Sowa indexable kit
- Thread starter Alexander
- Start date
Yes
https://www.accusizetools.com/1-2-s...rbide-inserts-gtn-2-c5-0-087-width-2410-0012/
$132 plus shipping. includes blade holder. I'm sure you could get similar to accusize offshore for half. Neither of these ideas is Sowa - they are presumably better?
$132 plus shipping. includes blade holder. I'm sure you could get similar to accusize offshore for half. Neither of these ideas is Sowa - they are presumably better?
Brent H
Ultra Member
The parting tools with the small insert (like the Sowa one shown) have not yielded good value for us on the ship. With a wide array of users and talent I have found that this type of tool holder/insert just does not last very long. Soon as an issue develops which stresses the holder, the insert begins to have issues staying solid. I believe I have thrown out more of the insert holders than successful parting has been accomplished. The most reliable has been a simple, shapenable 1/8” wide HSS cutter.
That blade is only half the size so probably not a good comparison.
I wouldn't use either tools in a cnc machine. I was thinking it might be good enough for my manual lathe.
The issue with Sowa & many like them is they carry many product lines. I don't think any real low level stuff but one tool may be made from Japan or Europe & great quality. The next tool is indistinguishable from an AliExpress. I've bought a bunch of DCMT & CCMT holders off Ali now & I'm reasonably happy for hobby purposes. I first ventured into them specifically to modify into custom tools so spending big bucks didn't make $ sense. They cut & machine like 4140 type material. For sure stronger & straighter material than tuna can junk tools, but I doubt not an Iscar. But if you can buy 5 of them for the same price & don't run them 10 hours a day or for a living..... Sometimes the screws are differnt than a high end model but actually thats a good thing. They are more common (usually always Torx but standard heads) but not crazy unobtanium screws like some Guccibag holders, which I'm sure is a marketing thing.
My (Ali) parting tools are more like this style & so far I have been happy. I've fiddled around with different inserts which is one of the nice things when they are dirt cheap. The non-coated ones cut very well in gummier materials like aluminum, they are different rake geometry. Some like the ones I use for steel have chip breaker geometry which does work & hard to easily replicate in HSS. I can get HSS blade to cut as well with careful grinding & TLC & I still use one more for specific tip shapes, custom grind widths. But for the ease (and I suspect lower net cost) of an offshore toolholder & inserts, its almost a moot point these days IMO. Anything more than say 1.5" diameter I'm already looking at the band saw as a more efficient tool.
My (Ali) parting tools are more like this style & so far I have been happy. I've fiddled around with different inserts which is one of the nice things when they are dirt cheap. The non-coated ones cut very well in gummier materials like aluminum, they are different rake geometry. Some like the ones I use for steel have chip breaker geometry which does work & hard to easily replicate in HSS. I can get HSS blade to cut as well with careful grinding & TLC & I still use one more for specific tip shapes, custom grind widths. But for the ease (and I suspect lower net cost) of an offshore toolholder & inserts, its almost a moot point these days IMO. Anything more than say 1.5" diameter I'm already looking at the band saw as a more efficient tool.
