End mill for routing slots in wood?

[Len Rosenberg]

What type/brand of end mill do you recommend for making slots in 3/4" thick maple? The slots will be about 3/4" long and wide enough to allow a #10 screw to pass through. I tried to research this but all the results related to using end mills on metal.

Thanks very much for any advice!

Len

[Jim Becker]

Spiral up cut is what I would use for a hand-held router for your stated purpose, but absolutely have a sacrificial backer under the material so when you make your final pass you keep a clean edge on the bottom. No need to get fancy with brand for these ubiquitous pieces of tooling. While I have some Amanas from early on, most I've purchased since have been SpeTool or similar off Amazon or EBay. (I keep a bunch because I use a CNC)

[Charles Lent]

About 20 years ago I tried using end mill bits for woodworking and gave up. Though they will cut wood, they don't do as good a job as the woodworking bits. Speed and the shape of the metal working bits is not the same as woodworking bits.

Charley

[Bruce Wrenn]

First, I haven't done this, but everything I read says to use up spiral end mills designed for aluminum. I have, but haven't used them, a couple sets of HF's up spiral bits for use in the router. They are supposedly HSS bits.

[Bill Dufour]

Solid carbide, upcut, aluminum cutting. As few flutes as possible. If you try anything other then 1/4" or 1/2 " good luck finding a collet to match.
BilLD

[Bruce Page]

End mills designed for cutting metal typically will have a different flute geometry than router bits designed to cut wood. An inexpensive carbide 2-flute up-cut router bit is your best bet. A 5mm (.196) bit will give you a bit of clearance for a #10 screw.

[Richard Coers]

End mills are not designed to spin at 20,000 rpm. I've always found them much slower cutting than router bits. Including the aluminum cutting end mills.

[Cameron Wood]

I have some end mills that I've used for years. They work, but cut slowly. If the slots are short, i.e. for wood movement, any should be fine.

[Warren Lake]

Onsrud CRO-285, 1/4, " upcut, 1" cutting length, wicked sharp. Best bits ive used for that type of work.

[Len Rosenberg]

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

[Greg Quenneville]

You don’t own a domino by chance do you?

[Len Rosenberg]

You don’t own a domino by chance do you?

Brilliant idea, he said sheepishly ...:) Thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious to me!

I've actually done that in the past, but so long ago I forgot. Love this forum ...:o