Cheap carbide cutters

[HiltonSteve]

Just bought a few cutters yesterday from these people - http://cutweltools.co.uk/milling_cutters.aspx

Ignore the price's on the internet, give them a call and tell them that someone recommended them and you would like to try a selection. I got them for £2.50 each - K2 coated solid carbide throwaway's - 3mm,4mm,5mm,6mm and 3mm ball nose, short and long versions of each and all with 6mm shanks.

A friend of mine uses them all the time in his cnc machine shop for milling steel and cast aluminium and says good things about them.

Just noticed that they do special cutters for aluminium, I might give those a try too.

[John S]

So how much are the HSS throw aways ?

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[HiltonSteve]

Just spoke to my mate who buys his cutters from them and he said they are usually £5.00 for the K2 carbide cutters but they are doing a buy one get one free offer.

Don't know how long the offer is on for....

[HankMcSpank]

I see they're called 'throwaway cutters' (presumably becuase they can't be ground/reshapened - not that I'd attempt that anyway!)...but how long before they need to be erhm - thrown away (ok, I'm sure that's gonna be down to useage...but are we talking a good amount of cutting before I give 'em to the binman?)

[HiltonSteve]

Who can get a cutter re-ground for £2.50, or even a fiver??

My mate that put me onto them uses them for a lot of high speed milling in his HAAS machining centres, I don't think he would be using them if they were crap but I can ask the question.

Told me that he mills steel at 6,000rpm with them. High feedrates and low depth of cut.

[HankMcSpank]

Who can get a cutter re-ground for £2.50, or even a fiver??

My mate that put me onto them uses them for a lot of high speed milling in his HAAS machining centres, I don't think he would be using them if they were crap but I can ask the question.

Told me that he mills steel at 6,000rpm with them. High feedrates and low depth of cut.

I wasn't doubting their quality...just asking how long before they need to be thrown away.

Just called them, spoke to a lady called Caroline...she's fairly adamant that the carbide ones aren't on that good a deal (though I'm not doubting you)...she's saying that the HSS ones on page 15 of this pdf....

http://cutweltools.co.uk/Portals/0/mc-hsse.pdf (last pale blue column long & short tables)

...are being sold off for £2.50 a cutter , but not the carbides :-( (I even told her about your original posting...but the lady wasn't for turning!)

[HiltonSteve]

Best check my bank statement to see how much she took out..... pretty sure I got them for £2.50 though, but I could be wrong. Still happy paying a fiver each though.

Should have my spindle mounted in the morning then I will give them a go, I will report back with my findings. Will probably only be milling MDF at first so not really a good test.