On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 01:18:39 GMT, Gunner wrote:
Because the crux of the matter is, Jim, HSS properly done, is heads
and hands sharper than carbide.

That's only true if you're using coated carbide inserts, and using them right out
of the box. On smaller machines, I only use uncoated inserts, and hand hone
them for an even keener edge. I'll put the edge I can get on those inserts up
against anything you can achieve with HSS (and maintain for more than one
second of cutting).

Carbide gets a bad name by people using *coated* inserts right out of the
box on small lathes. That doesn't work well at all. But you can put a *very*
keen edge on uncoated carbide with a diamond hone.

About the only time I don't use carbide is when doing interrupted cuts
(everything you've heard about that is true), or when I need to grind a
special form tool.

I even routinely run carbide tooling on my Taig. Lathes don't get much
smaller or underpowered than that. Of course carbide performs much
better on my larger machines, which have the rigidity and power to really
get the most out of it. But the fact that you *can* get a keen enough edge
on it to work on a Taig puts the lie to the idea that you can only get a
*sharp* tool with HSS.

Gary