Carbide turning tools..

[animefan]

Hey are your tools made of stainless? How much are they? And how do I get one? Do you accept paypal? Do you sell the inserts without the tool? I have been looking at the woodchuck unitool and it is just to long and its too expensive.

[glycerine]

lookin' good...

[Nikitas]

Finally got the round inserts in! MY carbide guy dropped the ball but they finally come in!!!!

[robutacion]

Nice to see, some of our best carbide tool manufacturers talking to each other in a civilised manner, what I mean is, without making a fuss...!

The truth is, many of us have made carbide tipped tools before they have become available commercially, I know that, when I made my first, no one even talked about carbide inserts for wood work. Thankfully, in these last decade, particularly these last 4 years, carbide tools for wood workers/turners are no longer a luxury or a "have to make your own" type thing as they are now available in all sizes, shapes and forms...!

The Chinese are making them (all sorts) for under $50.00 full tool with a couple of spare inserts that I anything but "carbide", anyway they cut and work but not for long, leaving a very inexpensive shaft ready to to fitted with "proper" inserts.

Sure, the shafts are not stainless steal or of similar quality but for the price, is not much of a loss...!

Now, back to the "proper" carbide tipped tools, I have seen folks making them with the most unbelievable shapes, sizes, lengths and carbide inserts, some very weird, indeed however, they all claim to work well...

I've made my own experimentations too, and I even made a 15mm shaft made of HSS that has cost me a fortune in broken bits and taps just to make and tap 1 (one) single hole but, I done it and it did do well for some time until I decided to make another shaft out of stainless and use the 15mm HSS bar to make a nice Bedan gouge.

Yes, the idea of having one shaft to accommodate various carbide sizes and shapes inserts, was also something that I though as handy but son realised that, was not exactly what I wanted...!

Then, I made them where the shaft had one insert on each end (different sizes) where the handle had to be made in a special way to be functional and effective. Then I though that would be nice to have the various spare inserts, with the tool at all times so, in that "special handle" I hollowed it out and made room for half dozen inserts, a couple of spare screws and even the hellen key...!

Nice looking tools they are...! but, after some time, I decided to make each carbide insert type, with its own dedicated shaft on a fixed handled, if you have not worked out yet why, I shall only say, "simpler is better...!"

There will be always those that, prefer to make their own tools, nothing to do with savings as more often than not, the tool becomes a lot more expensive when finished, than those available commercially but that's irrelevant to many people, the self satisfaction to make a "usable" tool, is quite rewarding...!

Everything single one of the people that today are making these tools for sale, have started the exact same way, experimenting to try to achieve something different and possibly better that what one know or believe available commercially, and I say this because I learn that, certain things believed to be unavailable, were in fact available if you know where to look for...!

In resume, regardless who makes these tools or who sell them, they are a great invention and a pleasure to work with, particularly if you are one of those that, regardless of how much was invested in sharpening tools and gadgets, still not capable to produce sharp tools...!

This is my story, and I stick with it...!

PS: Nice looking tools, Nikitas...!

Cheers
George

[Nikitas]

Thanks George, I started out to make the tools to take two inserts all in one tool. I know there is the uni tool but I wanted a "Pen" turning tool that will do both inserts. Havent seen one on the market so I made these. I am a CNC machinist so I have the tools at my fingertips! lol I like to make these kind of things to see if I can make a good tool. I dont claim to have the best tool out there just I think it is a really good tool! One tool will fit both inserts....
I have had a lot of interest in this tool ....that being said I will see what happens!

[Nikitas]

I am suprised how many views this thread has gotten!

[wood-of-1kind]

Originally Posted by Nikitas

I am suprised how many views this thread has gotten!

Let's just say that there is a lot of "interest" with this topic and carbide inserts/tools in general.