Face milling and shell milling are interchangeable if the milling tool being used is a shell tool, whereas face machining is used when describing the wider machining process.

A shell end mill is a type of cutting tool that is primarily used in industrial milling applications. It differs from a drift drill in terms of geometry, application and manufacture. While a drill mill can only cut in the axial direction, an end mill, on the other hand, can cut in virtually all directions.

Seco shell mill holders are designed to hold milling cutters in rough to fine milling applications. There are two conventional shell mill holder types for spigot and tenon drive: small face type according to ISO 3937 and large face type according to the latest milling cutters' face diameters.

A face mill, also known as a shell mill, is a circular milling tool with a flat end and carbide or carbide-tipped inserts positioned along its sides. They are most commonly used for creating a flat face on the surface of a metal plate or bar workpiece.