Flaretipdesign

Launched in 1984, WOOD® magazine is the world's most trusted woodworking resource — a distinction we've earned by guaranteeing our readers' success in their woodworking shops. It is the  mission of our staff to inspire and inform woodworkers at every stage of their journey by providing reliable and accurate project plans, woodworking techniques, and product reviews.

Flaretipdesign standard

Shanks are 3⁄32 " for most bits, 1⁄8 " for some. Big carbide bits and Kutzalls have 1⁄4 " shanks. Before buying one of these biggies, confirm whether your rotary hand tool or flexible-shaft handpiece will accept a 1⁄4 " collect. Most handpieces will, most rotary hand tools won't.

Flare boom

Shopping for power-carving bits, you learn one thing quickly: They come in astonishing variety. Your eyes may glaze over as you survey the array of types, shapes, and sizes. Are you facing a fathomless jumble? Not at all—there is order to the world of carving.

A convenient way to classify power-carving cutters and grinders is by useroughing, carving, and detailing. Roughing out a carving, for instance, calls for quickly grinding away a lot of wood with little regard for surface finish. Forming feathers or other fine details, though, requires a more precise touch.

A crepe sanding-belt cleaner works fine on stones. For diamond points, buy an inexpensive dressing stone. For longer bit life, store them with their shanks standing in holes drilled in a block of wood.

The popular Hudson RCI® over-the-ear cannula, which has set the industry standard for decades, is cost-effective and is offered in a wide range of adult configurations.

Ground flare

Flaretiptypes

When buying bits from a catalog, you may find the diameter designated by a three-digit ISO number, such as 018 or 070. To convert that number to millimeters, insert a decimal point between the second and third digit. Thus, the 018 bit in the example is 1.8 mm diameter and the 070 is 7.0 mm.

To select the proper type of bit, consider how much wood you want to remove, how fast you want to take it off, and how smooth you want the surface to be. We look at some of the popular choices in bits on the following pages.

A brass-bristle brush, about the size of a toothbrush, cleans light buildups from everything except stones. Heavier buildup usually yields to oven cleaner. To quickly clean a clogged Kutzall, blast it for a few seconds with your propane torch, then brush away the burnt wood.

When cutting performance declines, don t assume that your bit is worn out. More likely, it s just loaded up with wood fibers and resin. Cleaning probably will revive it.stones. For diamond points, buy an inexpensive dressing stone. For longer bit life, store them with their shanks standing in holes drilled in a block of wood.