Technical Articles

End mill using its peripheral cutting edges to machine one side wall of a metal workpiece.

Side Milling with an End Mill: How to Machine and Verify a Wall

13/08/2026

Set up side milling with an end mill, plan radial and axial engagement, run a proof cut, and diagnose wall taper, deflection and finish problems.

Bright precision reamers of several diameters arranged on a dark gray textured inspection surface.

Why a Reamer Cuts Oversize: Causes, Checks, and Corrections

11/08/2026

Diagnose an oversize reamed hole by checking measurement, bore shape, pre-hole quality, runout, tool wear, chips, coolant, and cutting conditions.

Vacuum coating furnace racks loaded with carbide end mills

End Mill Coating Selection Guide: Types, Colors, Properties, and Applications

07/08/2026

Compare TiN, TiCN, AlTiN, TiAlN, AlCrN, ZrN, TiB2, DLC and diamond coatings by properties, material fit, color limits and process conditions.

End mill machining a metal wall with visible periodic milling chatter marks.

Milling Chatter Troubleshooting: Find the Unstable Part of the System

07/08/2026

Diagnose milling chatter by checking the machine, holder, tool, workholding and engagement, then test one parameter change and verify the same cut.

Solid carbide drills arranged in front of several reamers on a dark textured background.

Drill Bit vs Reamer: Hole Size, Finish, and Process Boundaries

05/08/2026

Compare a drill bit and reamer by process stage, pre-hole, stock allowance, hole size, finish, location limits, chip flow, and inspection.

Fluted reamer held in a CNC spindle machining a separate hole beside a grid of finished holes in a metal workpiece.

Reamer Speeds and Feeds: RPM, Feed, and Proof-Cut Method

01/08/2026

Calculate reamer RPM and feed from surface speed and feed per revolution, check units and machine limits, then qualify the cut from hole and tool evidence.

Large indexable milling cutter bodies behind three smaller solid carbide end mills on a white studio background.

Indexable End Mill vs Solid Carbide: Cost, Rigidity, and MRR

29/07/2026

Compare indexable and solid-carbide end mills by diameter, rigidity, machine limits, roughing, finish, edge cost, runout, and cost per part.

Four solid carbide end mills arranged left to right with two, three, four and five-plus flutes on a dark studio background.

End Mill Flute Count Guide: 2, 3, 4, and High-Flute Tools

28/07/2026

Choose 2, 3, 4, or high-flute end mills by chip evacuation, core strength, material, slotting, radial engagement, finishing and feed per tooth.

Two solid carbide drills with different point constructions standing on a clean white background.

Drill Point Angle Chart: Compare 118° vs 135° and Point Depth

23/07/2026

Compare 118° and 135° drill points, see conditional starting points by material, and calculate point depth for more reliable drill selection.

Solid carbide ball nose and flat end mills standing side by side on a dark textured background.

Ball Nose vs Flat End Mill: Surface, Contact, Roughing, and Finish

22/07/2026

Compare ball nose and flat end mills by generated surface, contact point, roughing load, stepover, rigidity, finish strategy, and failure signs.