I totally agree with Gunner's comments. You can really tell the
difference between guys who actually have small machines and have
tried carbide, and the ones for whom this is merely a "thought
experiment".

Really, 9" SB lathes are all about HSS. You can certainly use some
carbide some of the time, but negative inserts? forget it. - GWE

Gunner wrote:

On 15 Oct 2003 14:49:56 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:


In article , Tom Gardner says...

The three rules of carbide:
1. RIGIDITY
2. RIGIDITY
3. RIGIDITY

I don't understand how that's any
different than using HSS tooling.
Those rules still apply.
Rigid, more rigid, and even more rigid
than that!

Jim


Because the crux of the matter is, Jim, HSS properly done, is heads
and hands sharper than carbide.

I tend to use a lot of HSS with my lathes and shapers, and have a
decent Baldor grinder with a set of diamond wheels. Ive played with
both, and the HSS wins 90% of the time under normal turning,
particulary if you can flood cool with oil. This is only true if you
keep your tools sharp, which is labor intensive. Which is one of the
reasons production shops use a Lot of carbide, because they have rigid
machines and labor is a significant part of production costs.

A goodly number of the tool makers I know, still use a ****load of
HSS, rather than carbide in MOST one off applications as they can do
more, with the HSS, than with carbide.

Gunner

"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle
behind each blade of grass." --Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto



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