CNC Endmill Recommendations

Hi Cafe Builders!

I recently have joined a makerspace with a tabletop CNC machine, and I'm excited to get up and running with machining top and back plates on it. I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for endmills for two main machining processes. One being cutting out the body shape, and the other being graduating the inside and outside of the plates. I am planning on doing the final shaping of the plates by hand, so the CNC will be routing out the "elevation map" of the top and back, producing something like this:


Attachment 187423


Could I make do with getting one straight plunge bit for these two operations, acknowledging the tradeoff that it might take a little longer if I choose a smaller diameter bit?


Thanks!
Greg

You could use a 1/4" end mill for both, but I think it would be worth taking the time to do a toolchange and use a 1/2" one for the contours. It would probably take a while to do the whole thing with the 1/4" but yes, if you're just doing a few instruments and you're not worried about time, you could certainly use it. I use spiral upcut solid carbide for most of that stuff.

Awesome, thanks for the help!