Need to find End Mills for mortises? /and Tuffer Tenons

[richard poitras]

I just acquired a used Matchmaker mortising system from Woodworkers Supply by Woodtec
http://woodworker.com/images/j80/95-201.jpg (http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=95-201&search=Matchmaker)

and in need of getting some bits to do mortises and tendons on this system. There has been a lot of talk lately about using end mills for mortise and tendon work so I thought I would try then out. Basically I need to know where is the best place to by end mills with a ½’’ shank (this system uses a 3 hp router) and if you would recommend using high speed steel or carbide? Also have any of you used the tuffer tenons by woodcraft and if so what are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Richard

[Greg Hines, MD]

I just acquired a used Matchmaker mortising system from Woodworkers Supply by Woodtec
http://woodworker.com/images/j80/95-201.jpg (http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=95-201&search=Matchmaker)

and in need of getting some bits to do mortises and tendons on this system. There has been a lot of talk lately about using end mills for mortise and tendon work so I thought I would try then out. Basically I need to know where is the best place to by end mills with a ½’’ shank (this system uses a 3 hp router) and if you would recommend using high speed steel or carbide? Also have any of you used the tuffer tenons by woodcraft and if so what are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Richard

You can find end mills at Amazon.com, pretty economical, and also in either carbide or HSS. You can also talk to Tom Waltz at Carbide Processors. He is a contributor here, and he gives good deals for Sawmill Creek members.

Doc

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=end+mill&x=0&y=0

sales@carbideprocessors.com (sales@carbideprocessors.com) or call 800 346-8274

[Russ Massery]

Richard, I have mortising jig call Mortise Pal. I use Tuffer Tenons. The best deal for 8mm tenon was a bit from MCLS. I use a 5/16" upcut spiral bit. 5/16'' is .002 smaller than 8mm. Which gives you a perfect fit. Better then I ever got with a tenon jig and a top bench top mortiser. Also the Tuffer tenons only come in metric. If you have a router in this machine. You can't use metric end mills unless you have a metric collet.Because most endmills shanks are the same size as the cutter itself. I know porter cable has 8mm collet for there routers. I don't know about the other manufacter's.

[Aaron Beaver]

Someone on Ebay was selling endmills and I wrote asking them a questions. They said endmills were not made to run at router speeds, can anyone confirm this?

edit: I went and found what they wrote.
"IT'S AN END MILL NOT A ROUTER BIT. DON'T THINK YOU WILL BE HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS. JERRY"

[Steve Nouis]

I've been using a 3/8" spiral upcut carbide router bit in my matchmaker for 5 years now. I cut full dept on both ends then take the middle out in shallow passes. Steve

[Bob Ross]

I've been using HSS and cobalt 2-flute end mills from Enco (use-enco.com). They are frequently on sale and the prices allow experimentation. I am not advocating their use over "woodworking" bits, but I have not had a problem. I bought various size collet adaptors from MCLS. I like using loose tenons and splines and am very pleased with the versatility and the results.

I've been fiddling with a mortise/tenon cutting jig for the router table. The mortises are not problem, but getting consistent results with the tenons will take more work. I may just let it go and continue to use my shop-made loose tenons.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b202/bacsibob/PoorManDominoe007.jpg

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Whiteside makes a half inch shank 3/8" dia cutter stagger tooth that is plenty long.

I use a lot of End mills on wood (because I happen to have them) and it's my experience that the grind isn't best for wood. Wood is also very abrasive as it has lots of silicates in it.

[Russ Massery]

To add I've be using endmills for some time now. Mostly 1/4" and 1/2". Just solid carbide. Like I had mention above. The only issue is the shank is generally the cutter size.

[richard poitras]

Thanks for the info guys, I dint know that end mills didn’t come in ½’’ shanks, that’s good to know in regards to getting them to work and also where to get the bushings to go with them. I know that the up cut spiral bits work good too, but I was just looking at cost and checking out my options …
Thanks, Richard