Source for trangular carbide inserts.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Making a ball turning attachment for my ML10. I intend to use TCMT1100304 inserts. Looking at prices, there seems to be a price range of £5 to £10 followed by a range from £20 upwards. I shall be machining acrylic to begin with followed by mild steel later. For the few carbide inserts that I have, Arc Euro have supplied their own brand. These have been good, but they don’t do triangular inserts.

So can anyone recommend a supplier? Some of the dirt cheap ones may be OK for acrylic, but for steel?

Andrew.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I bought my last box of triangular cutters from Amazon, about £20 for a box of ten. They are the polished type for Aluminium and plastics and have worked very well on both my turning and milling tools.
Like some others I used a lozenge shape insert on my ball turning tool for my MW lathe as it seems to give better clearance. It works well enough.
For my wood turning jig I used RCGT06 cutters and they also work well when cutting wood.

Edit: They were TNMG1604 inserts and cost £22.46 for ten.

[VicParticipant @vic]

These are on offer at the moment if the type is any good to you?

https://www.shop-apt.co.uk/carbide-inserts-for-turning-apt/TCMT110204FGCM20.html

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Worth asking JB Cutting Tools

https://jbcuttingtools.com/

They don’t show them on the website but I’ve found they often have other stuff and are very helpful.  Worth a call.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Why not, if you haven’t cut too much metal) change the design to use a square insert? In that way, you could have four corners available for cutting, rather than three.

(The Repton Radius Turning Tool , uses 55 degree inserts, so only two are useable)

Howard

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

I’ve bought several packs of inserts from “Carbide Direct” who run an Ebay store. Pleased with the purchases. They’re currently offering a TCMT1100 pack for £10.95 inc. postage.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

For plastics I would go with the polished inserts intended for aluminium and non ferrious. They will also work on the steel.

 

So look for TCGT Apt do them in twos

 

Square don’t work well on ball turners, even triangles start to have too much of the side engaged. DCGT with their more pointed corners will give you a smaller diameter “stick on your lollipop”

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Thanks everyone. replaceable inserts are a touch more complex than grinding HSS. I now have a better understanding thanks to your input.

Andrew.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Have a look HERE   I know they are TCMT110204 will they do

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

As above, any particular reason for that choice of shape? It has a 60 degree included angle, so if you want a ball on the end of a stick, it can limit how far you can swing the device.

Inserts are available in shallower angles, e.g. Vxxx shape.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

The Ashdown suppliers look worth a punt, thanks Dalboy.

DC31k, I should really have said Radius Turning device, as I only want some gentle curves and a 60  degree shape will be fine . If I ever want to turn a ball, then i would go for an acute diamond shape. I am being lazy in using a triangular insert, in that I don’t have to cut a shaped pocket. The base of the triangle will simply butt up against a milled edge.

Andrew.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

 

Square don’t work well on ball turners, even triangles start to have too much of the side engaged. DCGT with their more pointed corners will give you a smaller diameter “stick on your lollipop”

This is the type I used. It seems to give better clearance.

https://www.shop-apt.co.uk/carbide-inserts-for-turning-apt/vcmt-130304-tin-16-carbide-inserts-for-turning-cvd-coated-for-steel-general-use-apt.html

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

If you MUST use triangular inserts, find suppliers who sell lathe tools (often sets) with triangular inserts.  They will also sell replacement inserts.

JB Cutting Tools are likely to be able to supply.

Howard

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Couldnt agree more howard why would youv use triangular?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As a few others have said the square inserts can often limit the diameter of the supporting shaft when turning a ball. Does depend a bit on how you mount the insert but most seem to have then mounted centrally so you can cut in both directions.

The example below shows a 10mm dia ball being turned on a 5mm shaft with the triangular insert on the right. Try that with a square and the more obtuse angle cuts into the supporting shaft.

I’d be interested to see how you have your ones with square insert set up.

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