Carbide Turning Mandel - Looking for Opinions

T

TScull

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A carbide neck turning mandrel is about $30 to $40 more than the steel version. I'm looking for opinions on the value of spending the extra amount when you are using power to turn your necks.

I'll be using my drill press configured on it lowest speed, using FP-10 as a lubricant. I only have 120 cases to prepare. I am preparing to buy a K&M setup, including the expansion die and mandrel, and am looking to decide whether or not to get the carbide turning mandrel.
 
Carbide turning mandrel

K &m is one of the best .
With power i think it will be a winner..
 
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Carbide Turning Mandrel

TScull said:
A carbide neck turning mandrel is about $30 to $40 more than the steel version. I'm looking for opinions on the value of spending the extra amount when you are using power to turn your necks.
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Worth every penny of it. I ordered carbide mandrels for each size I intended to use when I ordered my K&M turner. Also I might add when I ordered a mandrel for my Pumpkin Neck Turner I was told by that vendor he only made Carbide any more.

Dick
 
I use K&M

I use two K&M turners (one for the initial cut and one for the final) and a Craftsman drill. My lube is RCBS Caselube II.
Also, Jim Carstensen told me many years ago to cut brass at high speed, and I have since then. If the expandiron is correct, this method works very well. Good shooting...James
 
I am just curious, are you going to stop shooting after you wear out those 120 cases??
 
In an attempt to justify my original question ....

Nah. I may just want to get a few more cases and start all over again.

The reason I mentioned the 120 cases is to separate the small number I'll be starting with from some who do many hundreds at a time.

I also agree to buy good tools. I hate cheap tools. You sometimes find it hard to justify replacing a barely adequate tool if it still sort-of works. The thing is, sometimes an expensive tool is not measurably better than a much less expensive version. (Snap-on versus craftsman is an example that in my opinion fits that category.) I was asking to see if the carbide versus steel turning mandrel was a similar example.
 
TScull said:
Nah. I may just want to get a few more cases and start all over again.

The reason I mentioned the 120 cases is to separate the small number I'll be starting with from some who do many hundreds at a time.

I also agree to buy good tools. I hate cheap tools. You sometimes find it hard to justify replacing a barely adequate tool if it still sort-of works. The thing is, sometimes an expensive tool is not measurably better than a much less expensive version. (Snap-on versus craftsman is an example that in my opinion fits that category.) I was asking to see if the carbide versus steel turning mandrel was a similar example.
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Once you have used carbide mandrels in neck turning, especially with power, you will never again use a HSS mandrel. They are that good. Buy the carbide and don't look back. :)

Gene Beggs
 
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