Carbide Tipped Tooling explained.

Found this video online which clearly explains all about tipped tooling that struck me as too good not to post for people new to the hobby. It also strikes me like a potentially good subject for the magazine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsFFWYo8ugw

Some of his videos are side splitting funny as well !

Another carbide tooling video was made by Adam booth ( abom79 ) that from memory was made with the help of a sales rep from Niagra tooling and i found it very informative .

Edited By XD 351 on 07/11/2017 12:34:37

I love his videos and have loads of time for the guy but he will keep dropping one based on basic misunderstanding of things or poor technical terminology-

"Mainly Tungsten and Carbide powders pressed into a shape"

I can only guess that constant use of "Carbide" as a shorthand for "Tungsten Carbide" leads some people to think that tools are a mix of a metallic element, "Tungsten" and a "Carbide" of something entirely random or perhaps "Pure Carbide"?.

Maybe he means "Mainly Tungsten Carbide plus other Carbides" but the terminology is such that in getting it wrong it is so wrong as to be misleading to anyone in need of a "Beginner's Guide"

- Nick

Tungsten carbide inserts are made from tungsten carbide and other carbides with cobalt as a binder. Proportions vary according to the application.

I thought that "Carbide" was just the new Chinese word for "High carbon steel" because they had quite worn that one out with cheap taps and stuff that shattered the moment you applied any real pressure

Tnere is a very very well written article by a guy named mike Haughton which has just come out this month, all about carbides of all stripes. I wouldn't miss it. Hats off to him.

Michael W

And for those who have ever wondered how they are made .

https://youtu.be/0QrynzJ_lZ4

Interesting.

Recommendations please on which type of holder and insert/s to use on my BH600G, for basic turning using most grades of metal we hobbyists use.

Geoff - That TuffSaws 10/14 blade is GOOD!

Hi Geoff,

I usually use use an insert with a W for the first letter ( trigon shape ) for heavy or intermittent cuts and an insert with a T as the first letter ( triangle ) for general work .

The tool holder dictates the rest of the code ( other than chipbreaker style , grade and coating) like hole type ,clearance angle and size etc so you need to sort out the size of holder your lathe needs and then decide on insert shape .

Most people just buy a set of toolholders from a supplier then go from there and some sets use the same insert on all the holders so you only need one style of insert which for most users is very convenient .

Ian

very interesting, no wonder they aint cheap

The video that popped up after XD's recommendation is well worth watching too. About 30 minutes for hobbyists. A good explanation of HSS vs Carbide and the Pros&Cons of Brazed Carbide tools (beginner avoid). Finishes with an explanation of insert code numbers and why you might choose round, trigonal, triangular, square or rectangular inserts. Ends with a demo of an insert producing a carp finish with shallow cuts at low feed rate moving to perfect finish with a much deeper cut at a higher feed rate. Lesson learned: inserts are 'better' than HSS only if you drive them right! Makes the interesting comment that professional buyers ring up the rep and tell him the material being cut and the machine that will be used. The rep selects the best insert for the job and sends the invoice to someone else. Amateurs have to do their own research and pay the bills.

I liked the bit at the beginning where he machines HSS with a carbide cutter but the message is balanced. He follows up with good reasons for using HSS rather than carbide.

The humour might not be to everyone's taste. Be warned - I liked it!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 26/11/2017 10:19:02

Thanks Ian.

Will check advertiser's offers.

Dave,

Watched that one as well and enjoy his humour.

Geoff - New router up and running.

Doh, I've just realised that the link I posted is exactly the one Chris started the thread with. No idea how that happened. Feeling foolish...

I too am fan of 'This Old Tony' admire his skills but also enjoy the humour he injects into his video's

H

Hi Gents/Ladies. You folk will know all of this but I'm just a few months in as a lathe owner. I've been tooling up since Christmas and can now do simple lathe work. I dived straight in with a Chinese QRTP and indexable tools and it's been like a drug. I just thought I'd share this in case it hasn't been let out on here. Although I have very limited understanding of most of it, it still has me completely mesmerized!

**LINK**

OOOOHHHHH it starts again. Welcome to the chip making asylum.

haha, cheers Mark

Fortunately for people who want to try indexable tooling now, the affordable Chinese inserts and holders have improved greatly recently. I have stuff from all the major manufacturers as well as Chinese, and for hobby use, the cheap stuff from ebay is well worth the money. The only hss I have used on a lathe in the last ten years is in the form of twist drills.