Carbide tipped woodturning irons

[jonn]

Some years ago I was considering carbide tipped wood turning tools, but when I saw the price, I balked. However, after a bit of research I found that RCGT inserts for cutting aluminium on metal lathes was plenty sharp enough for wood. And then I found that real savings could be had buying these directly via Aliexpress. For the local price of 2 here in Norway, I would get a pack of 10 from China, about same quality. If you can get hold of the 10 or 12 mm rods, square of round, you just have to get a metal lathe and ditto milling machine, and start production. And you'll have perfectly good ones for 2 or 3 quids. I've made quite a few for mates, but as the business genius I am, I end up just charging what I have paid for the materials. But I enjoy making them, including turning the handles, so the money is secondary. Bit of a wally, according to my sister, but so be it

 

[paulm]

It's well worth doing and very satisfying

Made mine with just a grinding wheel and pro edge, drill and a tap for threading. I made up different shafts for different shaped cutters and scrapers and just swap them over in the hollow handle when needed.

 

[clogs]

good for you Jonn.......
u'll always have friends with gift's like that.....
plan to make a few for myself....will be turning big root balls.....
gotta be better than HSS in that job.....

 

[D_W]

good for you Jonn.......
u'll always have friends with gift's like that.....
plan to make a few for myself....will be turning big root balls.....
gotta be better than HSS in that job.....

Carbide or 10v, or just a very fast sharpening routine 10v tools will be low toughness and may be more apt to break, though. But they'll have some abrasion resistance to dirt.

 

[jonn]

Tormek has a nifty little tool for grinding carbide bits which came as a bonus with the Tormek SVD-186. I never bothered to check how Tormek intended its use as I just put it in my metal lathe chuck and used a diamond whetstone handheld. Works a treat, and the inserts are sharp as ever again. Wondered what the hole, the threaded hole in the thick end, and the circlip were for as I never read the instructions, as real men never do