Tungsten Carbide bits.

[issatree]

Hi To You All,
I'm after some TC 10mm. x 10mm. 250 - 300mm long.
Thought of John McJing, but can't find his add on the WW Forums now.
Live in Geelong Area Vic. so it wood be nice to get some close to home.

[Old Croc]

Issatree, what the hell are you going to do with it? I do not think you will buy it in Aus, too specialised.
Rgds,
Crocy.

[Acco]

Me thinks Lewis is after High Speed Steel

[issatree]

Hi,
I saw a Tool made by Derek Cohen in Perth last Sat. & I thought I wood have a go at making one.
Not sure if he ever put it in up in photos on the Forums, but it was very impressive.

I am very Grateful to Derek & His Good Lady for giving me the opportunity to visit his work shop, & boy, those Tools he had & a lot he had made, left me dumbfounded, not forgetting all his work in the house itself.

I could make it from HSS, but I thought it wood be a challenge to make one like Derek's.

[Pat]

Lewis, have you got diamond or CBN grinders to shape the Tungsten Carbide?

Forget about drilling the stuff, unless you really want to break the bank!

[Old Croc]

Methinks it sounds like a bit of TC brazed onto a length of High Tensile or Stainless bar.You can buy TC tips from most saw doctors. Somehere over at my metal lathe I think I have a few from when I experimented with making parting tools.
rgds,
Crocy.

[Pat]

Lewis, hold on to your hat . . . evilbay

[issatree]

Hi Pat,
Thanks for that.
One problem is it is in New Delhi, & two it is a bit out of my range.
I was looking at the Round, but it was only 8mm.
Looks like I may have to use some HSS, which I already have.
I wrote a piece last night, but for some reason it didn't make it.

[RoyG]

Hi To You All,
I'm after some TC 10mm. x 10mm. 250 - 300mm long.
Thought of John McJing, but can't find his add on the WW Forums now.
Live in Geelong Area Vic. so it would be nice to get some close to home.

A piece of solid Tungsten Carbide that size would be hugely expensive, and brittle. Better off making the shaft from some steel rod - grind a flat on the end to sit a carbide insert on. Drill and tap the flat on the rod to take the screw that holds the carbide insert. Grind some sort of tang on the other end of the rod and fit your wooden tool handle.

I buy my carbide inserts in all sorts of shapes from Eddie Castelin in the USA.

http://eddiecastelin.com/home_base

Eddie sells all sorts of carbide inserts, including sizes that match some of the big name brands, if you find the big name brand inserts are too expensive. All of Eddie's inserts are all purpose ground for wood turning. They're not metal turning inserts which often have different angle grinds, and different shapes, that don't cut so cleanly when used for wood turning.

US$ 50 worth of assorted inserts bought me enough to last me years, and the postage is minimal. Eddie also sells the mild steel tool rods, already ground, drilled and tapped, but the freight to Aus is to expensive, so he recommends making your own and buying only the inserts and the insert screws from him. There's plenty of info and Youtube videos on Eddie's web site to show you how to make the tool rod yourself. To stop the insert from moving under the screw, Eddie recommends placing a drop of CA under the insert before screwing the insert to the handle. When you need to turn the insert to use a new cutting edge, loosen the screw, tap the insert to release the CA bond, and reapply the CA etc.

Eddie had a stroke late in 2014, and shipments of inserts were delayed for a few months as a result, but according to latest reports, Eddie is well on the mend, and shipment of the inserts is now back to normal. He's a woodturner who runs a husband and wife business selling the inserts.

Regards,

RoyG