Made of carbide-tipped high-speed steel, these end mills provide a sharper, harder edge at high temperatures than plain high-speed steel. Because they aren’t as brittle as solid carbide, they can be used in less rigid setups, such as manual milling machines. They're often used to create slots in machine tool tables, indexing tables, and other workholding surfaces.

Use uncoated end mills for general purpose milling and short production runs. They stay sharper than coated end mills when used on soft materials like aluminum, leaving a better finish. Use coated end mills for demanding, high-speed jobs in hard material as well as for longer production runs. The coating reduces friction and vibration as they’re used, making them more wear resistant than uncoated end mills. Titanium-nitride (TiN) coated end mills create less friction than uncoated end mills, which means they last longer when run at similar speeds. Titanium-carbonitride (TiCN) coated end mills have a hard, smooth finish that resists chipping and wear and prevents material from accumulating on the cutting edge. They’re especially good for use in aluminum. Aluminum-titanium-nitride (AlTiN) coated end mills dissipate heat better than other end mills, especially at high speeds. At high temperatures, the coating creates a layer of aluminum oxide that transfers heat to the chips, keeping the tool cool, even when used without lubrication.