We are happy to announce that we have expanded our online catalog to include a full line of aluma cut and double cut tungsten carbide burrs! We now carry more than 80 different options to choose from between our ¼” and ⅛” shank sizes as well as 4 different carbide burr sets.
What are Carbide Burrs?
Carbide burrs are small cutting tools that spin at high speeds to perform various woodworking and metalworking tasks such as burr removal, cutting, shaping, grinding, engraving, and deburring materials. They are constructed of a durable tungsten carbide, an alloy of carbon and tungsten that registers at about 9 on the Mohs scale, which is slightly less than a diamond.
Carbide burrs are also known as rotary burrs, rotary files, and dremel burrs.
Carbide Burr Uses
Tungsten burs have applications across many industries such as engineering, jewelry making, woodworking, CNC machining, dentistry, aerospace, and metal artistry, to name a few. Different burr shapes are available with different specific use cases. Some examples include:
Burr Shape Use Examples
- SA Cylinder Shape - Ideal for contour finishing and right angle corners
- SD Ball Shape - Popular for engravers as well as a useful tool for hollowing out an area.
- SG Pointed Tree Shape - A great choice for making concave cuts
- SN Inverted Cone Shape - Great for rear-side chamfering and making v-cuts
Compatible Tools
Carbide burrs are available with either a ⅛” or ¼” shank. The recommended tools for each are compatible sized die grinders, rotary grinders, pencil grinders, and Dremel rotary tools.
Please note - carbide burrs are not meant to be used on portable power drills. Portable drills spin too slowly and risk chipping.
Burr Speed Recommendation Chart
As mentioned above, carbide burrs are not meant to be run on power tools that run too slowly. Additionally, each burr has a different recommended cutting speed and a maximum cutting speed (in RPMs) based on the diameter of the burr. The below chart gives the recommended cutting speeds for each size.
If you are having issues seeing the chart above, please click here.
Double Cut vs Aluma Cut Flutes
The “flutes” are the grooves that are cut into the burrs to allow the tool to cut and grind. The two types of flute cuts we supply are double cut and aluma cut.
Aluma/aluminum cut carbide burrs are a type of single cut burr with one flute pattern down the length of the burr tip. Aluma cut carbide burrs are the recommended option when working with ferrous and soft metals like aluminum, copper, magnesium, and brass along with other soft materials like plastic. The single groove will peel away material, creating larger chips, rather than grinding away material. This method helps avoid gumming up the burr.
Double cut carbide burrs have 2 flutes etched into them, creating a criss-cross pattern through the length of the burr bits. The double cut makes these bits capable of more aggressive grinding and allows for rapid stock removal compared to single cut or aluma cut. These burrs will create smaller chips and are usually easier to operate for individuals new to using carbide burrs.
Still Have Questions?
If you’d like to learn more about our new line of carbide burr products or have any other questions about any of our other abrasives, our experts are available on chat, phone, or email.