The recent introduction of tools with replaceable tungsten carbide tips is revolutionizing the craft of woodturning. The new carbide tools are safer, simpler and allow even beginning woodturners to tackle complex projects. But as with any new technology, the more you know about using carbide tools, the more you’ll be able to use them to their full potential.

Everything you need to know to start working effectively with carbide tools is in “Turning Wood with Carbide Tools: Techniques and Projects for Every Skill Level” (Linden Publishing, June 2012), the new book by master woodturner John English.

“Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” is the first comprehensive and complete guide to using carbide tools to tackle woodturning projects at every level of difficulty, from a simple hickory candlestick to complex compound hollow vessels. With “Turning Wood with Carbide Tools,” you’ll be able to get straight to work with this exciting new technology and achieve virtually instant results.

“Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” outlines the many advantages that replaceable tungsten carbide cutting tips have over traditional woodturning cutters and scrapers. You don’t need to sharpen carbide cutting tips, and they retain a strong, sharp edge nearly 120 times longer than traditional steel-edge tools. Carbide tools are safer and easier to use, with greatly reduced chatter and fatigue, and when used properly, are virtually catch-free.

Best of all, carbide cutting edge tools are remarkably easy to learn and master, allowing novice turners to rapidly advance to cutting complex shapes on the lathe. Using carbide tools, novice and intermediate woodturners can take on even advanced projects.

“Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” fully explains carbide tool technology, including the various grades of tungsten carbide and types of carbide cutting tips, along with various shaft and handle options, plus a thorough explanation of the difference between flat and saucer-shaped cutters. English gives an in-depth analysis of the uses of various shapes of carbide cutting tips — round cutters for concave cuts, square cutters for convex cuts and diamond-shaped cutters for detail work. English points out that, since carbide tools can be used equally as gouges or scrapers, just those three tools will meet most of the needs of beginning-to-intermediate turners.

Going beyond a mere description of the technology, “Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” presents a complete survey of available carbide tool sets from a wide variety of manufacturers, carefully evaluating the particular strengths and design choices of each make and model of carbide tool.

“Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” takes the intimidation out of turning by showing how to use carbide tools for the best results, with an extensive introduction to safe lathe operation and basic carbide tool cutting techniques.

“Turning with Carbide Tools” goes beyond the basics with eight skill-building projects that demonstrate the full range of carbide tool capabilities, including candlesticks, bowls, vases, finials and more. Projects that would take years of experience to do with traditional tools can be completed right away, even by novice turners, with carbide tools. Each project includes complete step-by-step instructions, illustrated by numerous color photographs, so there’s never any guesswork required.

“Turning Wood with Carbide Tools” is the very first book to comprehensively discuss carbide-tipped tools for the craft of woodturning. This is a solid introduction to an exciting new technology that opens a new level of craftsmanship to beginning woodturners.

Source: Linden Publishing