A chamfer end mill is not exactly the most impressive looking cutting tool, but looks can be deceiving. Chamfer cutters are one of the most versatile milling cutters found in most shops. These tools are typically just a shank with a pointed and fluted tip, though there are some more elaborately designed chamfer tools on the market. Some tools may have flutes moving beyond the tip of the tool, special cutting edges to work with a variety of materials, or other design features based on the company producing the tool. Whether you are new to milling or you are looking to find the best chamfer tools, understanding what these tools are designed for is essential.

Obviously these tools are designed to produce a chamfered edge. Chamfering involves removing a portion of a corner on a workpiece in order to create a new plane to replace that corner. This helps to soften sharp edges or removes material to create a smoother transition between edges while reducing the weight of a finished piece.

The process of chamfering is often confused with beveling. While chamfering adds a third plane to transition between two other planes, beveling is the process of removing material to change the angles at which two planes meet. Any edges that have been machined to no longer be square is considered beveled. These two terms can be used interchangeably, typically in favor of describing both beveled and chamfered edges as “beveled”. A chamfer tool can be used to chamfer or bevel an edge, though the process of beveling may require several passes depending on the size of the tool’s cutting surface.

These two functions are the basics of using a chamfer end mill, but they only scratch the surface of these tools’ versatility. Chamfering is typically performed towards the end of the machining process in order to clean up the freshly machined edges. To this end, a chamfer mill can also be used to deburr a workpiece by tracing all of the cutting edges in order to cut and remove any small burrs that were turned up by the machining process.

You can also use your chamfer mills to spot drill locations for holes if you do not have a spot drilling tool handy. The short length and small cutting surface on these tools make them rigid and accurate, two traits that are perfect for spotting applications. The accuracy of these tools also makes them a great option for engraving and other detail work that requires a small fine point.

If you are looking for high quality chamfer end mills for your shop, Online Carbide has the tools for you. As an American manufacturer of end mills and drill bits, the team at Online Carbide are dedicated to producing high performance tools made from solid carbide. If you have any questions about their tools, feel free to reach out to a member of the Online Carbide team by sending an email to [email protected].