carbide parting tool

If you don't mind going to the work, and have a way of holding the fashioned parting tool, I'd say go for it. That's what cheap folks like us like to do.

The one problem you're likely to discover is that the carbide is well suited for cutting one type of material but not others. Considering the fact that wood cuts easily, I am of the opinion that the (brazed) inserts used will be better suited to machining non-ferrous and cast iron, including stainless steel. I favor the idea that the carbide is a C2 grade, or close. It is likely to cut steel very poorly. Please let us know how it goes if you give it a go.

Harold

Why not, just be aware that woodworking grades of carbide are different than the ones for metalworking.

Do it. You will certainly be able to cut all the common non-ferrous metals. Like brass, bronze, aluminum, etc.. Titanium maybe. Several of the iron based alloys, like ledloy, 303 stainless steel, etc.. There may be some trouble with other steels but so what? Be aware that the saw blade steel may be pretty tough and eat the blade you use to cut it. So go slow at first and use cutting oil. Cheers, ERS

John Stevenson who posts frequently on some of the other metalworking boards has done just that very succesfully. I recall seeing some photos of his setup in the recent past (1 year or less?).

He is a full time machinist in England. He comes up with alot of creative solutions and generously posts his know how. Try the Chaski or HSM boards, as I think he frequents them the most often.

Dick

snipped-for-privacy@thanks.com wrote:

I suspect the grade of carbide C-2 IIRC for wood is a bit light weight for steel.

Martin

Or use a plasma cutter. I made a cabinet scraper for woodwork by cutting a piece out of an old non-carbide circular saw blade. Run the plasma wide open and move as fast as you can consistent with getting a clean cut. There was sufficiently little peripheral damage that by the time I cleaned up on the grind wheel, I was into undamaged steel. The heat affected zone (discoloured area) was about 1/16" wide.

Ted

my horizontal/vertical jet cutoff bandsaw has done fine so far....

There's also the old knifemaker trick of clamping it an a vise with the cut line just at or slightly below the vise jaws, and shearing the blank off with a cold chisel, sort of like a hammer powered shear, then grind to clean up. --Glenn Lyford