Ditch the Hand Deburring – Let Tanis Shell Mill Holder Disc Brushes Do the Dirty Work

by Bernard Martin

Tanis 6” CeramiX Tufted Pattern Disc Brush featuring 3M Abrasive Grain.

Let’s be honest—nobody loves hand deburring. It’s time-consuming, inconsistent, and nobody wants to spend the end of a long shift hunched over a bench with a file or scotch-brite wheel. That’s why more shops are switching to Tanis Shell Mill Holder Disc Brushes—a simple drop-in solution for automated edge deburring, surface prep, and finishing right in the CNC.

These brushes are made to fit standard shell mill holders, so you can toss them into your toolchanger like any other tool. But instead of cutting metal, they’re smoothing it out—knocking down sharp edges, blending surfaces, and giving your parts that final, finished touch.

What’s the Big Deal with These Brushes?
Tanis brushes aren’t your average off-the-shelf wire wheels. These are built for CNC machines and designed to take on burrs, not just wipe dust off. The bristles are made with CeramiX™ abrasive filaments, which is fancy talk for ceramic grit embedded in flexible nylon. That combo gives you aggressive material removal without damaging your part geometry.

The best part? You don’t need to re-fixture or move parts to a secondary station. Just program the brush path into your CNC cycle and let it do the work. It's efficient, repeatable, and saves your team from a lot of manual labor.

Built for the Machine Shop
Here’s what makes these brushes perfect for production environments:

• Mounts like a shell mill – Fits right into standard 1-1/2” x 4” shell mill holders with drive pin holes.
• Multiple diameters – Ranges from 2" up to 8" depending on your part size and access.
• Abrasive types – Choose from CeramiX, Silicon Carbide, or Aluminum Oxide based on your material and finish needs.
• Grit options – From rough 46 grit to fine 320, you’ve got flexibility for anything from burr blasting to surface blending.
• RPM Ratings – Smaller brushes can spin up to 6,000 RPM; bigger ones top out around 2,000. Always check the safe range.
• Filament lengths – Usually between 1" and 2-3/8", giving you enough brush reach without floppiness.

What Can You Use Them For?
Just about anything you’d normally hand-deburr—except now you can automate it. Shops use them for:

• Breaking edges on milled parts
• Blending chamfers after drilling or tapping
• Cleaning up 3D-printed metal surfaces
• Prepping parts for anodizing or paint
• Smoothing slots, cross-holes, and pocket walls

You can run them dry or with coolant. The filaments are heat-resistant and won’t load up like traditional abrasives. They also keep a consistent pressure and cut over time—so your first part looks as good as your hundredth.

Quick Tips on Choosing the Right One
Not sure which brush to pick? Here’s a quick guide:

• Need serious burr removal? Go coarse (46–80 grit) with CeramiX.
• Doing light blending or prepping for finish? Try 180–320 grit.
• Working on aluminum or composites? Silicon Carbide works great.
• Want a one-brush-fits-all? CeramiX is your go-to for most metals.

Still not sure? Give us a call—we’ll help you pick the right brush for your material, part geometry, and surface finish goal.

Automate the Finish—And Free Up Your Crew
Adding a Tanis Shell Mill Holder Brush to your CNC setup is one of those small upgrades that makes a big impact. You’ll save time, reduce manual labor, and get more consistent part finishes. Plus, your team will thank you for taking one more tedious task off their plate.

At Factory Tooling Solutions, we carry the full lineup of Tanis disc brushes and can help you get started with a test setup. Just tell us what you're running, and we’ll help dial in the right brush and process.