Carbide inserts from Captain Eddie...

[Joe Kieve]

I'm about ready to take the plunge into carbide by making my own tools, mainly for pens. Went Captian Eddie's website and the carbide inserts he sells are very reasonably priced. Two questions:

1. Have you made your own carbide lathe tools?
2. Are you pleased with Captain Eddie's carbide inserts?

Thanks in advance for your comments/suggestions.

joe

[dean griffith]

I have his tools and use them all the time. Very reasonably priced and they work great. Would buy them again!

[Jeff Gilfor]

I have two EWT mid-sized tools (rougher and finisher), and liked how they work in some applications.
Made a couple of my own tools. Relatively easy if you can drill and tap a hole and grind a flat on the end of a metal bar.
I have a Harrison Specialties carbide finishing shear scraper, which I like very much. Made a larger version for myself. I also made two swan neck carbide insert hollowing tools.
I purchased a tool from Eddie, plus have bought some of his inserts as replacements for my tools.
Bottom line is, his inserts are reasonably priced and save you from trying to figure out which industrial version works for woodturning.
His actual tool however, and this is just my personal opinion, is not finished as well as I would have expected. The machined end, where the insert sits, was not straight. I had to do some minor modification for my purposes.

[Rob Wachala Jr]

I purchased two bars and inserts from Eddie probably about a year or so ago. I have had no issues with the carbide inserts, or the smaller bar for the small round insert. However, the larger size bar that is used for the square insert I have had a similar problem as Jeff. Where the top bar was cut down to fit the insert was not square and is quite a bit larger than the actual insert. When you go to tighten down the insert it moves and ends up not being square to the end of the bar. This makes it so I can't get a nice even cut going across the wood. I've tried putting the tool up against the inside of the tail stock butted up against the tool rest to try and keep in in place but that not working. I've ended up not using that tool very often because of this issue, which is unfortunate.

[Michael Mills]

I heard that this place is where some sellers buy from and resale. I do not know.
I purchased some and they seem fine but I have not used them enough or used any other brand as a comparison.
They are made in Germany.
http://www.pmctool.com/product.php?productID=2250

Ten pack for $19.

[allen thunem]

another place to look for carbide is this place
http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/...rt-knives.html

[allen thunem]

and here is aplace to get round cutters like are used in the hunter tools
http://www.carbidedepot.com/wood-turning.htm

[Michael Tucker]

I have the EWT Mid-Sized Finisher and EWT Easy Pen Turner and really love them. I have a question though regarding which inserts to buy from Captain Eddie as replacements. The Mid-Sized Finisher takes the EWT Ci3 cutter and the Easy Pen Turner takes the EWT Ci2 R2 2" radius cutter. Which Captain Eddie cutters correspond to those? Also, do the screws that he provides screw into the holes of the EWT tools?

Thanks,
Mike

[Dan Hintz]

His actual tool however, and this is just my personal opinion, is not finished as well as I would have expected. The machined end, where the insert sits, was not straight. I had to do some minor modification for my purposes.

When you go to tighten down the insert it moves and ends up not being square to the end of the bar. This makes it so I can't get a nice even cut going across the wood.

Agree with the above. I have resorted to "pre-twisting" the insert so tightening the screw causes the insert to be square (as possible). Not ideal, and if I had to do again would probably spend a bit extra to get a properly tooled bar.

[Dennis Nagle]

Is the bar any type of special steel?

[Jeremy Hamaker]

I have his carbide cutters and they've worked well. I have a couple of Eddie's bars too. They don't appear to be anything but square (or round) steel bar stock. I don't mean this as any knock against the Capt. (I'm personally a big fan!), but if you have any experience at all with grinding metal and tapping screw holes, you would be better off economically by making your own. This way you can set up your own angles, and clearances on the back edge. Once I got a bit better shop space and a couple grinding tools, I did a bit of reshaping myself on the bars that I received. Going forward I will buy only cutters (either from Capt. Eddie or one of the places linked here). I will make my own bar stock shafts and continue to turn my own handles. The bars he sells I see more in the spirit of providing an economical platform for those who aren't in a position to machine their own.
I think it was really creative of Easy Wood Tools to do what they've been doing, but knowing where to source cutters, how to grind bar stock, and turn handles, means I won't ever be buying one of their tools...
As far as the carbide cutters rotating, a tip Capt. Eddie gives is to put a drop of CA on the tool, place the cutter in the spot and orientation you want, let it dry a bit, and then screw it down. Haven't tried that myself.
I have done the method where I place the cutter at an angle, and then tension it with the screw rotation into the correct final angle. That works, but it sometimes takes me a couple attempts.

[Joe Kieve]

Guys...thank you so much for your input. You've convinced me to get some bar stock and some of Captain Eddie's cutters and making my own tools. Can't wait to get started.
Thanks again.

joe

[Steve Rost]

Eddie uses a different screw thread than EWT

[robert baccus]

Our turning group has been making these tools for several years. One friend figured out you could make a perfect fit for the cutter by placing some JB weld on the flat and very lightly screwing down on your waxed cutter. Let harden and you should have a true blade base like forever.

[Michael Koga]

Eddie's cutters are great, and reasonable priced. A couple got nicked during shipping and he replaced them with no hassles.

I did buy 2 square cutter bars which I have no problems with. But after looking at them, and since I already have the proper tools (grinders, drill bits, taps) I went to a metal supply store and brought some bar stock. Easy to make if you're comfortable working with metal.