Carbide Insert designation

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Brento

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Hello I am a new young machinist starting out in my garage. I’m slowly building up my shopping cart for things I need/will need/want ti start out with. So for my lathe I am getting the Grizzly G0765 and I’m leaning toward insert tools. I know they are expensive when starting out but are great deal for the money put into them. However I am not sure which inserts are best for which application. I will most likely be working with aluminum and mild steels with the occasional hardened steel brass and copper. If anyone could help me that would be great!!
 
I do agree and im going to learn how to make and cut with them as well. I just wanna learn which insert is best for which case
 
Brento, if you choose to go with inserts then you will need positive rake tooling. One of the most popular tool holders are the SCLCR (right hand) and SCLCL (LH) tool holders that take CCMT and CCGT inserts. Your lathe will probably use a 3/8" bar. Check Precision Matthews - they have a set with inserts suitable for most steels and aluminum, priced very nicely: http://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/38-turning-38-boring-tool-set/

With that said, I agree with Karl that HSS will be better on your small lathe but carbide will get you cutting fast.
 
Ok thank you i do have a project in mind to make a dovetail tool. I think a set of holders i was looking at on amazon had the common style holders. Is there any special or recommended cutting angles for finishes and roughing or should i not worry about that right now.

Also to pick anyones brain what is special about like a wnmg compared to the ccmt?
 
SCLCX tools have a 5 degree positive lead angle and the tool is oriented with the shank perpendicular to the work. This allows you to turn and face without moving the tool. Typically, the tool remains fixed like this for both roughing and finishing cuts.

WNMG inserts are positive rake cutters but generally requires a lot more power, speed and rigidity than your little 7X lathe will have. Heck, even the CCMT/CCGT inserts can tax your lathe, but you'll find out why inserted tooling on little lathes can be somewhat limiting. You need speed, rigidity and power to use inserts at their potential and you just do not have it with a small lathe like yours. Sorry, just the truth.
 
No i understand completely i just wanted to take the opportunity to learn about them as well. I will be buying a small insert set to startwith as well as getting some hss blocks to make some tools i have 2 on the way to make a thread cutter.
 
This may be a bit of a shock for people that do everything by what they learned on the web.

However insert tooling works just dandy when pushed hard enough, remember that the manufacturers suggested cutting conditions are aimed at production work done in ideal conditions, the machine that you have will never achieve ideal cutting conditions for such tools.
This is not to say that you should not use these tools just that fretting over insert shapes, coatings and general tool geometry is not going to help much if at all.

An excellent approach is to buy tools that hold a common insert shape for different operations, several tools using one insert.
 
Thats what i will be doing. I’m buying a set on amazon that uses ccmt inserts or something similar to it.
 
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