# Carbide tool choices



## jlnel (May 15, 2014)

Im looking to get a set of those carbide tools with the replacable cutters. I do need to keep costs down but i want to get good quality, even if i need to buy one at a time. Is there a single tool that has interchangable cutters? Thanks for any help.


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## DonPalese (May 15, 2014)

Greetings,
I've purchase several boxes of cutter from:
www.globaltooling.net (Eugene, OR) 
great group to deal with --

Don in Medford


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## Whaler (May 15, 2014)

I use the Woodchuck PenPro and am very happy with it. Had the Uni-Tool been available when I bought mine I probably would have went with it.
Bear Tooth Woods - Woodchuck Carbide Turning Tools


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## PaulDoug (May 15, 2014)

Capt Eddie sells the at a reasonless price.  You can make your own handle

Big Guy Productions - Check out cutters on the Cutters Only! page.


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## monophoto (May 15, 2014)

PaulDoug said:


> Capt Eddie sells the at a reasonable price.  You can make your own handle
> 
> Big Guy Productions - Check out cutters on the Cutters Only! page.




I've made several carbide tools - this is the lowest cost approach.  I bought mild steel rod in 3' lengths at Ace Hardware (Home Despot also carries it).  For handles, I use whatever wood I have lying around the shop (but I did purchase a 2' length of 2x2" poplar at Home Despot that made two nice handles).  A little work, some sandpaper and finish, and a little glue, and it's done - and the process is fun.


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## sbell111 (May 15, 2014)

The most cost effective way to get into the carbide tool game is to simply make your own.  They are pretty easy to make using tools that you likely have in your shop already.

As far as replacement cutters, I second Don's suggestion of Global Tooling.


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## kovalcik (May 15, 2014)

Steve and Louie have it right.  Make your own.  There is nothing magic.  Go to your hardware or big box store and buy either  1/2" or 3/8" square or round steel bar depending on the size cutter you want to use.  If round, grind a flat spot on the end. Drill and tap a hole to fit your screw of choice (usually 10-24 or 10-32). You may want to grind the end a little to get some of the extra metal out of the way. Turn a handle and epoxy the bar in.  I have used cutters from Capt Eddie with good luck, but any cutter will work.


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## Paul in OKC (May 15, 2014)

Have made my own one time as well. I recommend getting square stock, 3/8 or 1/2". Reason being is the round stock can be hard to keep from 'rolling' when using a bit of the side of the insert.


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## Nikitas (May 15, 2014)

I make one that takes a square and round...


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## jlnel (May 15, 2014)

Are all the cutters the same size? I mean, would a square blade from X company fit B companys tool, assuming all same like 14mm or 16 etc?

, im liking the idea of making one myself, so i want to make sure i can get blades from anyone and still use the tool.


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## Frank Nemke sr (May 16, 2014)

monophoto said:


> PaulDoug said:
> 
> 
> > Capt Eddie sells the at a reasonable price.  You can make your own handle
> ...


 

I used an old deep sea rod handle The tip was lost years ago I took it apart below the reel seat ,Drilled it,used 3/4 copper cap that I drilled out,and used Garilla glue  nd held it with w clamp over night.
  Works great


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## monophoto (May 16, 2014)

jlnel said:


> Are all the cutters the same size? I mean, would a square blade from X company fit B companys tool, assuming all same like 14mm or 16 etc?
> 
> , im liking the idea of making one myself, so i want to make sure i can get blades from anyone and still use the tool.



Well, a 14mm square cutter is not physically the same size as a 16mm square cutter.

Obviously you need to pay attention to the physical specifications of the cutter provided by the manufacturer - ie, the dimensions and the screw size.    That said, if you are making your own rod and handle, you probably can grind the platform on the rod to accept a range of cutter sizes.  For example, I would think that you could easily make a platform that would accept either 14 or 16mm square cutters.  Ultimately, the issues that limit this flexibility are the amount of support that the rod provides to the cutter - you don't want a lot of unsupported overhang, so you probably would taper the rod below the platform - and the size of the screw that attaches the cutter to the platform.

One other thought - the round versus square issue for the rod itself.  The heart of this issue is that cutters are very aggressive when they are exactly horizontal, and easier to control when they are skewed at an angle.  I prefer a round rod myself because I know that I'm going to have to roll it slightly to the left, and that's easier to do when the rod is round (and also because my local Ace Hardware doesn't stock square mild steel bar stock).  But the square crowd believe that its easier to control when the rod is square.  That's probably one of those discussions that is ideally suited for late on Friday night over a couple of pitchers of beer - there's no absolute right answer, but it's fun to discuss.

There is a toolmaker in England who uses square rods, but who then grinds the platform on the diagonal.  That means that the natural alignment of the square rod puts the cutter at a comfortable 45 degrees.  I think that's a neat idea.

I've noticed that the folks who sell cutters provide very explicit specifications for the products they sell, but my casual search of information on completed tools has yet to disclose a situation where the manufacturer actually specified the dimensions of the cutter.  That's because they want you to come back to them for replacement cutters.  But wood turners are accustomed to measuring things, so buying aftermarket cutters is not really all that hard - just measure what came with the preassembled tool.


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## sbell111 (May 16, 2014)

monophoto said:


> One other thought - the round versus square issue for the rod itself.  The heart of this issue is that cutters are very aggressive when they are exactly horizontal, and easier to control when they are skewed at an angle.  I prefer a round rod myself because I know that I'm going to have to roll it slightly to the left, and that's easier to do when the rod is round (and also because my local Ace Hardware doesn't stock square mild steel bar stock).  But the square crowd believe that its easier to control when the rod is square.  That's probably one of those discussions that is ideally suited for late on Friday night over a couple of pitchers of beer - there's no absolute right answer, but it's fun to discuss.
> 
> There is a toolmaker in England who uses square rods, but who then grinds the platform on the diagonal.  That means that the natural alignment of the square rod puts the cutter at a comfortable 45 degrees.  I think that's a neat idea.


This sounds like a really good excuse to knock two of these tools out.  One where the cutter is flat on the square bar and one where it is at 45°.


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## jlnel (May 16, 2014)

I knew 14 and 16 may be different sized tools, i meant that if i made a tool for 14mm blades, would all companys 14 mm blades fit, being all square and 14mm...


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## sbell111 (May 16, 2014)

jlnel said:


> I knew 14 and 16 may be different sized tools, i meant that if i made a tool for 14mm blades, would all companys 14 mm blades fit, being all square and 14mm...



I would think that the thing that determines whether they fit is not the shape or even diameter of the cutter as much as it is the size of the hole in the center.

That being said, it would not surprise me at all to find that all of the major tool makers use the same size screw and, therefore, you could make a tool that could use their cutters interchangeably as long as your tool had enough room to support the cutter.

In my opinion, none of this is important since the most expensive place to buy cutters is from someone selling it to fit their brand tool.  Buying them from someone like Global Tooling allows you to buy an entire box of them for the price of one or two from the other guys.  If you buy the cutters by the box, you won't ever need to buy them from anywhere else because you will always have some in reserve.


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## dogcatcher (May 16, 2014)

Considering the many sizes, angle combinations etc., how do you determine which are the best ones to use for wood?  Or acrylic?

Or do you just grab one and hope these are the best for the job?


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## sbell111 (May 16, 2014)

dogcatcher said:


> Considering the many sizes, angle combinations etc., how do you determine which are the best ones to use for wood?  Or acrylic?
> 
> Or do you just grab one and hope these are the best for the job?



Many of us (and some of the tool makers) use the 'Byrd Shelix' cutters (Byrd P/N 1791212).  From Global Tooling, they run less than $30 for a box of ten before shipping.


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## jlnel (May 16, 2014)

If i make my own, do i need to remove a bit of material for the cutter to sit into? I see many that it looks as if the cutter fits the bar, matching angle of blade and all, is it necessary? Also, is there a good source for round cutters like Global? I didnt see any on their site.


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## dogcatcher (May 17, 2014)

sbell111 said:


> dogcatcher said:
> 
> 
> > Considering the many sizes, angle combinations etc., how do you determine which are the best ones to use for wood?  Or acrylic?
> ...



I asked that because from my research, the carbide inserts that are designed for cutting aluminum do a better job on wood than the inserts designed for steel.  The inserts for aluminum have a different rake, which supposedly makes difference in how clean they cut.  If all of the research is true I would prefer to pay a little more if I can spend less time sanding.


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## sbell111 (May 17, 2014)

dogcatcher said:


> sbell111 said:
> 
> 
> > dogcatcher said:
> ...


The best ones are designed to cut wood, as these are.  They are made to work in jointers and planers.


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## beck3906 (May 17, 2014)

Do the Byrd Shelix fit the Wood Pen Pro?


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## low_48 (May 17, 2014)

dogcatcher said:


> sbell111 said:
> 
> 
> > dogcatcher said:
> ...


You are talking about a different style of cutter. The Byrd cutters are flat on top like the style sold by EWT and others. The aluminum cutters with the different rake angle you are talking about are similar to Hunter Tools.


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## Nikitas (May 20, 2014)

beck3906 said:


> Do the Byrd Shelix fit the Wood Pen Pro?


 I think they do fit the "PEN PRO"...They fit mine as well....
Brian


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## PenMan1 (May 20, 2014)

beck3906 said:


> Do the Byrd Shelix fit the Wood Pen Pro?



Rick:
If you mean the Woodchuck Pen Pro that Ken Ferrell makes, the Byrd inserts works extremely well. In fact, in my Pen Pro, the. Byrd radius end cutters are my favorites.


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