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Tips/Techniques Carbide Turning Inserts - Tutorial

Tips/Techniques

Ironman

Ultra Member
If you are puzzled by the Greek jumble of letters and numbers on a carbide insert, or want to start using carbide, here is a bit of info
 
Most of the insert makers have charts. Some even have both ISO and ansi.

In desperation, I bought and liked "Introduction to Indexable Tooling" by David Best. It's not very detailed and prolly useless for the carbide wizards on here, but it taught me enough that I feel comfy reading the manufacturers charts and data now. I just wish my memory was better.
 
It's good. Much faster learning curve. But falls apart for imperial designations.

One of biggest confusions for me was which one it uses.

Imperial typically only has 3 numbers instead of 6 after the 4 letters. I say typically because sometimes it has more. It can even have a decimal. It sucks but it's common.

I've found its 50/50 whether it's ISO or ANSI.
 
As a newbie I found this intro to cutting tool shapes by Blondihacks very useful:

Old Tony mostly on Carbide inserts:

On the same topic but only ISO:

Both from LMS:

ANSI only:

Indexable boring bars:

If you're not confused yet - and have some money to spare:

A Swiss take:

Kennametal:

McMaster:
 
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