reasonably priced 1/16 cut 1/8 shank inlay bits... are these good?

[mistermikev]

I know I know... stew mac, but after shipping it is just too painful.  So I've been lurking on banjo sites (full disclosure - do not tell my therapist) and have come up with the following possibilities... altho I'm guessing for some reason you are going to tell me to go to stew mac... maybe not?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-1-16-0625-CARBIDE-2-FLUTE-ENDMILLS-DOWNCUT-PLASTIC-WOOD-1650-0625-250/153117509130

 

now I have never met a bur I've liked (other than raymond) but these look an awful lot like what stew mac sells:

https://www.riogrande.com/product/lynx-square-cross-cut-burs-set-of-10/348910

 

[ScottR]

I'd go with the endmills. You can often find the same things StewMac sells elsewhere.

SR

[mistermikev]

thank you @ScottR i don't know if everyone here appreciates how much of a resource you are.  Always quick to answer my questions and I very much want to thank you for that.

[curtisa]

19 hours ago, mistermikev said:

altho I'm guessing for some reason you are going to tell me to go to stew mac... maybe not?

 https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-1-16-0625-CARBIDE-2-FLUTE-ENDMILLS-DOWNCUT-PLASTIC-WOOD-1650-0625-250/153117509130

I buy the majority of my CNC endmills from this eBay seller and can vouch for the quality of the Kyocera bits he offers.

[curtisa]

19 hours ago, mistermikev said:

now I have never met a bur I've liked (other than raymond) but these look an awful lot like what stew mac sells:

https://www.riogrande.com/product/lynx-square-cross-cut-burs-set-of-10/348910

AFAIK Stewmac doesn't sell micro burrs. Not sure I'd want to use them for anything other than quick material removal, in which case you'd probably just use a larger 2-flute carbide endmill anyway. Anything requiring even more material removal I'd probably just use a chisel and save the really tiny endmill work for the edges and corners of the cuts.

[mistermikev]

nice to hear from you curtisa.  on sm they list these as router bits, but they look an aweful lot like a burr to my untrained eye... is there a dif?

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Inlay_and_Pearl_Cutting/Straight_Router_Bits.html

 

I'm trying to use this for my logo inlay and it's got really thin lines - probably 3/32.  me with a chisel trying to do that... reminds me of a saying my dad had "like picking bird-sh1t out of coo-coo-clocks with boxing gloves on".  hehe

[mistermikev]

thank you for the vouch btw!

[ScottR]

Those look like a fluted burr to me.

SR

[mistermikev]

41 minutes ago, ScottR said:

Those look like a fluted burr to me.

SR

ok, so they are a bit dif then, I guess?  Prob doesn't matter, either way I'm going for the endmills just wondered if they were worth getting as well.  I imagine these would be nice for cutting the pearl itself... but I do that w a jewelers saw anyway.

[curtisa]

5 hours ago, mistermikev said:

nice to hear from you curtisa.  on sm they list these as router bits, but they look an aweful lot like a burr to my untrained eye... is there a dif?

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Inlay_and_Pearl_Cutting/Straight_Router_Bits.html

I stand corrected. I'm still not sure I'd trust a bur for super accurate and delicate routing. Maybe for quick and dirty hogging out (on a relatively small scale) but not for the final cuts, where fractions of a millimetre mean the difference between the perfect fit and use of filler to hide the gap.

[mistermikev]

34 minutes ago, curtisa said:

I stand corrected. I'm still not sure I'd trust a bur for super accurate and delicate routing. Maybe for quick and dirty hogging out (on a relatively small scale) but not for the final cuts, where fractions of a millimetre mean the difference between the perfect fit and use of filler to hide the gap.

def seems like good advice.  my one experience with them trying to cut out f holes for a practice amp did not go well.  just burned it for the most part so gave up on it quick.  def going the end mill rout just saw that and thought somebody must be using them!

[Norris]

I had a quick look through my current build thread and realised I'd not shown the bits I used for my inlay. Being in the UK they are metric, but these look close to what you are looking at

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0757M9FDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The shank is approx 3mm to fit in my Dremel, with a 1mm cut

[mistermikev]

2 hours ago, Norris said:

I had a quick look through my current build thread and realised I'd not shown the bits I used for my inlay. Being in the UK they are metric, but these look close to what you are looking at

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0757M9FDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The shank is approx 3mm to fit in my Dremel, with a 1mm cut

love the sound of 'corn teeth'!  titanium corn teeth to boot!  thanks you for the link!

[ihocky2]

I’m not gonna day these are the best quality, but the price is right and work nicely if you don’t try to cut too much at a time.

https://m.harborfreight.com/20-pc-carbide-rotary-micro-bit-assorted-set-62379.html

[mistermikev]

I did order from the recommendation above and got them a few days ago.  haven't used them yet. 

the ones you linked would be a nice set to have to fill things out tho.  will have to snag that next time I'm over there. thanks for the heads up.

[Norris]

Having used them a bit more now, the end mills I linked are much better at plunge cutting in solid material than actual routing. My current technique is to plunge cut with the end mills like you would with a forstener bit, then trim round the edges like you would with a router

[mistermikev]

haven't used the ones that @curtisa endorsed yet but got them and a few other things -very fast- from that ebay user.  Will report when I've had a chance to try them out. 

fwiw... that ebay seller also sells "yonico" bits that -while they aren't whiteside- are the best I've used in that price range.  as good as the freud bits I have and much cheaper - use them anytime I need to work on mdf or rough things for the most part fyi.

[mistermikev]

btw tried the bits this weekend... they work great.  still need something a bit smaller... thought 1/16 would do it but it's just a hair too thick so will test out the harbor freight stuff next.

[mistermikev]

@curtisa, @ScottR, @Norris, @ihocky2, just wanted to thank you all.  I was working on my f hole tonight and admittedly a bit in despair.  Tried several bits and even cutting shallow and was having a hell of a time keeping things smooth.  considered building it in 4 pieces so I could use my sanding drum on it... and didn't want to use my nice new inlay bits - was saving those for inlay... but tried them... my gawd. 

made it a piece of cake.  amazed at the difference.  the other bits I was using were decent bits too... but the tiny cutting diameter and fluted end gave me so much more control... floored and thankful for the help from my friends.  Just wanted to acknowledge and say thanks for the support. 

it was these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-1-16-0625-CARBIDE-2-FLUTE-ENDMILLS-DOWNCUT-PLASTIC-WOOD-1650-0625-250/153117509130

that were seconded by curtisa.  flipping amazing bits!

anyone looking for inlay bits... haven't used them yet but can tell you they will be oustanding.  very easy to get a nice even surface out of em too.

cheers

[Norris]

Glad you finally got around to using them. The ones I bought are surprisingly robust. I've not broken a single one yet 

[mistermikev]

10 minutes ago, Norris said:

Glad you finally got around to using them. The ones I bought are surprisingly robust. I've not broken a single one yet 

those do look nice and a bargain for titanium.  Not breaking: good edge and good metal def work together to prevent that.  can't really have one without the other.

now... I need to find a good straight 1/8 bit for tracing.  any recommendations?