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Master carpenter Andreas Weinzierl from Traunstein is a maestro in his field. Specializing in complex wood moldings for instruments, restoration of works of art and furniture design, he was given the opportunity to test LEUCO's new t3-System shank-type cutter at length. His conclusion: "We don't want to give it back any more."

Cutterheads and shank-type cutters with square carbide turnover knives for CNC have been established on the market for many years. With its new "t3-System", LEUCO has now complemented the strengths of these tools with a completely new design method and triangular carbide turnover knives with rounded edges. Master carpenter Andreas Weinzierl, known in the trade as an artist at the CNC milling machine, was invited by LEUCO to test the product innovation intensively in his workshop.

His company, 3D-Holz Design, has been producing complex parts from solid wood and wood-based materials since 2006. He and his two employees program complex shapes in CAM, fully exploiting the manufacturing possibilities of their 5-axis CNC machine. Series are not his thing – each job is programmed individually. "We don't use stored building blocks, but really do start every day with 'File/New'," Weinzierl explains. His clients include instrument makers, art restorers, industrial companies wanting high-quality wooden cases and fellow carpenters with subcontracts. The 3D-Holz Design brand is known nationwide for free-form objects in wood. "I can count my few competitors in the segment on one hand," says Weinzierl.

LEUCO had presented the new shank-type cutter to Weinzierl so that it could demonstrate its versatility in handling the complex requirements of 3D-Holz Design. The t3-System can cut in a spiral shape and at an angle, which makes it ideal for sculptured surfaces. The small diameter of only 54 mm offers many practical advantages. Narrow milling grooves and pockets from 60 mm in diameter can be machined, and wooden parts can be shaped in one work cycle. Cutting speed and milling performance lie at the upper end of what is attainable.

Jointing and rabbeting without reworking

The triangular turnover knife with rounded edges allows the shear angle for the draw cut to be set perfectly, thereby preventing formation of offsets at the overcuts. In addition, thanks to the triangular shape the shear angles can be set so that outstanding surface and edge processing can be achieved when jointing and rabbeting; furthermore, the rear side of the cutter does not protrude. This distinguishes the t3-System from other spiral cutterheads. The triangular turnover knives are positioned such that the shear angle always pulls in the correct direction.

"I tried the cutter extensively with different materials – from hard wood right through to foam board. We roughed and planed to a finish. It was clear to us after two hours that we would take the milling cutter. The t3 can be used for both roughing as well as for finishing, i.e. fine tuning."

Andreas Weinzierl praises the high surface finish quality in particular: "We hold a perfect workpiece in our hands almost without any rework." The new shank-type cutter with its aggressive cutting edges is also ideal for plunging. "If the workpiece is oversized, then we can also drill it with the t3. Nothing starts to flutter or vibrate." The new system has now replaced two tools at 3D-Holz Design: a carbide spiral cutterhead and a 40 mm shank-type cutter.

• Program t3-System shank type cutter