Indexable Endmill - Inserts Help

[Darren747uk]

I am thinking of buying a 16mm indexable end mill (picture 1) to use in my SX3 milling machine, i know nothing about indexable end mills so have a question about the inserts...

They sell the inserts also (picture 2) but seem expensive per insert, my question is, can other brands of insert be used with this end mill? And if so how do i know what type to buy? As after looking on eBay there are many many different looking types.

 

[kvom]

The APTK reference describes the insert geometry, and any insert that's APTK will work.

 

[Darren747uk]

The APTK reference describes the insert geometry, and any insert that's APTK will work.

Thank you for the reply and the info, thats great!

Looking online for inserts, have they made a mistake on their website, should they not be APKT?

 

[bazmak]

I bought a box of inserts and then made the holder.Works well
and not as expensive.I have seen clone end mills in sets of 3 with
a box of 10 inserts for a good price.I also fitted an insert to a olathe tool
for heavy roughing cuts.That type is insert is std for milling but comes
in a no of sizes.My advice shop around, buy a box and make your own
first cutter,if you like it then buy a better quality one

 

[kvom]

APKT looks correct

 

[michael-au]

Could also look on AliExpress they may have a cheap holder and inserts

 

[Darren747uk]

Thanks for the replies and help, i went ahead and purchased the 16mm end mill from the company above as it looks a reasonable one, it comes with 2 inserts but i will buy more from elsewhere as I'm sure they can be bought cheaper.

The inserts that the end mill comes with are type APKT 1003, thats all the info i have on those, not sure if when worn out they can be turned and use the opposite side?? Also, im not sure if i can just buy any APKT 1003 inserts in the future for it? I'm a bit confused because when looking online all the inserts have a load of numbers/letters after the APKT 1003

 

[DJP]

Like Bazmak, I have made my own holders for carbide inserts. For true low cost operation I source dull carbides by the handful then sharpen them using a green wheel. It's not true indexing but it works for lathe cutters.

 

[nautilus29]

Thanks for the replies and help, i went ahead and purchased the 16mm end mill from the company above as it looks a reasonable one, it comes with 2 inserts but i will buy more from elsewhere as I'm sure they can be bought cheaper.

The inserts that the end mill comes with are type APKT 1003, thats all the info i have on those, not sure if when worn out they can be turned and use the opposite side?? Also, im not sure if i can just buy any APKT 1003 inserts in the future for it? I'm a bit confused because when looking online all the inserts have a load of numbers/letters after the APKT 1003

The other numbers are telling you thinks like... corner radius, carbide grade, if the insert is coated or not and other things depending on the brand.

Once one corner is worn you can rotate the insert 180 degrees and use the other corner. You can't flip it around and use the back side though.

 

[Darren747uk]

The other numbers are telling you thinks like... corner radius, carbide grade, if the insert is coated or not and other things depending on the brand.

Once one corner is worn you can rotate the insert 180 degrees and use the other corner. You can't flip it around and use the back side though.

Thanks for this info, that's great. I understand now.

Out of interest, any idea what the difference is between APKT 1003 and APKT 1604, am I correct in thinking it is the insert size?

 

[nautilus29]

Yep
Insert Style APKT
Insert Size 1604

 

[Wizard69]

I strongly suggest downloading catalogs from the various insert providers and learning the nomenclature each vendor uses. Also you will want to come to terms with inserts that are standardized as opposed to proprietary. Prefer inserts that are standardized by either ANSI or ISO.

For example APKT is standardized or at least copied widely. Here is one chart: http://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-insert-d.htm. This can help with ISO to ANSI cross referencing: http://www.qtstools.com/document_library/tech-resources/Turning/ISO-ANSI Insert Crossover.pdf.

This info is useful because some of your best deals come up out of the blue, at an auction, eBay, or just a vendor discontinuing inserts. You can save money on inserts over traditional vendors and frankly huge discounts can be had if you are willing to deal with China. The trick of course is to know when a specific insert is useful to you.

As to your quoted prices that does seem a bit high but I'm in the USA so I don't know the exact costs. However if you figure the USA prices can range from about $12 to $50 dollars each from a major vendor (without a multiplier applied) then I don't think your price is unreasonable. Other vendors will advertise inserts as low as $9 each and on E_Bay you can get solutions for as little as $3 each. Of course we don't know how reputable the E-Bay dealers are.

There are any many grades of these inserts to choose from some even have PCD edges. This is where you really need to learn and understand the catalog information. Buying the right grade for the materials and techniques you will use is critical.