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Is a Rotary Burr a Milling Cutter or a Drill Bit?

Is a Rotary Burr a Milling Cutter or a Drill Bit?

2025-08-07

A rotary burr is neither a traditional milling cutter nor a drill bit. Instead, it functions more like a combination of a file, a small milling cutter, and a grinding tool, designed for deburring, shaping, surface finishing, and engraving.

What is Rotary Burr?

A rotary burr (also called a rotary file or carbide burr) is a high-speed rotating cutting tool, commonly used with pneumatic tools, die grinders, or electric rotary tools. It’s primarily used for:

Deburring
Edge trimming
Shaping
Surface finishing
Mold polishing Rotary Burr vs. Milling Cutter

Feature	Rotary Burr	Milling Cutter
Application	Deburring, surface shaping	Material removal, contour milling
Machine	Handheld tools (grinders)	CNC machine tools, milling machines
Precision	Medium	High
Movement	Flexible, manual control	Programmed, rigid path
Design	Various head shapes (ball, cone, cylinder, and so on )	Typically end or face milling geometry

Rotary Burr vs. Drill Bit

Feature	Rotary Burr	Drill Bit
Function	Surface finishing, edge shaping	Drilling holes
Shape	Multiple profiles for different tasks	Pointed spiral or straight flutes
Installation	Die grinder, rotary tool	Drilling machine or electric drill
Use	Metal, wood, plastic, composites	Mostly metal or wood for hole making

Summary:

A rotary burr is specialized high-speed cutting tool used for finishing, deburring, and shaping materials. It is not drill bit or milling cutter but a unique tool often used in mold making, metalworking, and precision machining.