Lasco Diamonds Industrial Carbide Bur Review

[tsterling]

I've been using carbide dental burs (from a dentist friend, now retired) for most of my carving, and was also using them for much of my metal work. When I began running low (steel eats them fairly quickly), I started looking around on the Web for another source, but couldn't find a company who would sell to a non-dentist (thank you, trial lawyers!).

 

I found Lasco Diamonds ( Industrial Carbide Burs ), and ordered some.

 

I ordered sizes #1/4 (5 thousandths of an inch bur diameter, the smallest available), #2 (10 thousandths bur diameter), #5 (16 thousandths bur diameter) and #8 (23 thousandths bur diameter, the largest of this style available). Shown in the photo right to left, small to large. I've also included one of the dental burs I've been using.

 

$1.50 USD per bur, free shipping in the USA on orders over $50. I received the package very promptly via UPS ground 1 1/2 days after ordering.

 

All round bur shaped (I seldom use any other shape for metal carving), with 3/32 inch diameter shafts. 1/16 inch diameter shafts and other shapes available as well.

 

I've used these new burs for two carvings, one in shibuichi (hard bronze-like copper/silver alloy) and another in blackwood and moose antler. They functioned flawlessly, carved quickly, so quickly in the shibuichi I'm sort of looking forward to wearing a set out to reserve just for texturing. I also tested them briefly in steel, and was surprised at how quick cutting they were, also.

 

I've only used one of each so far, so as to durability, that remains to be seen. I've had a fair amount of difficulty with the previous dental burs having the carbide/steel welds let go during carving (EYE PROTECTION IS A MUST!), but can't comment on these new ones yet. Overall, I'm impressed - I recommend them.

 

PS I use an NSK micromotor grinder (35,000 RPM), not an air turbine, so don't know about use with the much higher turbine RPM.

[Mike Ruslander]

Thanks for the bur tip, Tom.

[rmiller3]

Do you use any sort of cooling when using these burrs? I would think very hard substances - such as steel - would generate a great deal of heat putting the diamond coating in jeopardy.

 

Ralph

[Patrick Hastings]

These are solid tungsten carbide burs, no diamonds.

patrick

 

Do you use any sort of cooling when using these burrs? I would think very hard substances - such as steel - would generate a great deal of heat putting the diamond coating in jeopardy.

 

Ralph

[tsterling]

Hi Ralph,

 

Patrick is right, the ones we're talking about here are solid carbide. Lasco has diamonds as well, but I have no experience with any of those.

 

I don't use an lubricant or cooling fluids, just cut straight into the metal. I haven't noticed any real heat buildup, most of that is carried away with the steel chips (or other metal), sort of a self-contained cooling system. If things are getting hot, it probably means the burs are dull and need to be retired, or relegated to texturing, or grinding into other tools like small chisels (with a diamond grinding wheel), or reground into something similar to what machinists call a "D bit" for rough carving.

[Hans Meevis]

Thanks for the notice Tom. I use a lot of diamond products and tungsten burrs and Lasco is sometimes less than half the price of the jewellery supply companies. And the fact that the stuff is USA made is a big plus for me. In fact their diamond powders are a third of what I normally pay.

Cheers Hans

[rmiller3]

Hi,

 

OK, thanks for that. I bought some of the diamond burrs and use them on hard woods. I got #40 and #80 grit burrs. Great things for getting the inside of concave surfaces.

 

Ralph