Carbide cutters

[Donny Lawson]

Where is a good source for the round and square carbide cutters for the turning tools? I'm thinking of making me some tools and I need cutters. Thanks

[Doug W Swanson]

I bought some of the EWT replacement cutters from CSUSA. They weren't cheap but I made my own holders....

[John Terefenko]

I am interested in this thread also because I want to do the same thing. I can make the handles. Just need the cutters.

[Peter Blair]

I haven't compared prices but I just bought a couple of small round cutters from Hunter Tools.

[Eric Gourieux]

Go here: http://eddiecastelin.com/products_and_services

Cap'n Eddie has great deals

[Scott Kuykendall]

Here is where I get mine, Cap'n Eddie Castelin he has videos on You tube and his site about making the bars, you can buy just the cutters or he has package deals with a bar and a few cutters for a very good price. He is just a turner that is selling the stuff on the side and is not trying to make a killing. He has a 3/8" round mild steel bar with 3 round inserts and 4 screws shipped for $40.00. I have made a few different ones from his parts and they work great. Here is his web site
http://eddiecastelin.com/products_and_services
Scott

[Steve Schlumpf]

I haven't made my own carbide tools but have heard of many that use the replaceable carbide inserts that Grizzly uses on their spiral planer heads. Just another option: Grizzly (http://www.grizzly.com/products/Carbide-Replacement-Inserts-14-x-14-x-2mm-10-Pack/T20796)

[Bill White]

+1 on Cap'n Eddie. He's a good guy too.
Bill

[James Combs]

I have made a few of my own tools, mostly to use the EWT inserts but I found these (http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/carbide-insert-knives.html) as replacements for the EWT Ci1-R2 square ones. If they had an EWT number it might be Ci1-R4 or R8. Page down once and look at the 15mm "For Titan..." and "For "Byrd"..." inserts. They come 10 to a pack at $2.35 ea. I have a pack of 10 and it is hard for me to tell them apart from the EWT Ci1-R2. If neither was marked with their respective logos I wouldn't be able too. The ones I have are the "Byrd" versions. They have a 4" radius to the best I can tell from the info the site provides.

[Rick Markham]

if your looking for round inserts to put the carbide cutter in to fit your Monster, Kobra, or whatever hollowing rig your using that uses square, or round bits of various sizes. Hunter tool is the place to go. I just ordered a 3/16" square holder with a #1 carbide cutter in it. I can't wait for it to show up, so I can hollow with it :)

[Michael Mills]

I can’t say how they compare (haven't used others) but I purchased my square from this place.

http://www.pmctool.com/product.php?productID=1080

Per their rep these are shaped on the back for a particular tool. They also carry the same quality (made in Germany) with a flat back for $19 for a box of ten, which is what I purchased. The less expensive are part XCT-G I believe but you may have to phone. They have the screws also but only come in a box of ten, not individually.

[brian watts]

i think i might have to order some from grizzly

[Curt Fuller]

http://www.carbidedepot.com/wood-turning.htm

[Harry Robinette]

I didn't like the ones from Grizzly they dig in constantly and are hard to control. I use EWT replacements their more money but they work like they should no playing around with them.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Harry. I have tried 3 different carbide cutters including the grizzly. Always come back to the EWT so thats all I buy. None of the other carbides lasted as long as the EWT IMHO.

[Donny Lawson]

I like the cutters at Global tooling but which size should I get? I looked at the 9mm and the 15mm. Square edge or radius edge?? I will be using it on 1/2" square stock.

[Ted Calver]

Global tooling, the company at James' link had a sale on these cutters a couple years ago and i bought about 50 IIRC. Got 40 left. They don't last as long as the EWT cutters but at a third of the price I don't mind changing cutters.

[Donny Lawson]

Global tooling, the company at James' link had a sale on these cutters a couple years ago and i bought about 50 IIRC. Got 40 left. They don't last as long as the EWT cutters but at a third of the price I don't mind changing cutters.

Ted, what size did you get? They offer several different sizes. I will be putting it on 1/2" square stock.

[Fred Perreault]

Donnie, I use the EWT round cutter, but I find that I can sharpen them quite effectively. I have a small wooden block that has a nub sticking out of it. I place the round cutter with the top face down on my 3"x8" diamond flat plate and then place the nub in the screw hole for traction. Then I rub back and forth, and around in circles a few times, and put a new, very sharp edge on the cutter. The EWT cutters have a flat top side and glide well to create the new edge. I have sharpened/honed my 3 round cutters at least 4 times each. A noticable difference. BTW... sometimes I just hold a finger over the round cutter as i hone it this way, it doesn't require much pressure at all.

[Ted Calver]

Ted, what size did you get? They offer several different sizes. I will be putting it on 1/2" square stock.

Donnie, The ones I got are 15 x 15 x 2.5mm - BT 100mm Radius Face & RC, Part #IC-2515154-4100, Grade K20 SMG. They fit my EWT Ci1

[James Combs]

Donnie, The ones I got are 15 x 15 x 2.5mm - BT 100mm Radius Face & RC, Part #IC-2515154-4100, Grade K20 SMG. They fit my EWT Ci1

Ditto what Ted Said.

[Jeff Nicol]

I bought some from Grizzly, and a couple of other places and have never even used one yet, I still keep making more out of the pile of old table saw blades I have. They will last me until I am dead and gone and there will still be many left when my grandsons are old and gray! I can make any shape I want in a few minutes and sharpen them as many times until there is nothing left to hold onto anymore, then make another, either round, square, semi-round, oval, egg shaped, pointed or whatever my turning needs call for. For me the cheaper the better, save the $$ for stuff I can't make, which is more fun anyway.

Have fun with no matter what you use,

Jeff

[Peter Blair]

HEY Jeff. Do you think you could explain a little more about how you use the table saw blades?

[Moses Weisberg]

If you're making your own tools, buy the carbide inserts from somewhere like mcmaster. Look for positive or zero rake inserts, and because you're turning wood, chipbreaker geometry doesn't matter. I have no idea why the inserts marketed for wood are so much more expensive than their metalworking counterparts.

[Bill Sampson]

You may want to look at woodchuck-tools.com. Ken Farrell, has several different cutters and I have had great success with them.
Bill

[Dick Strauss]

I don't have a pony in the race but geometry does matter IMHO...my two cents to follow...

A zero rake is very hard to use on the inside shape of a wooden form because of the square edge of the carbide bit. Try grinding your scrapers at a 90* angle and see how they work. They really only work in scraping/shearing mode when the cutting tip is lower than the handle or above center (whether rotated or not). Since carbide doesn't have a burr, the zero rake version is the worst case scraper IMO.

The flat-topped negative-rake carbide inserts (EWT/Grizzly/spiral planer) are more forgiving and are easier to use but really are scrapers. Scrapers can be very effective but have their limitations with respect to finish quality on a variety of wood grains.

The dished carbide inserts (Hunter/Monster) act more like cutters and are more aggressive if used with no rotation into the wood. However, once you get the hang of it, you can leave a much smoother finish on all wood grains like that of a bowl gouge.

[Jim Underwood]

I keep wondering if you all have noticed the difference between the different grades of carbides? Evidently what Hunter is using stays quite a bit sharper, and for far longer than standard machine grade carbide... Anyone care to comment on that?

[Ken Glass]

I have been using the same as Curt at the Carbide Depot. The ones I get are 12mm and I also buy the screws with them. http://www.carbidedepot.com/

[Jim Underwood]

I have no idea why the inserts marketed for wood are so much more expensive than their metalworking counterparts.

Perhaps it has to do with the grade of carbide. After reading an article on carbide cutters in a recent AAW journal, I became interested in the nano-grain carbide which seems to stay sharper for much longer than regular machine grade carbide.

I'd still like to know if anyone has used both, and what their experience is. Apparently no one here has compared the two grades of carbide. I've been asking this question of y'all for the past coupla months..

Any comments?

[Tim Rinehart]

Myself and alot of folks have tried to sift thru the commercial language and get to an understanding most can wrestle with. I tried doing some searches for what constitutes nano-grain carbide, and haven't come up with anything definitive from the makers of carbide cutters like Kennametal, Ingersoll, Kyocera, etc. Doesn't mean it isn't out there...I just haven't found it. These carbide insert manufacturers make all sorts of cutters, including the 7 degree positive rake cutters similar to the ones Hunter tools uses and which alot of folks have bought from Carbide Depot. I have a #3 Hunter swan neck tool I bought 2 years ago, and when ready to replace the cutter, I used a 10mm cutter from Carbide Depot and don't see any difference in either sharpness or tool life. I had to open up the back milled area a little due to subtle geometry differences, but it affects nothing about the tools use/effectiveness. They look and act alike to me, FWIW. The 8 mm cutter is a bit smaller and also easier to control than the 10mm due to the reduced tool contact area when cutting, and I've made versions that I use with both 8 mm and the smaller 6 mm cutters, which are essentially like the #1 Hunter cutter.

What I've been hearing and reading, is that the polished surface cutters like are more prevalent in the round positive rake cutters are different at a molecular level (nano?) than the traditional flat grey cutters traditionally used in metal cutting, and which can normally be resharpened. These polished and shiny cutters can be configured with very sharp and long lasting edges, and when dull...pitch and replace them.

A good example of what I don't believe to be a nano-material, is the square cutters folks get from Global Tooling for roughing...these can be pretty easily dressed on a diamond stone and regain the edge, and they are the 'grey' type of cutter. I can sharpen them, but given that they can bought at about 2-3 bucks a piece...not worth it.

The round positive rake inserts like from Carbide Depot are shiny and I've tried unsuccessfully to dress the edge, though others with proper diamond wheels and sharpening ability may be able to. For what it's worth, these positive rake cutters with the very sharp edge are essentially what is used for some turning on aluminum and other soft non-ferrous metals, and lend themselves very well to cutting wood.

This is a bit of rambling, but what I can say, is that if you want easy out of the box technique for use of carbide, the Easy tools are so simple, anyone can get them to cut decently, and you'll find them loved by both new and experienced turners. If you must have a surface that rivals use of a sharp gouge to peel shavings, you almost have to use the positive rake Hunter style cutters that take a bit more practice to get proficient. There's a place for both, in my opinion.

[Josh Bowman]

+1 on a Jeff Nicol demo on saw blade turning bits.

[Peter Blair]

Hey Josh. Any chance you could post a link to this demo or is it on his DVD?

[Josh Bowman]

Sorry, I was just agreeing that I wanted to see it also.


Hey Josh. Any chance you could post a link to this demo or is it on his DVD?

[Peter Blair]

Oh Nuts! I have tried to find some information on this as I have a few old blades that probably would make good cutters . . . Thanks anyway