[wood worm]

i have access to some redgum but spend a lot of time sharpening tools anybody tried tunsten tools
as iam thinking of getting same.

 

[GeorgeC]

What kind of tools? What are you using now?

gmc

 

[Dave McCann]

i have access to some redgum but spend a lot of time sharpening tools anybody tried tunsten tools
as iam thinking of getting same.

I use them quite often. My arsenal of tools includes both traditional and carbide. Each tool material has it's place, it's pros and cons. Often I will find I use both on the same project. Other times I may turn an entire project with a traditional bowl gouge and finish scraper.
I would certainly NOT discourage anyone from adding a set of carbides to their tool selection.

 

[Tool Agnostic]

For others:
The OP is asking about turning tools for woodturning on a lathe. There are two popular types. One type is High Speed Steel ("HSS" or "traditional") which must be sharpened frequently using a grinding wheel or sanding belt. Professionals often choose them. The other type is Carbide tipped, which have small replaceable tips of tungsten carbide. To sharpen, you rotate the tip to expose a newly sharpened edge or replace the tip when it is used up. You can sharpen them yourself on a diamond stone.

My response to @wood worm:
Like @Dave McCann, I use both types. I prefer the traditional types, but some days the carbide tipped ones do better, or I am lazy about sharpening.

If you have never turned with carbide tipped turning tools and you have a chance, give them a try. You don't have to pay manufacturer's prices for replacement tips. There are third-party providers who offer quality replacement carbide tips at a reasonable price. Try Arizona Carbide, for example.

 

[wood worm]

I use them quite often. My arsenal of tools includes both traditional and carbide. Each tool material has it's place, it's pros and cons. Often I will find I use both on the same project. Other times I may turn an entire project with a traditional bowl gouge and finish scraper.
I would certainly NOT discourage anyone from adding a set of carbides to their tool selection.

thanks for the reply dave i have sent for tools today

 

[wood worm]

For others:
The OP is asking about turning tools for woodturning on a lathe. There are two popular types. One type is High Speed Steel ("HSS" or "traditional") which must be sharpened frequently using a grinding wheel or sanding belt. Professionals often choose them. The other type is Carbide tipped, which have small replaceable tips of tungsten carbide. To sharpen, you rotate the tip to expose a newly sharpened edge or replace the tip when it is used up. You can sharpen them yourself on a diamond stone.

My response to @wood worm:
Like @Dave McCann, I use both types. I prefer the traditional types, but some days the carbide tipped ones do better, or I am lazy about sharpening.

If you have never turned with carbide tipped turning tools and you have a chance, give them a try. You don't have to pay manufacturer's prices for replacement tips. There are third-party providers who offer quality replacement carbide tips at a reasonable price. Try Arizona Carbide, for example.

thanks for the advise i am in australia and not able to try arizona

 

[calabrese55]

We use carbide tools 95% of the time. The variety of sizes and shapes and different styles like negative rake edges are great.
With the exception of the negative rake tools when thay are a bit dull and you have rotated the available edges I like to pop them off and and re-dress the cutting edge on a diamond stones. It brings them back nicely and takes little effort and time to get the keen edge back. Just drop the flat side on the stone add some fluid and 30 seconds later they are again ready to go. Be careful though like a gouge they will get you some nasty catches, don't ask me how I know this
clabrese55

 

[Joe Fleming]

I rarely use carbide scrapers when I can use a cutting tool. Call me old-school. The down side of carbide tools is that they usually leave an inferior surface off the tool. That means more sanding which can lead to the loss of crisp edges and oval cross sections.

The only time I have used carbide was to turn a pair of bowling balls into bowls for a friend. The interior had some sort of soft "concrete" material that ate up my cutting edges on my HSS and on my powdered metals.

 

[hcbph]

To me, carbide turning tools is like carbide saw blades: who uses steel circular saw blades anymore when carbide works better in most cases? No, I'm not saying to get rid of your non-carbide turning tools, rather supplement them with carbide. I don't think you can get all the crisp details with carbide in some cases that you can with HSS but that's just an opinion on my part. Then again you can take off a lot of wood with carbide and not have to continually sharpen your tools like you do with HSS. Use each for what its best traits are and benefit from both type of tools, and they each do have things that they do better with than the other does.
I started turning back in the 60's and I have carbon steel, HSS and now carbide and I use them all. Each has a particular use, it's up to you to determine which tool work best in each situation and leverage those advantages.
My 2 cents.

 

[Dinny Dunne]

I bought a set of 3 carbide tipped tools with one handle after reading about them and having some issues with my HSS tools. I like them a lot but still use my other chisels. I should have skipped buying the handle and just made my own. I did make one handle and set the diamond shaped tool in it. I am still switching the handle back and forth with the round and square tools. My one mistake was not thinking about replacement tips. My set of 3 tools/one handle is from Harrison Specialties and their tips seem to be an unusual size.

 

[Dinny Dunne]

This is what I bought:

Beginners Set of 3 Carbide Turning Tools: Hollower, Rougher, Detailer with Handle

Perfect starter set including 3 carbide turning tools plus a 17" interchangeable tool handle with comfortable foam grip. This carbide lathe tool set gives you everything you need to turn a bowl on your wood lathe. Carbide tools make woodturning simple, fun & more enjoyable.

www.harrisonspecialties.com

 

[holtzdreher]

To me, carbide turning tools is like carbide saw blades: who uses steel circular saw blades anymore when carbide works better in most cases? No, I'm not saying to get rid of your non-carbide turning tools, rather supplement them with carbide. I don't think you can get all the crisp details with carbide in some cases that you can with HSS but that's just an opinion on my part. Then again you can take off a lot of wood with carbide and not have to continually sharpen your tools like you do with HSS. Use each for what its best traits are and benefit from both type of tools, and they each do have things that they do better with than the other does.
I started turning back in the 60's and I have carbon steel, HSS and now carbide and I use them all. Each has a particular use, it's up to you to determine which tool work best in each situation and leverage those advantages.
My 2 cents.

I too started turning in the 1960's. And I have and use carbon steel, HSS, tantung and carbide tools. Carbide are my least favorite, although I understand some makers now have better edges on the inserts so they cut like traditional tools. When you want a really fine smooth cut, sharp carbon steel still can't be beat. too many turners have the bad habit of using HSS cutting tools as scrapers. I still use my skew to scrape sometimes and the difference in the resulting surface is quite apparent. I use carbide blades on my table saw because of the smooth cut they make. Saw blades have carbide tips engineered specifically for cutting wood at a proper angle. Carbide turning tools are just now being developed and engineered for slicing wood instead of scraping like the tools have been used for the last 30 years. We both have seen remarkable differences in the tools and accessories used in wood turning. There are still improvements hitting the market. Standard carbide tools haven't yet been developed to match traditional tools.

 

[Dave McCann]

My one mistake was not thinking about replacement tips. My set of 3 tools/one handle is from Harrison Specialties and their tips seem to be an unusual size.

What size (mm) do they measure? The link you provided did not give an actual measurement.

 

[Dinny Dunne]

What size (mm) do they measure? The link you provided did not give an actual measurement.

90 degree carbide square cutter
Corners are very sharp with no radius.
Size: 14mm x 14mm.
Best choice for turning perfect 90 degree shapes such as inside corners and tenons.
Replacement Round Carbide cutter for Simple Turner & Hollower (STH)
Specifications:

• 9/16" outside diameter [converts to 14.2875 mm]

 

[Dave McCann]

90 degree carbide square cutter
Corners are very sharp with no radius.
Size: 14mm x 14mm.

I've had good results buying in boxes of ten from Ebay sellers.

Replacement Round Carbide cutter for Simple Turner & Hollower (STH)
Specifications:

• 9/16" outside diameter [converts to 14.2875 mm]

This round insert does indeed seem to be an odd ball size.

 

[Dinny Dunne]

I've had good results buying in boxes of ten from Ebay sellers.
View attachment 447364





This round insert does indeed seem to be an odd ball size.

Yes it is, and that is the one I need more than the square. And the replacement tips from Simple Turning Tools are $16.50 ea or $33-36 for 3 pack of all same or assorted.

I was looking on Amazon and most were 12mm or 16mm. I could modify my square tool holder to accept 16 mm.

I usually don't shop E-bay, and hate ordering that ships from China. Last time it took 2 weeks for in-stock items.

I'd like to get the radiused-square tips but then I'd HAVE to modify my tool holder.