Ball End-mill for drilling?

JBW · Post by **JBW** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 10:59 pm

I know most of you use rounded spade bits for the tobacco chamber. Has anyone ever tried a ball end-mill? I have plenty at my shop and was wondering if these would work instead of buying something else.
Thanks,

mahaffy · Post by **mahaffy** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 11:32 pm

It sure sounds like it's worth a shot. Give it a try in some scrap and see what you think. Long's they're clean and sharp, you might have a whole lot better way than the rest of us. Let us know. . . .

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 1:08 am

I have used ball end mills many times. The only thing I do not like about them is they tend to leave marks in the bottom of the smoking chamber.

Skip Elliott

Post by **Tyler** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:18 am

I've used them, and they work great if that is the profile you want for you chamber. It gives perfectly parallel sides with a hemispherical bottom. Definitely a good chamber profile for lots of shapes.

Tyler

marks · Post by **marks** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:48 am

Joel, upon further thought from our discussion at the TAPS show, I think they would work for certain shape pipes, like Tyler mentioned. If you are making pipes that taper towards the bottom, a more conical chamber shape might be warranted so the wall thickness remains fairly uniform. However, for billiards, pots, and for shapes that get larger towards the bottom, the end mills may work very well.