Kyocera 0.5mm end mill

Posted by John McBride on 27th Dec 2010

I build model aircraft kits, mainly subjects of the RAAF and RAN from WW2 to present in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales.

I'm also a keen railway modeller of British outline in OO, P4 and O gauges. I model the GWR from around 1900c to around the 1930's and BR in the BR blue/Executive days 1970 to around 1990. I use DCC for all my railway modelling.

I have a full set of Kyocera end mills, from .025mm to 3.0mm inclusive. I use them with my Proxxon MF70 Micro mill and by hand in a pin vice for many applications on materials such as Styrene, ABS plastic, Brass, nickel silver, milds steel, white metal and resin. They clean up and square the faces of resin casting beautifully. They also enable the modeller to drill small diameter holes with a square bottom, when required, easily

I have used these end mills to build/engrave small circuit boards on PCB material for DCC lighting circuits in 4mm diesel locomotives.

A word of caution about these end mills. They are extremely sharp. Great care needs to be taken when handling them. The flutes are razor sharp as are the ends. They should be handled with the same care as a hypodermic needle. The coloured plasic ID collars are also there as the safe handling point for the use when fitting/removing then from your machine or hand tool.

I would recommend these end mills to any modeller