garr 1/8" diameter. It has lasted me quite a while in 4150pht for repeat jobs.

[champshire]

https://www.iscar.com/eCatalog/item.aspx?cat=5606816&fnum=3081&mapp=ML&app=65&GFSTYP=M&isoD=1 (this is 10mm but they have the same thing in 3/8 I think). Ingersoll is the exact same, just in a different package. These work well and we use them daily.

Also, I would look at Sandvik 316 line.

[crazy^millman]

Helical makes them and I have called them our for some 4150 HT parts and they worked well was the feedback I got from the customer.

[JakeL]

https://www.iscar.com/eCatalog/item.aspx?cat=5606816&fnum=3081&mapp=ML&app=65&GFSTYP=M&isoD=1 (this is 10mm but they have the same thing in 3/8 I think). Ingersoll is the exact same, just in a different package. These work well and we use them daily.

Also, I would look at Sandvik 316 line.

That's funny, one of our salesman just showed me this: https://www.ingersoll-imc.com/product?ecatProductId=405316

We'll probably try one of these. We ended up chipping the corners on the Helical. We are roughing cbores with straight walls, the salesman told me a bigger radius on the outer edge is most important on the 90 degree walls. The helical has a .030 corner rad but the Ingersoll has a .060

[Tim Johnson]

We use a Mitsubishi 1/8" high feed end mill for a 303 stainless heatsink. We get around 4 1/2 hours per cutter (3 parts). We take a .005" doc but I don't remember the feedrate.

[neurosis]

one of our salesman just showed me this

Has he talked to you about their modular tools? They may be more cost effective?

https://www.ingersoll-imc.com/product-family/2895081

We used to use these on a job years ago and they worked pretty well.  I needed a long reach 3/8 high feed mill for a slot that was hard to get to.  It took a bit to get the tool dialed in (speeds and feeds) but once it was, it worked pretty well.  We did get the solid carbide shank which is fairly pricey but you only have to buy it once.  As long as it doesn't get crashed.   

[JakeL]

Has he talked to you about their modular tools? They may be more cost effective?

This job is only 5 pcs so we haven't looked into anything for cost effectiveness. After the 1st part chewed thru 3 feed mills we decided to look at alternate options.

[champshire]

+1 for the replaceable tips. We use them in production and they are really nice. Yes you have to buy the shank up front, but you can screw other things on the shank. And the tool lengths repeat within a few thou when you change the tips. Pretty nice option to have in your tool box. Ingersoll calls them Chip Surfer, Iscar calls them Multi Master. They will interchange btw.