Hit 500 parts off a single end mill and I'm still surprised

I was running a simple 6061 job last month. Nothing crazy, just a bracket with some 2D contours. I figured I'd get maybe 200 parts before the tool started showing wear. I checked it every 50 parts waiting for it to fail. That thing just kept cutting. By 400 I was laughing. At 500 I stopped the machine and measured everything. Still within .002. I used HSM toolpaths with a .500 3 flute carbide from a cheap Chinese set. Anyone else get way more life out of a tool than you expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

charliestone14d ago

Chinese end mills are like that friend who shows up uninvited but ends up doing all the dishes. Sounds like you got lucky with a batch that didn't get quenched in used motor oil. Next time you'll buy the expensive ones and they'll chip on the first part, just to balance the universe.

susanm5614d ago

@charliestone same thing happened with my angle grinder from AliExpress. Still works, just smells weird.