# Carbide turning tools



## Rich_LI (Jan 9, 2013)

I have started using carbide turning tools, WOW are they sharp. I can sharpen my bowl gouge and it doesn't come close to cutting like a round carbide insert. The question I have is should I use a round shaft or a square shaft. I made two tools both round shafts and on the inside of a bowl it will catch and rotate a little, So I am planning to make a square shaft version. On Captain Eddies site he indicates that round cutters should use round shafts, is this so you can rotate the tool ??. I have a few more shape tips on order so when they come I will start production of my shafts and handles.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

The round cutters can be skewed for more of a shear cut but honestly carbide is nowhere near as sharp as a steel tool. They are excellent for roughing but very difficult to prevent tear out in softer woods.

I use my carbides from most often to least, in this order-

*square*: excellent for roughing or truing a face

*round*: very good at coves and the inside of bowls/boxes

*diamond*: removes small amounts of wood very fast, excellent for starting lines or quickly starting a cove, but the corners tend to catch and cause bad tearout, can be used for parting with extreme care

*radius*: the smaller contact area removes wood faster than a square cutter but corners tend to catch. I rarely use my radiused cutter and eventually will replace it with another square.


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## Rich_LI (Jan 9, 2013)

Its true about he tear out, I haven't completed my sharpening jig so I can get a good fingernail cut on by bowl gouge ( I had to rebuild the 1943 3/4 HP 1725 RPM motor, new bearings, then diamond true the wheel) so maybe when I sharpen my HSS tools properly not free hand they will work better. One thing for sure the carbide spray shavings all over, while the bowl gouge sends them in one direction. I find the non radius square cuts slower and I tend to dig the corners in, maybe a radius corner would help. So then, round shaft on the round cutter so you can skew cut, square shafts on the other cutters. I have 12mm Round, 15mm square, 15mm square with 100mm Radius, on order I have a 16mm round and a 17mm triangle. I ordered the triangle because I can make a straight shelf on the tool shaft, a diamond would require dremel acrobatics to make the correct shape shelf. Attached are pictures of the 2 tools and the shafts I foolishly made from rebar (too much work, but I wonted to play and not go to HD to by 1/2 steel)


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

You made that rebar look nice. On my diamond cutter I didn't worry about cutting the diamond shape into the bar, haven't had any trouble with the cutter moving around. The mistake I made was not getting the cutters at the same height.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

When changing carbide cutters on your toolbar, put a drop of medium CA glue on the bar under the cutter before you tighten the screw down. The cutter won't move, but you can remove the cutter by applying a little heat (I use a butane lighter to set mine free).


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## Rich_LI (Jan 9, 2013)

Rick M, question on the diamond cutter, I have 3 choices. a Triangle from capt Eddie, a Diamond with a rounded tip that is 28mm x 10mm and a diamond with a pointed tip 28mm x 14mm both from AZ Carbide on E-Bay. Which do you think will be the most useful all are about $8-$10 bucks. I don't wont to make too many tools.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I've only used a sharp point diamond but I don't see any advantage or disadvantage to a triangle shape other than it will make a wider V. The round point diamond will not make a sharp incision, not sure if it would be less prone to catches.


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