In article ,
Grant Erwin wrote:
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".

Hmm ... does a 5" swing machine, used almost entirely with
carbide count? It is my Compact-5/CNC, and I have some *very* sharp
(uncoated) carbide inserts for it. They are a win in part because it
*is* CNC, and the ability to turn or replace an insert and to not have
to change the offsets throughout the program (at least at every tool
change -- since that machine is too old to have a single place to
insert the offsets for a given tool once and for all.)

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

The ones with the chipbreaker designed to give a positive rake
with an otherwise negative insert may work for him. They work for me,
in the 12x24" Clausing -- but admittedly, that is a more rigid and more
powerful machine than a 9" SB. Maybe the heavy 10 (10l) might be closer
to sufficient.

Enjoy,
DoN.

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