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• 85 min
#26 Carbide Demystified with Dave Stanbach of Carbide Cutting Tools
Chips and Tips Podcast
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What actually goes into making a custom carbide cutting tool? In this episode of Chips and Tips, Justin sits down with Dave Stanbach, CEO of Carbide Cutting Tools, for a deeply practical conversation that pulls back the curtain on tooling design, scrap carbide economics, and what really matters when you are chasing better performance on the shop floor.
From why a rough sketch can beat a perfect CAD file, to how coatings affect not just tool life but machine noise, this episode is packed with hard-earned insight. If you have ever wondered how custom tools are quoted, tested, refined, and kept affordable, this conversation delivers answers straight from the grinder.
Custom tooling often feels mysterious from the outside, but Dave Stanbach makes it clear that most of the process is grounded in experience, testing, and practical tradeoffs. With a small team and a focused operation, Carbide Cutting Tools produces custom carbide tools while also running one of the most aggressive scrap carbide buyback programs in the industry. Dave explains how scrap pricing has surged recently, driven by tariffs and global supply shifts, and why mail-in scrap programs actually work at scale.
The conversation digs into what customers should send when requesting a custom tool. Surprisingly, a simple 2D sketch often beats a fully dimensioned CAD file. Dave explains that overly precise CAD geometry, especially from certain CAM systems, can introduce ambiguity and force unnecessary back-and-forth. A clear intent, the material being cut, and the machine being used often matter more than perfect numbers on a drawing.
Tool geometry decisions like flute count, helix versus shear, and edge prep are explored in depth. Dave emphasizes that more flutes are not always better, especially when spindle load, chatter, and machine rigidity come into play. Less flute engagement often produces better finishes, particularly in aluminum, and finish quality frequently comes down to subtle details like corner radius and step over rather than marketing features like wipers.
One of the more unexpected insights comes from the discussion on coatings. Dave explains how coating choice impacts not only tool life but also cutting noise. Hard coatings like diamond-like carbon can dramatically increase sound levels, which matters far more than people realize for home shops and lights-out machining. In some cases, quieter tooling is not a luxury but a requirement.
The episode also covers thread mills, roughers, finishers, and chip management, including why combination rougher-finisher tools rarely live up to expectations. Throughout the conversation, Dave reinforces a consistent theme: real-world testing beats theory, and long-term performance comes from iteration, not one-size-fits-all solutions.
For shops trying to stretch tooling budgets, improve finishes, or understand what actually drives tool performance, this episode offers grounded insight from someone who lives in the details every day.
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