LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Seeking advice on carbide lathe tools - What's the best starter set

Tags
lathe turning
13K views 36 replies 16 participants last post by  Sigung 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey all, I'm getting ready to get some carbide bit and fabricate my own handles and shaft as the complete tools are very spendy, but the cutters themselves come in at about 16 to 18 bucks apiece, not very expensive at all. My question is, if you look at the line of cutters at Easy Wood Tools site, which 4 or 5 of them would be the best choice for a starter set that would get most things done. I won't need a parting tool as I already have one.

Any and all suggestions appreciated, thanks in advance for your time and consideration.
 
#3 ·
Hey Jerry. My carbide set (4) that I made consists of a square, round, diamond and a radius. I had a couple different radius ones but found that the 4'' one was best for me. I buy from A-Z carbide or from e-bay.
 
#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have the Rockler mini set. Bought it when they had it for $99. Right now it's $129. I also picked up the SR (slight radius or square radius) mini tool. I was daunted by what EWT charges for essentially a piece of bar stock handle and a screw. +1 for cap'n Eddie. Rockler charges $20 for a spare cutter. I hear Cap'n Eddie is much cheaper.

Anyhow the minis are just right size for my MIDI lathe. Plenty big enough for spindle and faceplate work on that scale. They make a smaller set for pen turning.

FWIW I still find it easier to roll a bead with a spindle gouge. I use the carbides a lot when i am bowl turning. The diamond detailer plunges right in when i am hollowing. The round cutter does well scraping the inside of bowls. I know you mentioned handle turning. The square cutter makes a good rougher and finishes convex beads well.
 
#5 ·
Go to Captain Eddie s site. He sells GOOD cutters very inexpensively. I use em.
Bill

- Bill White
Thanks Bill, I'm a little hesitant because he only sells packs of three, so that really bumps the price of entry up to about $100.00 or more, but I might just go ahead with it. Is he in the UK?
 
#6 ·
Hey Jerry. My carbide set (4) that I made consists of a square, round, diamond and a radius. I had a couple different radius ones but found that the 4 one was best for me. I buy from A-Z carbide or from e-bay.

- doubleDD
Thanks Dave, I'll check them out.
 
#7 ·
I have the Rockler mini set. Bought it when they had it for $99. Right now it s $129. I also picked up the SR (slight radius or square radius) mini tool. I was daunted by what EWT charges for essentially a piece of bar stock handle and a screw. +1 for cap n Eddie. Rockler charges $20 for a spare cutter. I hear Cap n Eddie is much cheaper.

Anyhow the minis are just right size for my MIDI lathe. Plenty big enough for spindle and faceplate work on that scale. They make a smaller set for pen turning.

FWIW I still find it easier to roll a bead with a spindle gouge. I use the carbides a lot when i am bowl turning. The diamond detailer plunges right in when i am hollowing. The round cutter does well scraping the inside of bowls. I know you mentioned handle turning. The square cutter makes a good rougher and finishes convex beads well.

- BenDupre
Very useful information Ben, I'm a rank novice at turning, and frankly I find it not a little scary, but the customers at the gallery have spoken, and turned items sell.
 
#8 ·
I just completed my first turning projects in the last month or so. They were the handles for my home made carbide tools, and a stitch puller kit I got at Woodcraft.

I bought the 3 packs from Captain Eddy. He is in Louisiana I think. I have only 3 - the square which I use like a roughing gouge, a round which I use for fine tuning, and a diamond which I use for details.

I need a parting tool, and I think I am going to get the radius square. It would seem the radius square would be better for general dimensioning after roughing with the square square. The round has a very thin kerf, so while it works for this it is slow. The square can leave a bit of a ridge from the corner cutting in. So the radius square seems like it would be a useful tool in the middle of those two. The round excels at contouring and shaping, and the narrow diamond is necessary for detailed work.

Of course, this is advice from a guy who has done like 3 turnings, but it might be helpful to you, since you are in my same boat.

Brian
 
#9 ·
Hi Jerry,
You will like the carbide cutters. I do not spindle turn, I only do bowls and vases, segmented and solid wood. Have made about 200 of them with all kinds of tools. I have found as you get into turning a lot of pieces you will find the need for a lot of different tools. As far as the carbides I use Capt. Eddie,s radius square and two sizes of round, 1 is 16mm other is 8mm with my own bars and handles. Do not finish with any of them but use to get rid of thick walls and rough hollowing. Most bowls I wind up using 6 or 8 different style tools.
 
#10 ·
I just completed my first turning projects in the last month or so. They were the handles for my home made carbide tools, and a stitch puller kit I got at Woodcraft.

I bought the 3 packs from Captain Eddy. He is in Louisiana I think. I have only 3 - the square which I use like a roughing gouge, a round which I use for fine tuning, and a diamond which I use for details.

I need a parting tool, and I think I am going to get the radius square. It would seem the radius square would be better for general dimensioning after roughing with the square square. The round has a very thin kerf, so while it works for this it is slow. The square can leave a bit of a ridge from the corner cutting in. So the radius square seems like it would be a useful tool in the middle of those two. The round excels at contouring and shaping, and the narrow diamond is necessary for detailed work.

Of course, this is advice from a guy who has done like 3 turnings, but it might be helpful to you, since you are in my same boat.

Brian

- bbasiaga
Thanks for the input.. You know, you can part with a hacksaw or even a small backsaw
 
#11 ·
Hi Jerry,
You will like the carbide cutters. I do not spindle turn, I only do bowls and vases, segmented and solid wood. Have made about 200 of them with all kinds of tools. I have found as you get into turning a lot of pieces you will find the need for a lot of different tools. As far as the carbides I use Capt. Eddie,s radius square and two sizes of round, 1 is 16mm other is 8mm with my own bars and handles. Do not finish with any of them but use to get rid of thick walls and rough hollowing. Most bowls I wind up using 6 or 8 different style tools.

- poospleasures
That about sums it up, I guess.
 
#14 ·
Next month Rikon is coming out with a set of carbides and they look awesome. Saw the set at a wood expo last weekend they are also very affordable. Check the out on Rikon s web site.

- Woodmaster1
Thanks
 
#16 ·
This another place have to buy in packs of 5 or 10 depending upon cutters you need. Of course shipping not cheap. Thing have to remember about carbide cutters they do get dull and can touch them up with diamond card scrapper but eventually have to replace them.

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

Big believer in conventional tools due to ease resharpening them.

- Wildwood
Really appreciate the link, I'm still on the fence because of the cost and the time and effort to make my own. I have a HF set that's HSS and I had a little "sharpening party" yesterday. It would cost me as much to buy carbide cutters as the whole HF set of tools cost, definitely something to think about. When I first bought the set and resharpened them for the first time, I didn't know nearly as much about sharpening as I do now. I've re-profiled the edges based on a more experienced turner's recommendations and am anticipating a better result today.
 
#17 ·
I'm curious if carbide is really the way to go for a newer turner.

Sharpening can require some investment in setting up, but the carbide tool shapes are quite a bit different than the HSS gouges and spindle gouges.
 
#18 ·
With carbide tool mostly scraping or hogging wood off unless use them in shear scraping mode. If turn a lot of exotic woos, bone, or stone carbide is a good way to go. Eventually will have to replace your cutters. Most people get by with just two cutters round or radius or almost square cutters. They do make other shapes too but up to you whether need them or not. Initial & replacement cost plus shipping if cannot buy cutter local only real draw back to me.

With conventional turning tools mostly cut but can also shear scrap with them too. Cutting leaves a better surface than scraping.

You don't need to buy an expensive sharpening system belt sanders and bench grinders work just fine. Whether starting out or been turning awhile recommend sharpening system to keep bevel angles consistent. Homemade or commercial sharpening system have very small learning curve.

Cutting versus scraping another discussion.
 
#19 ·
I have friends who have been burned by Cap'n Eddie, so I will not buy from him - receiving damaged bars that he would not replace and orders taking much longer to receive than they should have.

I have purchased several tools from John here: https://www.ncwoodturningtools.com/shop Very good guy to deal with. Carries a wide variety of cutters. If you need a tool at a different length than he offers or need a custom tool made, certainly contact him and he'll be happy to accommodate. He's made one, maybe 2, of the bars I've purchased from him at a longer length per my request and I still had the tool in less than a week from contacting him! John offers handles for his tools as well, but I just turn my own.
 
#20 ·
I m curious if carbide is really the way to go for a newer turner.

Sharpening can require some investment in setting up, but the carbide tool shapes are quite a bit different than the HSS gouges and spindle gouges.

- Mainiac Matt
So, I am beginning to come to the same conclusion. I'm set up well for sharpening, and I put a fresh ege on all my tools yesterday, and today I still managed to explode 3 pieces of stock…
 
#21 ·
With carbide tool mostly scraping or hogging wood off unless use them in shear scraping mode. If turn a lot of exotic woos, bone, or stone carbide is a good way to go. Eventually will have to replace your cutters. Most people get by with just two cutters round or radius or almost square cutters. They do make other shapes too but up to you whether need them or not. Initial & replacement cost plus shipping if cannot buy cutter local only real draw back to me.

With conventional turning tools mostly cut but can also shear scrap with them too. Cutting leaves a better surface than scraping.

You don't need to buy an expensive sharpening system belt sanders and bench grinders work just fine. Whether starting out or been turning awhile recommend sharpening system to keep bevel angles consistent. Homemade or commercial sharpening system have very small learning curve.

Cutting versus scraping another discussion.

- Wildwood
Thanks for the advice, I'm well set for sharpening, I have the Shopsmith lathe tool sharpening jig and a complete set of diamond stones and a strop.
 
#22 ·
I have friends who have been burned by Cap n Eddie, so I will not buy from him - receiving damaged bars that he would not replace and orders taking much longer to receive than they should have.

I have purchased several tools from John here: https://www.ncwoodturningtools.com/shop Very good guy to deal with. Carries a wide variety of cutters. If you need a tool at a different length than he offers or need a custom tool made, certainly contact him and he ll be happy to accommodate. He s made one, maybe 2, of the bars I ve purchased from him at a longer length per my request and I still had the tool in less than a week from contacting him! John offers handles for his tools as well, but I just turn my own.

- Sprung
Very good to know, thanks for saving me from a bad vendor! I checked out your link, he's got some really good prices! Thanks for that resource, much appreciated.
 
#24 ·
Just got back from a week at the lake, I picked up a set of the Easy wood carbides, nothing bad to say about them except perhaps a tad small. still have yet to use the diamond pointed one! I have a whole bunch of square carbide inserts c/w screws that would make great cutters on some homemade tools, pm me your address and I'll send a few by mail to ya. With my limited turning experience I like the carbides for rough shaping but still use HSS to finish.
 
#25 ·
Just got back from a week at the lake, I picked up a set of the Easy wood carbides, nothing bad to say about them except perhaps a tad small. still have yet to use the diamond pointed one! I have a whole bunch of square carbide inserts c/w screws that would make great cutters on some homemade tools, pm me your address and I ll send a few by mail to ya. With my limited turning experience I like the carbides for rough shaping but still use HSS to finish.

- Andre
Great Andre! Thanks very much, I'll PM you with that.
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
I just got my first carbide cutters a while back. I can see they'll be valuable, but I'll continue to build my HSS collection ten to one. After using both, HSS would still be my first choice.

For either the carbide or the HSS, the Delta 1" x 42" sander does an excellent job of quick sharpening.

Once the bar is made or bought, there are a lot blades from venders selling cutters, for my spiral jointer and metal working equipment, at a more reasonable price than what most want.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top