Hi all
I've been meaning to post this for some time but keep forgetting. Buying American products whenever i can is a priority for me. I bought a shopbot for that reason. I found a good source of USA made CNC bits. it's Carbide Tool Source (google them) and they are made in Oregon. I just got a pack of five 3/16", two flute end mills and a single 3/8" end mill for a total cost of $60.94 including tax and shipping. The 3/8" mill (aluminum cutting) was $38.95 but the 3/16" were $19 for a pack of five. They have a good variety of square end and ball end bits with a few v bits, though nothing like the variety that Amana has. I've cut Mahogany, ACM, HDU, PVC and thin aluminum (.050") with nice results. I'm going to try some thicker aluminum after I re-install my misting system and will report back.
Yes, you can get cheaper bits from the far east but these are made in America. They are a fraction of the cost of an Amana or Belin bit and a great deal. I'll be trying out the 3/16" bits on mahogany and paduak later this week. The 1/4" mills cut mahogany very well.
My only issue is that they don't often answer email queries. Other than that, I'm very pleased with the bits.