[RCaffin]

For some time i have been making my own small carbide tools by brazing broken carbide cutters togeter, and then shaping them with a diamond wheel. However, my tool&cutter grinding is only manual, and holding precise dimensions is difficult. So I went web-shopping.

I had better add that I do not live in America, so I was looking for a mfr who would ship overseas by USPS. I found that quite a few won't export at all, and those who will want to use UPS or FedEx, at $100 a pop. Compared to a small packet by USPS, at ~$24, that is probitive.

I also want to pay by Paypal as I have been bitten by the credit card thieves once already. That was not fun.

Guess how many mfrs I could find who would POST overseas and take Paypal? I am not counting dealers as many of them have only a small subset of the range from any mfr - and often not the parts I was looking for.

However, Dan at Internal Tool (aka Valley Tool Inc) was persuaded to play ball. The tools (small carbide cutters mostly for internal use) have arrived, and they are cute! I haven't actually used them yet, but they do look good.

Cheers
Roger
Australia

[RCaffin]

They cut well too.

Cheers
Roger

[handlewanker]

Heh Heh......I braze carbide too Roger, actually silver soldering them to be precise......it's tricky but with patience can be done.........you can also silver solder HSS to mild steel shanks too.
Ian.

[louieatienza]

Have you tried Datron AG in Germany?

[RCaffin]

Have you tried Datron AG in Germany?

As far as I can see, they don't
Accept Paypal
Use USPS (only UPS)
Offer lathe tools in general, such as profiling and internal threading tools. Only milling cutters.

I didn't see anything about international shipping either, but that may be because I did not create an account up front.

Not much use to me if all that's true.

Cheers

[RCaffin]

Hi Ian

Yep, I have silver soldered carbide and HSS to carbide, HSS and steel. made many custom tools. All worked fine.
But these ITI lathe tools are really cute and cut very well. And they are not what I would call really expensive either.

Only complaint so far: the internal threading tools are ground to a point (60 degree angle). The point tends to leave a rough surface some times, so I polished the point off with a 400 grit diamond lap. Took maybe 10 - 20 microns off the sharp tip, and the results were excellent. I have suggested to the mfr that they should do something like this in all cases. You don't want a sharp tip anyhow: that just creates a stress concentration at the root of the thread.

Cheers
Roger

[victorofga]

an internal threading mill I think can be cut with wireedm of a solid carbide rod..
or other profiles..

between the shank, and the working ""head"" can be cut some octagon shape..

also you can try to just modify a keyhole cutter..

Porter-Cable Professional Power Tools 33743319PC Keyhole 3/8" Cut Width, 1/4"

[RCaffin]

Well, yes, I guess so, but that's an awful lot of work and requires a wire EDM. I don't think many hobbyists have one. I don't.

The Porter cutters are for wood. I have no knowledge of them, but I would wonder as to the grade of carbide. I have quite a few Chinese carbide milling cutters which are great on wood and plastic (which is what they are sold for), but they tend to get very blunt very quickly on steel.

Cheers

[victorofga]

im not sure you try to achive..

my concern is, any company makes individual tools, they going to charge you for a lot..

a regular miniature endmill of carbide cost from $1- $10 (1/8 dia tools)

the labor, and the equipment to working with solid carbide very expenses.. so any company specialized for, they will charge you a lot..
datron a german company I don't think they have under 20 any carbide endmill..
they make you new tool... it just be a lot money.. like any Germany made thing..

the 100 dollar shipping by fedex or others wont be a lot beside the toolprice..

they wont make you for 10 dollar a new tool

your only way modifying an exist tool, that has a shape like a keyway cutter..


solid carbide, regardless of intention made, can cut steel..

you said miniature tooling, I meaning under 1/4 everything..

[victorofga]

find any tool, that has a """head"" and you can modify..

Harvey Tool - Undercutting End Mills In Stock with Same-Day Shipping

these are designed for metal.. they can be said for stock tools, they start somewhere 30 and up to several hundreds...

either way you brazing one, or grind one of solid, or order custom made I don't think you getaway under 100-200 counting on the time youll spend with...


mightbe this Harvey tools is your company... just ask them..

Harvey Tool - Specialty Profiles In Stock with Same-Day Shipping


the shipping? better you find someone in us, and ask to sending as simple envelope..

[louieatienza]

As far as I can see, they don't
Accept Paypal
Use USPS (only UPS)
Offer lathe tools in general, such as profiling and internal threading tools. Only milling cutters.

I didn't see anything about international shipping either, but that may be because I did not create an account up front.

Not much use to me if all that's true.

Cheers

Sorry, I thought you meant a thread mill. Since they are in Germany it would be safe to assume they don't use USPS (United States Post Office) for delivery LOL! Most likely DHL.

[RCaffin]

Hi Victor

Apparently I was not clear enough at the start. You are talking about end mills for a milling machine. I have many good sources for end mills. That's not a problem.

I am talking about lathe tools for a CNC lathe, especially for interior turning. They are totally different things!

Miniature tooling being anything under 1/4" - yes, fine, but LATHE tooling!

solid carbide, regardless of intention made, can cut steel..

Chuckle. Not quite. The micro-grain carbide can withstand steel, but the size of the grains and the matrix it is embedded in can vary. Chinese carbide blanks are not quite as good as European ones. Let me give you some pricing from one Asian mfr who works with all of them. For, say, a 6 mm or 1/4" end mill made from your selection of carbide:
Chinese carbide: $3
Taiwan carbide: $5
German carbide: $10
Swedish carbide: $12

And when you use the different carbides, you do see the differences.

Louie - no, not a thread mill, although I use a lot of those, but an interior thread cutting lathe tool.
The amusing thing is, while the Chinese makes lots of carbide end-mill tooling, I don't think there is a single Chinese mfr of single-point thread mills (yet). If anyone knows of one, please let me know.

Cheers
Roger

[victorofga]

well..
im sorry for misunderstanding..

the carbide..
I knew sandvik, and japan seco they were the best tools for cutting on lathe..
yes im clear about not all carbide same..

I just got use on this forum most folks very much on the price side..

hope you find some good solution...
my mention about wireedm, it is a type of machine that can cut virtually everything that made of any type metal.. the thinnest wire is somewhere 0.05 mm and that makes a sharp corner..

on other hand, the shipping really a forever mystery for me..

from china my machine came with 800 shipping, included across the country from west to east coast...
thoushands of miles.. the half of the earth.

from bonded warehouse about 120 mile came for 500

another example.. recently I checked on some type tool on ebay..
to usa it comes like 47 and same listing, to Canada almost 420...


not really understand how the difference coming..

[RCaffin]

Hey, no problem!

Price - yeah, but ... sometimes, the thing which has the highest up-front dollar sign turns out to be the cheapest in the long run.
I used to buy discount bandsaw blades, but they didn't last very long. Right pain sometimes, when they started cutting in a curve. So I went to a saw specialist and asked his advice, and so bought some Swedish bi-metal blades. Cost about double, they did. I am still using the first two blades I bought from him, years later. And they still cut straight.

> not really understand how the difference coming..
Some people are prepared to work a bit harder than other people.

Cheers