For machinists, discovering ways to work faster and smarter is the name of the game. Ramping up your speeds and feeds might get the job done quicker, but doing so increases the heat and fatigue on your end mills. Making frequent tool changes is another time consumer. Having one end mill that can fulfill a multitude of functions is a great way to cut down on tool changes and keep your operation running smoothly. This is where drill mills come into play.
For those machinists who have never used drill mills, you’re not alone. They are not typically part of the standard end mills employed by most mill operators. Basically, these tools are a fusion of an end mill and a drill bit. They have the solid sharpened flutes of an end mill, but they terminate in a point like a drill bit. This means that they get the best of both worlds from each of these tools, and they can perform some unique functions.
Drill mills can side mill like a typical end mill, though they do have a sharpened point, which means that they cannot mill a depression without a chamfered inner bottom edge, so an end mill might be your best bet for heavy side milling. If you need to mill a V-shaped groove into your workpiece, drill mills’ drill-style tip makes them the perfect option. This angled tip also makes these tools perfect for chamfering edge and spot drilling your piece.
Another unique function of these cutting tools is their axial cutting abilities. Unlike typical mill ends, you can drill a hole with your drill mill. Unlike a typical jobber drill bit, these mills are short and stable. This means you can drill a hole in your workpiece without having to worry about the tip drifting off target and misaligning your hole. Whether you’re spot drilling or just adding some small holes, these mills will get the job done quickly and easily.
At Online Carbide, we manufacture our own line of these versatile cutting tools from solid carbide right here in the US. We use the same high-quality carbide stock and grinding equipment as leaders in the industry, but we offer our tools for sale at manufacturer direct pricing. You can purchase our carbide drill mills in a variety of sizes and styles. You can choose from 2 flute and 4 flute options with tip angles of 60° and 90°.
No matter what style you choose, we offer sizes from ?” to ¾” so you can find the perfect tool for any job. We also offer two options for the finish on your tools, our bright finish, and our titanium aluminum nitride finish. The bright finish is polished carbide, which aids in edge retention and chip evacuation. For harder jobs, our TiAlN offers superior wear and heat protection to greatly extend the tool life of your drill mills.
If you want to cut down on tool changes and save yourself some time on your next job, visit our store for great deals on these versatile drill mills. Between these unique cutting tools and our other end mill options, you can find everything your shop needs at Online Carbide.
