QTR 08 BangGood 8mm Carbide End Mill

This is a quick tool review of the 8mm aluminum cutting endmill sent to me for evaluation from BangGood.com.Below are some useful links and coupon codes:
www.banggood.com/
www.banggood.com/11annv/11ann...
tools I received:
www.banggood.com/SER2020K16-2...
www.banggood.com/6pcs-532_521...
www.banggood.com/8mm-Diameter...
www.banggood.com/10pcs-APKT16...
www.banggood.com/10pcs-APMT16...
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10%off coupon for computer& networking products: 11annvcom10%
Please Note: I am a beginning machinist and I do not pretend to know everything. Please always operate machinery in a safe manner and if you don't know, find a reliable source. DO NOT COPY ME. I make a lot of mistakes. I provide these videos for entertainment only.

[@johnharris3753]

Hi Robert, good report on the end mill. Nice one, must get me some, I have been looking on Banggood and all looks good. Thanks John.

[@DudleyToolwright]

I can't at this time speak to longevity, but the mill worked as expected and was truly razor sharp. I am going to purchase a few myself. Thanks for the comments.

[@Jandejongjong]

Thnx for doing these test man!! You rock!

[@DudleyToolwright]

No worries. Thanks for the comment.

[@jeremyriggs8469]

My understanding is that the cutting tool manufacturing process is so automated that the primary difference between premium cutting tools and budget tools is the quality of the raw materials and the coatings. Labor isn't a huge driver in the cost of the tool. So an inexpensive tool is likely using less refined carbide, etc. So something like a premium tool is more likely to last longer and be more repeatable in how it wears. Which is important in a production environment. For light duty use these should be fine. Just something to keep in mind.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Very useful info, except, supposedly the best carbide in the world is made into blanks in Germany and anyone can but them. Combine that with the same CNC grinders and it all comes down to the design. I have listened to a couple of toll designers talk about their trade and they would have us believe that the real differences lie there. Of course there is no reason that any particular vendor would have to buy the best blanks either. Your point is well made. I suspect the answer could vari.

[@bluehandsvideo]

Thanks for the review! I might just have to order a couple of them. :)

[@DudleyToolwright]

I hope they work out for you. Thanks for the comment.

[@whidbeyman]

Did you start out climb milling for a particular reason? Just curious. Spindle speed maybe a little slow for carbide?

[@DudleyToolwright]

Nope. I was intending on going both directions and started with the direction that corresponded to the location of the cutter relative to the work. I agree that the speed was slow for carbide, but was concerned with chip welding without lube. When I decided on using lube I forgot to speed up and try that. Thanks for the observations as always.

[@jaysilverheals4445]

I climb cut all the time with small cutters. your safe. Big cutters and big depth of cuts is where the problems are.

[@MikeG-js1jt]

would this be a good tool just for cutting holes in annealed 01 tool steel on a drill press?

[@DudleyToolwright]

Possibly. I would cut a pilot hole first. In my limited experience, even the center cutting mills struggle a bit when plunging. They are certainly inexpensive enough to get several sizes and they cut a nice straight, clean hole. If you are looking for production, I might look for a name brand. I really cant speak to their longevity. I have had mixed results in the past. Hope this helps. Thanks for the questions. I love em.

[@chuckphilpot7756]

@@DudleyToolwright No, the answer is no. Carbide should not be used on a drill press.

[@tectalabyss]

Thank you for sharing. Price is outstanding also I buy from Bang good from time to time. I have no complaints with their products.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks. I have just purchased from BangGood for the first time today. I placed and order after my positive review. I believe that I have to put my money where my mouth is. A large portion of my tooling is from China, because it is all I can afford. A great example is my R8 collets. If I had to buy Hardinge, I would not own a set, but just a few collets. I am thankful that the Chinese and Taiwanese have stepped up there games so that hobbyists, like myself, can afford to get into machining and try varied tooling.

[@tectalabyss]

Same here on affording tooling. even the used tooling is high. Sadly if it weren't for China,I would never be able to do the things I do in automotive and Machine work. Thank you for the reply and don't let the trolls stop you. It's your channel and your right to gain anything you can from it. You put in the work you deserve it. All my best. Bobby

[@MrUbiquitousTech]

Good review, thanks for sharing!

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for watching and then taking the time to let me know your thoughts.

[@pyrozmuro]

I had the best results with milling aluminum when I used isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) for coolant. Just apply it with a brush or atomized spray bottle.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Interesting idea. I use Isopropyl alcohol for lots of things, but never considered it as a cutting solution. Just be careful, because it is flammable and an burns with a nearly invisible flame. Atomized, it could be explosive. Thanks for sharing.

[@chuckphilpot7756]

Seems like a pretty goddamn dumb idea.

[@melgross]

I don’t advise it, though I’ve seen a couple of KZbinrs doing it. It won’t relieve any friction. It evaporates too quickly to offer much cooling unless used in large quantities. Unless you’re using water-free alcohol, it could lead to minor rusting of the machinery it falls on if caught in a crevice where the alcohol will quickly evaporate, but the water doesn’t. A very good lubricant/coolant for aluminum and some other non ferrous metals is WD-40. It offers good lubrication as can be expected from a petroleum based liquid, and is thin enough to remove a good deal of heat without evaporating during the cut. It’s somewhat similar to tapping fluids made for aluminum, but cheaper, and will mostly evaporate away after some time, leaving less residue.

[@lste]

A review cutting aluminium only? How does it perform on steel and cast iron, I wonder?

[@DudleyToolwright]

You make a good point. I don't know why I didn't test a bunch of other materials. Thanks.

[@28cruzin]

I think you have a great attitude. I just discovered KZbin was not just a bunch of wacko stuff like I was told. The info and exchange of ideas is unbeleiveable! I've learned so much my head hurts! With people like you putting info out we learn to do things ourselves that we would have hesitated to consider before. For just starting out you are very impressive with your knowledge of machining. I started out training on a turret lathe from the 1940's and finished up programing and running CNC lathes and machining centers. Enjoy your shop and keep putting out these videos.!

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the kind words. I will try to live up to your expectations.

[@whidbeyman]

So, about spindle rpm's: For a given feed rate, higher rpm means smaller chips and presumably less tendency to 'weld'.

[@DudleyToolwright]

What about instantaneous temperatures at the cutting interface with increased plasticity?

[@whidbeyman]

robert weitkamp Do an experiment, using steel and varying rpm and feed rate, monitoring chip color. Which effect predominates?

[@DudleyToolwright]

I will do that. Thanks.

[@MaturePatriot]

With the price of oil, don't know if I would be saving money. LOL This would be a great bit for when finish isn't a priority. A great video.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Funny, thanks.

[@BlueLineofthesky]

I really like this channel. :)

[@DudleyToolwright]

Very kind thank. I will try to keep 'em coming.

[@somebodyelse6673]

Looks like the surface finish is suffering from recutting chips. If you have shop air, consider trying out a little airblast at the cutter to clear the chips? A misting coolant system would of course be a big step up from there :)

[@DudleyToolwright]

Yea, I think you are correct. I have never been able to get up the guts to use the mist coolant system I made in an earlier video because of rust fears. I have however recently mixed up a batch of coolant and am trying to steel myself into using it. Thanks for the ideas. They are always appreciated.

[@melgross]

@@DudleyToolwright I’ve used soluble oil cutting fluids for years, both for sawing, milling, and turning. There is no rusting problem as the oil is left after the water evaporates, and contains anti-rusting components. Industry uses these a good deal. Take a shot. The only “problem” is the slight sticky residue which can build up if you don’t clean it off the machine every so often. It’s mostly a problem at the 5:1-7:1 mixes, but not really one at 15:1 and above.

[@JCisHere778]

I'm definately going to get myself one or a few of those cutters. ;D Have you tried powerfeeding and cutting steel with this endmill? PS. I've been using alcohole when milling aluminum to avoid chip wealdup. Not only does it work great, but it evapourates afterwards so you don't have to clean up you're machine as much. Regards Johannes

[@DudleyToolwright]

I did not try any steel, but the description on bang.good.com says that the cutter is good on materials up to RC50. I will give it a try. Your alcohol ide is intriguing. I have heard of people using wd40, but never alcohol. 99% or 70%? Thanks for the comment.

[@JCisHere778]

I think it was 90+ % (alcohole can only be distilled to about 96 % so anything with higher concentrations is quite a bit more expensive) WD-40, Brake cleaner etc. every liquid that evapourates at lower temperatures cools the workpiece and cutter quite significantly. I think I might try to mix some alcohole and cutting oil and see if it helps with lubrication and further improves the surface finish.

[@zephyrold2478]

Kerosene will also work

[@JCisHere778]

Although it works, I wouldn't suggest using anything besides alcohole. Vapours of other chemicals can be irritating (some even poisonous) and will therefor harm your eyes and loungs. Also you should keep your shop well ventilated to avoid combustions etc. (I wouldn't suggest smoking while working with those substances eigther xD )

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks. Alcohol is an incredibly hydroscopic liquid (adsorbs water preferentially) and I have read that if you open a sealed bottle of 90+% alcohol (I am assuming isopropyl) an reseal it, that it will end up at about 75% in about a month. This assumes a standard store-bought isopropyl alcohol container. I guess my only thoughts are: what reactions occur at high temp/pressure at the cutter-metal interface. To be honest, I haven't a clue. I would love someone with a metallurgy background to give some input here. This is not to say that I think your idea is bad, you clearly have a bunch of empirical evidence to say that it works well. I have also heard that alcohol is so hydroscopic, that when it evaporates, it takes water with it (not certain about this) acting like a drying agent. If this is true, then this is another check in the plus column. Water is often then enemy in any environment where tools are kept. One more thought, alcohol is also flammable and if you evaporate a lot if it in an environment where superheated chips are created, fire could be a possibility. Thanks a lot for sharing, the topic of lubrication and coolants leaves me with a lot of questions that are unanswered and I hesitate to trust marketing hype. Choosing a good coolant/lubricant is a difficult task, since specific information seems to be scarce. I currently use Cool Tool II, but have no idea if this is a good choice. I have tried WD-40 with aluminum and it works, but WD-40 turns into a stick mess if allowed to sit for a year or so. As a result I worry about it wicking into to crevasses and becoming a mess. Similarly, with water soluble coolants/lubricants, I am afraid that the rust inhibitors won't be perfect and my machinery will rust. I really hate rust. So I haven't ever turned on my flood coolant. Bottom line, I am always interested in hearing other peoples suggestions and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences.

[@davidbrady9073]

@4:00mins - 0.025" is not half an inch...lol later in your video when making your lubricated pass what speeds and feeds are you running?

[@DudleyToolwright]

Oh I see. I was not very clear. What I meant was: the cutter engagement is 0.5" with a depth of cut (horizontally) of 0.025". I was cranking the Y axis by hand so I am not sure how many inches per minute I was pushing. I don't have power feed in any axis but X. I think the RPM setting was somewhere around 1200, so that would make: 3.1416 * 0.5inches * (1foot/12 inches) * 1200RPM = 157 Surface feet/minute. I was hoping the lube would prevent some of the welding I was seeing, which it seemed to do. Also surface finish, especially for the plunge cut improved noticeably.

[@jaysilverheals4445]

he said it right--twenty five in the x half inch in the z.

[@wayned1807]

With carbide cutting Alum. you can never go too fast. Crank it up . I run the machine max, 6000 RPM all day. Let er rip.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am still fighting the rules I had in the machining classes I took. They we hyper concervative and it is hard to get past. Your recommendations are much appreciated.

[@steveb936]

Ive heard the problem with these is that they use all the recycled scrap metal from around the world and because they're a cheap mix everything they go blunt after a couple of uses

[@DudleyToolwright]

It is possible. Carbide is recycled and worth quite a bit. I am not sure what the downside to using recycled carbide would be. Sandvik has their own recycling program.

[@johnharris3753]

Robert the videos are good keep going mate. Best regards John

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks, I hope they are a bit helpful. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I am happy to take constructive criticism as well.

[@JF_Fabrications]

You need more RPM for that small of cutter

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the suggestion. I was initially attempting to go without lube and forgot to speed things up after I started using it. Thanks for the insight.

[@carlopiaia2144]

J&F Fabrications deadly tool right he doesn't know shit about anything he doesn't have enough RPM he's lame

[@oathkeeper926]

Yeah..5-6 thou on spindle..only take about 2 thou cut..almost mirror finish..w/ spray or flood.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the tips.

[@RandomNumber141]

I giggled a little when you mentioned it was only running at 1200 RPM...

[@DudleyToolwright]

Too slow? Too fast? Hmmm.

[@RandomNumber141]

@@DudleyToolwright I saw you had already received advice on the speed - didn't want to beat a dead horse. Carbide can run really fast but of course the chip welding might be an issue.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the advise. Always appreciated.

[@gazcrx]

i wouldn’t use carbide on aluminium high speed will be better as its sharper and climb milling needs plenty of coolant to not drag swarf in to the finish

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the recommendations. I really appreciate it.

[@bobmac9070]

That's not true, we machine aluminum at our facility ( Melin Tool ) and end user's all day long with no issues what so ever on RMS finishes. We can produce extremely great finishes. We ran a lot faster than any HSS end mill andhave done it for years. You should always climb mill when using carbide tools. we have 2-3- & even a 5 flute finishing end mill for profile cutting. (www.melintool.com)

[@memyself3275]

WD-40 works great for milling aluminum.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the tip. My only problem with WD-40, is that if it stays on something too long it turns into a gooey mess. We use it around work a lot.

[@eatonasher3398]

Kerosene is the best for aluminum 👌

[@bulletproofpepper2]

Just don’t drop it. I chip a tooth on mine. I use it for roughing cuts and finish with a new one.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Very good to know. Thanks.

[@aaronroberts3848]

Use wd-40 for lube. Way better finish and no welding. Oil is too thick for aluminum and dosent help with chip evacuation

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the helpful tip.

[@Bigwingrider1800]

8mm at 5500 rpm plus

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks. If only I had a cnc mill... Thanks for the info. I assume that with the high rpm also comes coolant. I hate rust...Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@mikemcdonough1793]

I like Banggood but they Ship VIA Turtle.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Sometimes. Their shipping times are all over the place. Sometimes I get the stuff in a few days and others a few weeks. I toss a coin and see what the shipping gods have planned.

[@28cruzin]

You didn't tell us the feed rate you used. Climb milling is never recomended for a manual machine. CNC machines run on loaded ballscrews manuals don't. Thats why when you back off, your handle rotates a ways before the table moves. Carbide likes speed and coolant. Get that mister out. Don't be scared, any quality coolant has rust inhibiter. You don't think a machine shop would allow a half million dollar CNC michine to rust. Without coolant, tools wouldn't last and michine time would go off the charts. I suspect you hand fed the cutter in this video and that contributed to bumps in the finish when climb milling. Better finish and no chatter when conventional milling. More speed and add coolant, solves a lot of issues. Keep up the interesting videos!!

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks again for even more helpful suggestions. It always amazes me that there are people out there that go out of their way to help others out. Thanks! I have a mist coolant system that I modified to produce less mist and more spitted coolant, but haven't used it on the mill at all. I will get the guts up to start trying it. One of my issues, it that my shop is also my garage and the mill is right net to the clothes washer and drier. My wife hang dries a lot of her clothes and if they ended up smelling like coolant, I would be toast. I know that this is not ideal, but I really do take your suggestions to hart. By the way the one and only time I used coolant on my lathe, I barley had any spitting out - far from flood - and even then there was a noticeable difference. Thanks again.

[@PorkBarrel.]

Have you looked into a cold air gun? We use for aluminum when coolant is not allowed.

[@jaysilverheals4445]

ha ha almost everything you said was wrong. He is using a small cutter you simply climb cut all the time for one thing.

[@petertrent1464]

BangGood doubtless do supply some good items, I have used these cutters myself but their trading policies leave a lot to be desired. Try complaining about a faulty item as I did, I purchased an ER32 collet chuck plus collet set. The chuck ran out of true .007", the 1/16" collet was missing but they had supplied two 7/16" collets. When I complained they offered me 6 Euros in compensation. I machined the collet chuck to run true but as it is not hardened it probably wont last very long. I will never buy from BangGood again.

[@DudleyToolwright]

That was really useful feedback. It needs to be shared. Thank you.

[@dorianmccarthy7602]

*an 8mm solid carbide end mill.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Live and learn.

[@bradyrose]

Also , don't listen to the guy telling you not to make videos. There is no better medium to interact and learn.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks. I appreciate the inspiration. I have lots to learn and don't mind screwing up on camera for the public. The comments are pretty much always thought provoking.

[@Jandejongjong]

Put you on my Facebook!

[@DudleyToolwright]

Very kind thanks. Now I just need a facebook account.

[@bobmac9070]

Our company Melin Tool Company in Cleveland Ohio, Can machine Aluminum all day long with Solid Carbide way faster and much better finishes than any HSS end mills as mentioned below. We far exceed the SFPM and Feed Rates (IMP) of any HSS end mills. Check out our on line tools, in our catalog.See for yourself, We make 2 Flute- 3-FLute ( for 30% faster feed rates) and a 5 Flute Aluminum finisherend mill-strictly for profile cutting. Our SFPM range from 1200-2000 and Feeds up 150-300 IPM depending on the tool you choose. AXMG45-2FL, EXMG-3F or our new GXMG5 - 5FLute for Aluminum. We also make High Velocity end mills for super high Spindle Speeds up to 25-30,000 RPM and feeds up to 900 IPM.Check us out at www.melintool.com

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the reference and the links.

[@jean3xyz]

Be careful with Banggood! Upon receipt of my last purchase, Banggood added 20% hidden fees that I had to pay in order to pick up my package. It's a scam!

[@DudleyToolwright]

That sounds terrible. I have made about a dozen purchases from them and have not had any issues. I am sorry to hear that you had problems. Thanks for the heads up.

[@nrml76]

Was it Banggood that added the fee or your customs and postal service? In the UK, we sometimes get stung with import duties and handling fees on collection. You can't blame the seller for that. It isn't them that are ripping you off . It is the government and postal service.

[@orcajames463]

You should learn about basic machining before you post videos like this. Your pass at 6:00 looks like shit because you are doing conventional milling. It will always be like that, it's not a function of the cutter. When you run it at 7:00 you are doing climb milling, which always gives a cleaner cut. Of course you are running your speed waaay too low, that's why it looks scalloped. The end mill has an unsharpened margin; look closely at the edge and you'll see that it was not sharpened correctly. This is common with cheap end mills. You can't see it unless you look closely. The result is that the side of the flute does not 'bite' into the material but rather slides along it until you add more pressure. You end up with a less than optimal finish.

[@DudleyToolwright]

Thanks for the explanation. I really appreciate you taking the time you explain all of that. In my very limited experience, climb milling only seems to produce a better finish some times, depending on the material, but I get your point. I was not aware of the unsharpened margin, I will have to check that out. I know that I have a lot to learn and I appreciate the tons of comments from people with a lot more experience than I have. I have called cutter manufacturers and attempted to talk with their design engineers to get detailed explanations of why specific cutter geometries are chosen, but so far they don't or aren't willing to share much. Again thanks.