Getting The Most From Your Chamfer Mills

By Author: Geoffrey Less
Total Articles: 73
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Milling machines are amazing production tools, but they do require the use of many different tools to complete unique functions. While your rough mills and standard end mills are going to be doing the lion’s share of the work, there are a number of other milling cutters that are essential for operators who want to produce a high quality end product. Simple cutting tools like chamfer mills can fulfill a number of applications in order to leave you with clean components.

In terms of milling cutters, chamfer mills are pretty simple little tools. Your average chamfering tool features a plain shank and a cutting surface that is limited to the point of the cutter. In this manner, they are similar to spot drills and a few other milling cutters. The sharp cutting point of these tools can perform a lot of different tasks, but it’s primary purpose is chamfering.
Chamfering is a finishing process designed to soften the sharp corners ...
... of a workpiece. Milling tools create very precise edges that can make them uncomfortable to handle. A chamfering tool is designed to cut the point where two edges meet in order to create a third intermediate plane. This is one of the last steps in the milling process due to the fact that all of the edges must be cut prior to chamfering.
In addition to chamfering edges, these tools can also be used to create bevels. While the terms beveling and chamfering are often used interchangeably, the beveling process is unique. Instead of removing material to create an intermediate edge, beveling removes material to change the angle at which two planes on a workpiece meet. Because the beveling process involves the removal of larger amounts of material, it can sometimes require several passes using a chamfering tool. Creating stepped edges with your square end mill can help significantly speed up the beveling process.
Another way you can use your chamfering tools to clean up your edges is to use it as a deburring tool. Milling cutters are fast and effective tools, but they sometimes fail to break chips and leave sharp burrs attached to the edges of a piece which can be difficult to notice. The process of manually removing burrs is tedious, but the small point on a chamfer mill can be a serious help. By tracing the edges of your workpiece, you can easily remove burrs without damaging the precisely cut edges of your finished piece.
Once you have finished using your chamfer tool, you can also use the tip to perform a number of other tasks. Chamfer cutters are great for engraving finishing details, as their points can make small, shallow cuts. They pointed tip also makes these tools an option for countersinking, a process similar to chamfering/beveling for holes. If the tip angle of your chamfer tool is larger than a drill bit that you plan on using, then you can also use these tools to spot drill. This will help improve the accuracy of your longer drill bits.
With all of these different uses, having some high quality chamfer mills are essential for any shop. If you need to find some new chamfering tools, you need to check out the solid carbide tools for sale at Online Carbide. Carbide tools are one of the best options in terms of tool lifespan and edge retention. You can see their full catalogue of tools, available at manufacturer direct prices, when you visit www.onlinecarbide.com.
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