Where is the best recommended place to buy a solid assortment of bits from? I need to get some V groove, ball end, and end mills. Looking for best price with longevity. Also, how much life are you guys getting out of your bits on the Shark? Thanks!
Lance
Bits and bit life...
Moderators: al wolford, sbk, Bob, Kayvon
Re: Bits and bit life...
Hi Lance,
Some good posts on this topic -
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=227
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=337
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=720
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=750
Some overlap on these threads of course.
How much life do you get - depends (lol). Early on in developing my CNC skills I might not get much - ran it into a clamp, too fast/deep a cut, etc. Certainly for hardwoods bit life goes quicker. I now find I get 40-50 hours of cutting on a 1/8" BN. And while the project is typically run at 70 ipm, it doesn't mean it wass all moving that fast while carving the 3D stuff.
There have been discussions about coated vice non-coated as well. Coated costs more, and while the points about not needing it are sound, I typically use the coated. Again, and for clarity, it may not make a difference. I've also found that all of the vendors I've called are helpful - so give them a call and hear it from the horse's mouth.
I would recommend using 'good' non-coated bits early on. That way if you do make a mistake and lose the bit, it's a little easier on the wallet.
Hope this helps.
Some good posts on this topic -
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=227
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=337
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=720
http://www.cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=750
Some overlap on these threads of course.
How much life do you get - depends (lol). Early on in developing my CNC skills I might not get much - ran it into a clamp, too fast/deep a cut, etc. Certainly for hardwoods bit life goes quicker. I now find I get 40-50 hours of cutting on a 1/8" BN. And while the project is typically run at 70 ipm, it doesn't mean it wass all moving that fast while carving the 3D stuff.
There have been discussions about coated vice non-coated as well. Coated costs more, and while the points about not needing it are sound, I typically use the coated. Again, and for clarity, it may not make a difference. I've also found that all of the vendors I've called are helpful - so give them a call and hear it from the horse's mouth.
I would recommend using 'good' non-coated bits early on. That way if you do make a mistake and lose the bit, it's a little easier on the wallet.
Hope this helps.
Re: Bits and bit life...
I usually pick up my end mills from e-bay. 1/4" I usually pay 7-8 dollars a peice and fet about 50 hours from then. When they are dull you can usually get them resharpened cheaply or pitch them. After resharpening the smaller diameter can be put into the end mill library. Myself I mainly use them for roughing or cutouts on a plaque or sign and don't care about the smaller diameter and just use them as 1/4" when selecti9ng a cutter. If the plaque is a tad bigger who really cares. Pete