What length of carbide cutter to start with?

[Jon Steffen]

i'm new to wood turning. Just ordered a midi lathe and trying to decide what length tool to buy?

I don't want to buy too short of a tool that's not going to be useful for 8-12" bowl turning, but I don't know if too large of a tool is also not useful to smaller projects.

Any advice on micro, mini, mid, full ect? is it just that the longer the tool, the more leverage you can get, so the more you can carve in a single pass?

Thanks for your help.

[Brice Rogers]

For a 12 inch bowl, I'd suggest an 18" tool. If a tool handle is too long, it is rarely a problem. If it is, cut it down.

I have also taken a section of 1" iron pipe and drilled and tapped it to make a handle extension. It is ugly but if I'm hollowing and have a lot of overhang it helps a great deal.

On carbide you get the least amount of tear out with light cuts.

Carbide works very well for things like pens, and plastic resin. But most carbide tools are scrapers. And you can get a better finish by using conventional tools like a bowl gouge than with a scraper.

[Thomas Wilson80]

When I first started I bought carbide tools that were about 18” long (tool bar and the wooden handle combined). The length always seemed fine, but like Bryce said, the finish was terrible for what I was doing (small bowls and ornaments) and I quickly bought a bowl gouge and skew chisel and then a few months later a spindle gouge and now I never use my carbide tools.

The downside of conventional tools is the sharpening, but the quality of cuts are so much better that if I had to do it over again I’d save the $200+ I spent on carbide tools and put it towards a grinder/sharpening jig.

Good luck,
Tom

[Jon Steffen]

For a 12 inch bowl, I'd suggest an 18" tool. If a tool handle is too long, it is rarely a problem. If it is, cut it down.

I have also taken a section of 1" iron pipe and drilled and tapped it to make a handle extension. It is ugly but if I'm hollowing and have a lot of overhang it helps a great deal.

On carbide you get the least amount of tear out with light cuts.

Carbide works very well for things like pens, and plastic resin. But most carbide tools are scrapers. And you can get a better finish by using conventional tools like a bowl gouge than with a scraper.


When I first started I bought carbide tools that were about 18” long (tool bar and the wooden handle combined). The length always seemed fine, but like Bryce said, the finish was terrible for what I was doing (small bowls and ornaments) and I quickly bought a bowl gouge and skew chisel and then a few months later a spindle gouge and now I never use my carbide tools.

The downside of conventional tools is the sharpening, but the quality of cuts are so much better that if I had to do it over again I’d save the $200+ I spent on carbide tools and put it towards a grinder/sharpening jig.

Good luck,
Tom
Thanks guys! Since I have no idea if i'm going to love turning or not, i figured I would start with some carbide scrapers as I hear they're easier to learn with. Then if I do really enjoy it, get into the world of gouges and sharpening. Thanks for the pointers on the length I should be looking at to start.

[Mike Nathal]

A distinct type of carbide tools, that cut rather than scrape, are made by Hunter. Much higher quality of cut. But only available in round shapes. I also urge you to research Oland tools. These are home made tools that use a high speed steel insert, 3/16 inch or 1/4 inch square by about an inch long. The inserts can be sharpened quite easily, without the need of jigs. The oland tools can also be purchased from John Jordan or Trent Bosch, they call them "straight boring bars" For a long time I survived with only two tools: an Oland tool and a parting tool made from a kitchen knife (and sand paper). Now I have quite a few gouges but still use the Oland tool a lot, much more than my carbide tools. I still like the Hunter, though. I can hollow out a bowl faster with my Oland tool than with an Easywood tool or a bowl gouge. The quality of cut is in between a carbide scraper and a bowl gouge.

[Jon Steffen]

A distinct type of carbide tools, that cut rather than scrape, are made by Hunter. Much higher quality of cut. But only available in round shapes. I also urge you to research Oland tools. These are home made tools that use a high speed steel insert, 3/16 inch or 1/4 inch square by about an inch long. The inserts can be sharpened quite easily, without the need of jigs. The oland tools can also be purchased from John Jordan or Trent Bosch, they call them "straight boring bars" For a long time I survived with only two tools: an Oland tool and a parting tool made from a kitchen knife (and sand paper). Now I have quite a few gouges but still use the Oland tool a lot, much more than my carbide tools. I still like the Hunter, though. I can hollow out a bowl faster with my Oland tool than with an Easywood tool or a bowl gouge. The quality of cut is in between a carbide scraper and a bowl gouge.
i spent about 30 min looking these over, the carbide cutters on the Hunter tools are definately stout compared to Easywood. Think i'll give them my business and see how it goes.

[John K Jordan]

i spent about 30 min looking these over, the carbide cutters on the Hunter tools are definately stout compared to Easywood. Think i'll give them my business and see how it goes.

I'm another believer in the Hunter tools. I think I have at least one of most of what he offers. My favorites for bowls and platters is the Hunter Hercules - sometimes the large one but mostly the small version. The cutters are extremely sharp and unlike most carbide tools, can be used as scrapers or as gouges. The cut on good, hard wood from these tools can leave a surface almost like glass.

JKJ

[Jon Steffen]

I'm another believer in the Hunter tools. I think I have at least one of most of what he offers. My favorites for bowls and platters is the Hunter Hercules - sometimes the large one but mostly the small version. The cutters are extremely sharp and unlike most carbide tools, can be used as scrapers or as gouges. The cut on good, hard wood from these tools can leave a surface almost like glass.

JKJ
GREAT! i had just ordered a Hercules 10 minutes before your post.

[Jon Steffen]

do any of you have experience with the https://www.harrisonspecialties.com/ carbide cutters?

What about using hunter carbide tools to cut acrylic? It seems like I read a lot about negative rake cutters needed for acrylic. thoughts?

[Brice Rogers]

Harrison Specialties is a fine company. I've corresponded briefly with the owner on another matter. A friend bought a whole set of tools from him that I ended up inheriting.

I favor conventional tools. Carbide negative rake scrapers probably do okay, but conventional NRS use a burr to do its fine cutting. It isn't possible to raise a burr on carbide NRS. I use a round scraper on the inside of hollowforms and sometimes use a square carbide scraper to rough out the inside of a vessel. But the smoothest cuts are not made by scraping with a tool w/o a burr.

But for a newcomer, carbide will get you up to speed quickly. But, if you are really in love with wood turning and want good finishes and less sanding, then plan on switching to conventional tools.