Replies

1. 
   hdgis1 | Apr 13, 2009 04:12am | #1

   I tried carbide.com and the longest I found was a 2 1/4 for soft plastic. What are you trying to do? Is three inch necessary? I'd be worried it would get to fragile at that length or run-out would be way to much...

   Chris

1. 
   elmer3 | Apr 13, 2009 04:39am | #3

   I just came across that site myself today. Its for mortising door stiles on a storm door that im building. Its a wide door so i need the length for its strength.

2. 
   charles | Apr 13, 2009 04:36am | #2

   Elmer,

   A bit that size wont be cheep or easy to find. Try here http://www.ekstromcutter.com/EC051deupcutOflutelowhelixrouter.htm

   Good luck.

   Charles

3. 
   skycowboypaul | Apr 13, 2009 04:43am | #4

   For 25 years I have been using 1/2" diameter two flute and four flute 6" long upcut spiral end mills to make loose mortises.  The cutting length is 3" with a 3" shank.  I use them in jigs with my Porter Cable Model:7539 router.  When need be, I have cut the shank length down to fit the job I am doing.  Many will say that this is probably unsafe.  I only know that I have cut the mortises for maybe 100 doors using this method and I have never had any problem.  Here is a picture of the end mills I use.  They can be purchased just about everywhere for about 60 bucks.

   
1. 
   knuts | Apr 13, 2009 05:41am | #5

   Can you name a good source?

1. 
   skycowboypaul | Apr 13, 2009 01:40pm | #6

   I purchase end mills from a local company named.

   Macho Tool & Supply Co.

   5611 Clark Ave.

   Cleveland, OH  44102

   Phone No: 216.651.5170

    

   And online at http://www.cgstool.com  This company sells every kind of end mill made and they will custom make whatever you need.  Including sizing the shanks.

    

   I use end mills in place of straight cutting router bits daily.  I take 9/16, 5/8, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16 and 1" diameter end mills to my local machine shop and for a fee of 16 bucks each he turns the shank of the end mill down to 1/2".  I use solid carbide end mills and they seem to last forever.  I've never had a end mill resharpened, I just buy a new one if I think it is getting dull.  I have also purchased end mills from http://www.craigslist.com and from http://www.ebay.com  

   Paul

1. 
   knuts | Apr 13, 2009 03:31pm | #7

   Thank you sir, I've made notes of your thread. Good info!

2. 
   robkress | Apr 14, 2009 03:55am | #8

   Shout out to a local. Love the Macho guys. I've been a shopper there for almost 20 years now. Great service, great stuff.I too only use carbide from Macho. I never thought to get the bigs and have them turned down. To tell the truth I've been looking for a qualified 1/2" shank index cutter. I like to do a lot of my rabbiting on the router table.Rob Kress

2. 
   elmer3 | Apr 16, 2009 03:54am | #9

   thanks for the site and tip

3. 
   elmer3 | Apr 20, 2009 11:23pm | #10

   how do you go about cutting down the shank? what do you cut it with?

1. 
   skycowboypaul | Apr 20, 2009 11:38pm | #11

   I don't cut the shank myself, I take it to a machine shop and he grinds them.

1. 
   elmer3 | Apr 21, 2009 12:50am | #12

   thank you for that i think ill do the same.