| The past 10
years has seen a significant increase in the number of luthiers who have
applied CNC technology to the more mundane tasks involved in making top
of the line musical instruments. These pioneers have recognized
that the true magic of their art lies in the design, assembly, finishing
and tuning of their creations. As new materials, techniques and
processes bring increased capabilities to the luthiers craft, we expect
to see a more widespread acceptance of computer aided design and
manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in all aspects of musical instrument
fabrication.
All of our 1/8" shank tools are available with and without
depth
setting rings.
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General Purpose Tools |
End-mills
(hardwood, recon stone, stabilized wood, composites)
PreciseBits end-mills have been optimized for cutting hardwoods,
reconstituted stone, and stabilized wood products. The flute
geometry allows relatively high feed rates through a variety of
materials with different densities, moisture content, and grain
structures.
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Drill Bits
(hardwood, recon stone, stabilized wood, composites)
Like all of our cutters, PreciseBIT solid carbide drills are
made using the finest grade Mitsubishi carbide. Sizes ranging from
0.008 in. (0.2mm) to 0.250 in. (6.35mm) are available from stock.
Diameters down to 0.001 in. (25 micron) are available upon request.
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Routers
(phenolic, recon stone, composites)
Our 6-flute PreciseBIT contour routers have been optimized for
contour-cutting of glass-filled engineering composites (e.g. FR-4
fiberglass) and reconstituted stone products with high (>70%) mineral
content. These tools boast very high cutting surface areas for
processing abrasive materials that tend to chip during machining.
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ColletCare®
Spindle and Toolholder Cleaner / Lubricant
Designed by a corrosion chemist to:
- dissolve varnish and gummy deposits
in the spindle bore
- loosen rust
- inhibit corrosion
in spindle bores and on collets and
toolholders.
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Specialty Cutters |
Over the years, we have found that
certain materials place extraordinary demands on tool
geometry. This is especially true of shell, ivory,
ebony and the rosewood family. Their moisture content,
oiliness, density and abrasiveness require that flute-shape,
flute-volume, and helix angle be precisely tuned to achieve
accurate cutting and acceptable tool life.
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Fret-wire Kerf Cutters
These 3-flute cutters are
the result of guidance (perhaps I should say, badgering,
coercion) from our many friends in the musical
instrument industry. They have been optimized for cutting
ebony and many of the other dry hardwoods used in finger
boards and pegheads.
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Ivory, Horn and
Tusk Cutter
(ivory, fossil ivory,
horn, tusk)
TThe only 2-flute member of
the UltraBit family, these 0.0313" (0.8mm) bits have been
tuned for cutting ivory, horn and tusk. The flute
capacity has been increased to accommodate a wide range of
moisture/oil content. The diameter is ground to within
+/-0.0005" (0.0127mm) insuring zero-glue-line inlay
cutting. The best all-around 1/32" cutter that we make, this
bit has become the general-purpose tool of choice for many
cuemakers and luthiers for cutting rosewoods and other
"gummy" materials.
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Shell Cutter
(natural shell, Abalam® ,
composites)
The 0.0313" (0.8mm) shell cutter features a 3-flute design
with a light chip-breaker finish-grind that effectively, and
accurately cuts away both natural and laminated shell.
A member of the UltraBit family, the shell cutter diameter
is ground to within +/-0.0005" (0.0127mm) insuring
zero-glue-line inlay cutting and minimum material wastage.
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Engraving / Scoring Bits
(hardwoods, shell,
non-ferrous metals, mild steel)
PreciseBit thin-web (0.005", 0.127mm) "V" tip cutters
combine fine line machining with the extra rigidity needed
for high feed rates. Applications include scoring, marking,
scrimshaw, and engraving.
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