How to start

[TomG]

As a beginner, I would recommend avoiding carbide. It is expensive, unforgiving and generally intended for larger, more powerful machinery. A fly cutter and a few high speed steel bits would be the way to go. Hand sharpening is a skill you will want to learn anyway and there are plenty of videos on my Youtube page and information on my website to steer you in the right direction.

A few basic things you will need for the mill are:

•  A dial test indicator to align the vise to the table
  
• An edge finder to locate the edges of parts
  
• A small solid square for squaring up stock
  
• An assortment of small end mills, four-flute for steel and two-flute for non-ferrous metals, plus collets to hold them
  
• A set of thin parallels
  
• Digital calipers
  
• A drill chuck and a set of twist drills
  
• A calculator to figure proper rpm for the end mills, to keep from killing them
  

You should be able to do a lot of damage with this list and add to it as you gain experience and your bank account allows.

Tom