Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm having trouble locating good quality bits between 1/32" and 1/8" with a 1/8" shank, where do you guys order them?

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Our ideas of good quality may differ, but here's the guy I use

http://www.smallwonder-music.co.uk/shop ... p-123-454/

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Laurent,

Unless you go to carbide it's hard to find end mills that small on anything but a 3/16" shank. There is a company by the name of Richards that makes a lot of high quality end mills and another by the the name of Micro. Either of those guys should make something in HSS on an 1/8" shank. I think you can find those in the MSC catalog. Carbide is a bit more but you can get anything you want, up to 1/8", on a 1/8" shank. Robb Jack makes carbide in fractional sizes if you care to cut your fret slots on a mill. Do need higher speeds and better rigidity when using the carbide vs HSS.

Tim

I use mostly the downcut bits SM sells. I bet you have tried them, what don't you like about them?

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

http://www.precisebits.com/

Everything you need and great, knowledgeable people. They even have special bits for fret slotting.

Shane

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Canada

I'm another fan of Precise Bits, also Robb Jack has great bits.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I ordered my last batch (3 flutes) from precisebits and they are great, I would order again with no hesitation

This place:
http://www.cetdirect.com/catalog/index. ... =1&sort=3a
seems cheaper but I have no experience with them.

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Laurent

I buy my small end mills from this ebay seller "foztigrenb". Good selection of very small (and large) carbide end mills, with great prices and very fast shipping.

Bob

http://www.bqtool.com/
these are carbide and I use these . They are industrial quality.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I've bought from http://drillbitcity.com/ and had good service, but I have no idea how the quality stacks up against the competition.

John

Usually MSC.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Thanks!

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Just on bits for rosettes and other delicate routing-if you do 1/4" shank, never count Lee Valley out. I have gotten extraorinarily clean cuts for headstock inlays in my 44T(I have the full collet set) Foredom and in my PC310(said goodbye to a nice 1/16th LV bit learning the 310 chuck).They don't offer a bit that will do typical fret tang cuts, though. Otherwise, in my 1/8th collet, I, too, have done well with StewMac.

Acco and Hertzel spiral cut carbide end mills have worked well; both available from MSC.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

On 'not-metal' I only use PreciseBits. Their stuff is pretty much untouchable in that arena so far as quality goes.

That said, if you're feeding them by hand then they're acting more like a burr than an end mill anyhow so there might not be a giant advantage to paying more for top notch cutters. Conversely, the luthier suppliers are charging PreciseBits prices for stock cutters worth 1/4 as much so if you're used to paying that much already then it'll be a shift in quality

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

+! for drillbitcity.

Good prices, and, I ordered Monday evening, and they were in my mailbox the next Wednesday noon (and, they are several states away) .

Phil

I've been getting bits from American Carbide lately
http://www.american-carbide.com/

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.