Hot take: HSS vs carbide end mills on aluminum is not even close

I spent like 6 months stubbornly using HSS end mills on 6061 aluminum because they were cheaper. Last Tuesday I finally snapped and tried a 3 flute carbide from a buddy. That thing ripped through a pocket in maybe half the time and left a mirror finish on the walls. Then I looked at my scrap bin and realized I had dulled out 4 HSS tools in the same period. Has anyone else gone through a whole toolbox of HSS before making the switch?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_sanchez7518d ago

I was totally on the other side of this for like a year honestly. I kept telling myself HSS was fine and carbide was overkill for hobby work. Then I bought a cheap set of 4 flute carbide on a whim and ran a test on some 6061 plate. I carved out a shallow pocket in maybe 20 seconds with zero chatter compared to the 2 minutes and 3 passes I was doing with HSS. The surface finish blew my mind, like I didn't even need to sand it after. I threw all my dull HSS bits in the trash that same night and haven't looked back. It's just way less frustrating when you can actually cut and not fight the tool the whole time.

patricia31719d ago

My first carbide test on 6061 ended with me shouting at my spindle like it just scored a goal lmao. I had 5 dull HSS bits in a coffee mug before I finally tried a 3 flute from my buddy Dave and it cut through a 1/2 deep pocket in like 45 seconds flat. The mirror finish made me realize I had been punishing myself for months just to save maybe 12 bucks total. Now I keep those old HSS tools as paperweights and reminders of my cheap phase lol.