Griz;
Rick has some good advice about what to buy, and where to buy them. Enco has good prices on the kind of stuff we need, and usually offers a "USA made" option. For some things, it doesn't matter so much where they come from. Some things really do. Carbide tooling is one of them.
You didn't mention the size of your machines, so I'll just show you what I use. These brazed carbide turning tools give good service, and won't break the bank. This is a 3/8" shank size, and they are often on sale at Enco for about $3.00, (they are now). Less if you buy a dozen.
If you have a small lathe, you will really do well to learn to grind them to a shape that works better for lower horse power. You can grind HSS to sharper edges than what comes on carbide tools, and that will help a lot with smaller machines. I understand having trouble with the grinding part, though. It can be hard to figure it out from looking at pictures on the web.
For end mills, John has a great point. If you think you're going to break it, you probably will, and HSS end mills are definitely cheaper for those kind of jobs. They also don't last anywhere near as long as carbide.
You asked about brands. For carbide end mills, Atrax is one that is pretty good for us home shop guys, and they are not quite as spendy as the brands the big boys use. They're good and sharp, and stay that way a long while. Again, Enco has them, as well as MSC. Enco has them on sale seemingly six months of the year, and are on sale at the moment. The type below, 1/4", single end, TiN coated carbide, are going for about $8 a pop. If you don't chip them, one will last a long time.
Both of these have been through the ringer, and are still sharp enough to give a good finish. I do quite a bit of machining, and don't wear one out very often. I usually end up chipping them doing something dumb, like touching off, before they wear out.
You can see the part # for the four flute if you're interested in that particular end mill.
Good luck.
Dean
