Chamfer mills are small little tools that offer a lot of utility. When people normally imagine end mills, they picture the large fluted side milling tools that are used to remove large amounts of material from a workpiece. Machining tends to require several steps using a variety of distinct tools, including several finishing steps. For many projects, especially those with hard metal edges, chamfering is a necessary step in the machining process. These little milling cutters can complete a wide variety of finishing tasks. The more job one tool performs, the few changes are needed and the faster a workpiece can be completed.

Chamfering
The most obvious use for a chamfer mill is to chamfer. Chamfering is the process of breaking an edge where two flat planes meet to create a third plane. This process is useful for a number of reasons and it can help to ensure that pieces have a fine finish without too many sharp edges. The angle of a chamfer is determined by the tool being used or the ability for the milling machine to work at an angle.

Beveling
Often confused with chamfering, the process of beveling completely alters one of the planes where two sides of a workpiece meet. For thin areas, some chamfer mills can bevel in edge in a single pass. They can also be used to bevel larger surfaces when you are finishing a workpiece, though it may take multiple passes to complete a bevel that is larger than the size of the cutting tool’s point.

Spotting
Another important job that a chamfer mill can accomplish is spotting. Spotting helps to mark the location for holes in your workpiece by cutting a small dimple into your workpiece. This process helps to ensure accurate hole placement and it avoids the risk of having your drill bit walking off its mark. Because chamfer tools are much shorter than drill bits, they offer a more stable point to begin drilling a hole. They can also be used during the finishing process to countersink holes smaller than the diameter of the cutting point’s diameter.

Deburring
Machine milling is a precise process, but it is not always a clean one. Small metal burrs are often lifting but not fully removed by cutting tools, creating a series of small raised points along otherwise smooth surfaces. A chamfer mill can trace a piece’s edges in order to quickly remove any small burrs and even add a small chamfer if desired. This will help ensure that the final product has smooth and accurate edges.

With so many uses, chamfer mills are an essential tool for any machinist’s shop. If you are looking for high quality solid carbide chamfer mills, you need to check out the options available at Online Carbide. They offer chamfer mills along with a wide selection of other sturdy solid carbide tools. You can find all of their tools at manufacturer direct pricing when you visit their website at www.onlinecarbide.com.