>9,000 results for SCMT09T304 on Google – some of those must be suppliers?

Neil

Are you sure the WCMT are not WCMX in which case Shars sell all 4 types. You could also get the inserts from Amadeal as they sell them. though only in a mixed box by the looks of it

Looking at the cost (£52 for 9No 1/2" tools) of these sets and the photo of the inserts I'd be inclined to forget the hard to obtain holders and just keep the few you can get inserts for then buy individual holders and suitable inserts as you need them

The other suppliers are unlikely to do or be able to get the parting and threading insets as they are such odd inserts. They will only carry what there is a demand for from industy and lilewise the known brands will only make what there is a demand for, the smaller the demand the less material specific options they will cater fore.

Maybe a bit of research prior to a show to see what you want and what cutters are available would help in the future. Greenwood generally sell a better quality tool at teh shows they attend and I've not had problems with teh Glanze ones I've bought from shows, both make suse popular shape & spec inserts.

Cromwells have a few SCMT listed

Edited By JasonB on 23/11/2012 10:41:16

Hi Joel,

depending on you circumstances and applications (you haven't said what you are doing with your lathe – business or hobby?) why do you have to use carbide tooling? HSS is perfectly satisfactory and takes just a short time to learn how to grind it to produce perfectly serviceable tooling which is good for all the materials you mention with a simple variation of top rake. I must admit for the vast majority of my work I get perfectly good results with one set of HSS tooling.

As a hobby, I find that carbide tooling is expensive compared with HSS as I can regrind the latter easily and resharpen with little effort or exotic grinding wheels. That is not a problem in industry where tooling costs may be only about 3% of the costs. For the cost of one holder and a couple of tips you can buy plenty of HSS and (probably, a cheapish bench grinder).

Some people swear by carbide but for me HSS is a perfectly good option, as it has been for best part of a century. There is no need to keep a stock of tips or find you have chipped your last good one just as the stores have closed for the weekend and then wait a few days for the post.

My own opinions,

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 23/11/2012 10:52:37

I like to use carbide inserts, because it is possible to buy brand/quality inserts and holders. Carbide can be used without cooling and grindings.

Then again, I almos gave up after I bought bad inserts and holders.

I'm having real trouble locating even semi decent HSS blanks. I have found one supplier that does, but then corbide insers are more economical to me.

Although I agree, that if I need something nonstandard, then grinding from HSS is way to go.

I stick mostly on following tip geometries:

CCMT6 (SCLC R/L for external turning, SCLCR for internal turning 8 to 16 mm shanks)

SCMT9 (SSSCR Roughing)

GTN2 parting off, I had some Sandvik inserts, they were really good, still have 10 pcs of Iscar inserts, but tehy are not equally good.

And Mesa tools stuff for threading and grooving:

http://www.mesatool.com/products/threading-tools/

I still retain some right/left hand cheap CCMT09 holders, but now I buy quality inserts for them,

I trashed the first/cheap nonstandard threadin, parting-off, and internal turning holders they looked like tools, but were just imitation. Some of the inserts grumbled when they touched the workpiece first time – and they cost 60% of the real thing! If the seller can't give you grade and parameters, changes are that they are not known!

Pekka

Hi

Like Terry and others I tend to use HSS tools and grind or hone them when they loose their edge. Recently I made a fairly crude copy of the tangential tool system which manages to produce a good finish and can be used for most turning jobs.

That said a good time ago I bought a set of 10mm carbide insert tools and after a few calamitous first attempts, bits of insert flying off and rough finishes, now tend to use them for particular jobs. While these are TCMT 1102xx series I got all the tips I needed from Ebay at very reasonable prices. Now having got accustomed to the foibles carbide inserts I don't damage them and seem to have a surplus, till the next catastrophe, of branded inserts.

My take on this is to use HSS tools and grind to shape and save the carbide inserts for those special jobs. Unbranded inserts I have found to be of very variable quality and they can't be relied upon to produce a consistent finish.

Martin

well speaking as a novice what did I see when I picked up my first learner book, the "Lathework: a complete course" book by Harold Hall, but insert tooling, so that's what I thought I had to use

sometimes the experienced people on here forget what it was like to be a newbie, we didn't all have apprenticeships with someone to guide us, we have to use books to get started

I may be an old cynic but if I was new to model engineering and having read all the stuff written about tool grinding I would be using inserts.

I only did three months workshop training during my apprenticeship but I do remember turning. On the first afternoon we were taught how to centre a round mild steel bar in a four jaw chuck and then turn it round. On the second morning we were shown how to grind a knife tool, then had to grind such a tool and turn the bar round again.

What I am saying is that grinding a simple lathe tool is not difficult. You don't have to get an exact rake angle of 30 degrees, 25 or 35 will work quite satisfactorily for mild steel. Likewise for the side rakes. Books and films will not grind a tool for you – follow one set of instructions and have a go. You should have a useable tool in under 15 minutes. Start with a knife tool, the universal turning tool, and keep the tool cool by frequently putting it in water. Nothing ventured – nothing gained.

JA

For inserts , and holders, try J.B. Cutting Tools.

The Cottages

Hundall lane

Dronfield

SHEFFIELD

S18 4BP

01246 – 4128110

Jenny@JBCuttingtools.com.

As a customer, I have always found Jenny to be most helpful.

I used to have problems making telephone contact, having to leave a message on the answerphone.

Last time that I spoke to her, she said that the E mail was now up and running.

JB attend most of the shows, the next one, of which I know, will be at Spalding, 26/27th April, and then Harrogate in May. So if you can get there you can discuss your needs, face to face.

Also look at Chronos, Warco, Chester, or other major suppliers, as possible sources of inserts.

Howard