I just got my Pro XXL and bought the Nomad starter end mill pack from Carbide. Woodpeckers has the Amana 8 piece on sale for $25 more. Should I return the Nomad pack? I can’t seem to find the specs on them and the Amana looks to be a better set. If it’s minimal difference I’ll just keep them. Thanks!
Are you milling wood? The Nomad pack endmills don’t make a whole lot of sense for milling wood on a Shapeoko, that’s why there’s a separate pack for the Shapeoko.
I’d only keep the Nomad endmills if you’re intending to do really fine detailed work, as the endmill diameters are better suited for that.
The Amana pack you’re looking at is certainly better-suited to the Shapeoko but I’d also consider just buying the Carbide 3D Shapeoko pack, especially if you’re new to this, as Carbide Create is already set up with all the Carbide 3D tool parameters.
You might also not need a pack at all. I bought the Nomad pack for my Nomad but I’ve only ever really used the 1/8" endmills, so I could have saved money by just buying tons of those upfront.
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Welcome, Dan!
I bought two end mill ‘starter’ packs with my XXL but have only used four of the 10 different sized tools, and I broke one of them.
I’ve used the supplied #201 for most of stuff I’ve done (only been at it 6 months, so still learning!) but have invested in a 60 and a 90 degree V bits, a ‘fly’ cutter, a pack each of the #102, #251 and #201’s, so hopefully that will do for now.
To be honest, I probably went over the top with end mills when I ordered my machine. It would have been better to wait and see what I wanted to achieve first, but I’m sure there are those out there who can’t have enough end mills 
Good luck!
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Starter packs are a great deal, for the seller not so much for the buyer. The price per tool is good but if you never use the tool it is not such a good deal. As Peter said above the common #201 is a work horse. I use the #102, #301, #302 and of course #201. There is nothing wrong with the other bits in the set but as I said if you never use them it is wasted money.
I have bought some Whiteside 1/4 inch upcut and downcut bits on Amazon and use them in place of the #201. The Whiteside are 2 flute where the #201 is a 3 flute but my cuts are fine. I could create a custom tool but it is easier for me to use the #201 for them.
Frued makes some very good 90 and 60 degree vee bits, #301 and #302.
I have tried some of the Chinese generic bits from Amazon and am unimpressed with them. Whiteside makes their bits in North Carolina and Frued makes theirs in Italy. Both of these places know how to make quality tools. Personally I am not much for buying things made by slave labor.
You can get bits all over but the simpliest when you are new is the carbide3d bits because they have already figured them out as far as speeds and feeds.
I would buy bits as I anticipated using a new bit. The tried and true bits will take you far into the future.
Thanks guys, I am just gonna keep the pack I have. It’s already here and as you have said, Carbide has their info already in the software. Thanks again for the help.
The nomad pnly uses 1/8 bits. If you need collets elairecorp.com sells precision collets reasonably. Just be sure you get the ones for your model because they sell collets for all sizes of routers.
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