Best Lathe Indexing Tools

[Xhia]

Guys, I am getting somehow confused, the following tools are there and I am not getting the difference. SCLCR, DCMT, CCMT. I am also using the quick change toolpost and will probably take 12mm tools.

DCMT and CCMT are insert designations. C is an 80deg diamond while D is a 55deg diamond. Click the link below to get a guide on the meaning of all the letters https://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-insert-d.htm

[Xhia]

while SCLCR is a tool holder designation. It takes CC_T inserts. Take a look at this page to get the explanation on individual letters by Carbide depot https://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-th-d.htm. NOT the additional sizes on the chart are for imperial and not metric.

[ImagineDragons]

What you want to do is actually what counts. This is not what I am recommending, but as it happens, I have simply stated the following. Just a background (my contribution may or may not be reliable). I have been a model engineer (well, this is important as people from and industrial backgrounds usually have a different opinion) for quite some years. I recently bought my second, much larger lathe. I had in the past been using a Myford and it took 8mm shank inserts but the now looks somehow small in the new machine. So I have chosen the 12mm shank. SCLCR +SCLCL right hand and left hand general purpose tools. When using the smaller 80deg angle, these take the almost square CCMT inserts/tools. Compared to the DCMT inserts which have a 55deg angle, these ones are relatively stronger and cannot chip easily. I have got a tool which takes the DCMT. I however prefer to use it for finer and finishing work where the percentage of getting any damage is very small. My expectation is that I will use the SCLCR as my main workhorse turning tool given its ability to turn and face with no adjustments while the SCLCL will mainly be used for the “odd back edge of a shoulder” operations.
The SCBCR RH rough turning tool uses the CCMT insert, but the 100deg angle. It is possible to use the other inserts that had previously been used, chipped or worn from other tools. Rough external turning, but it cannot work up to the shoulder.
I get the external cutting threading tools which take 16ER inserts, both the 60deg and the 55deg as I require both the metric and the imperial threads. I also putt in to use a parting tool which takes GTN-2 inserts.

[ImagineDragons]

I have some boring bars so these are external tools. All are HSS if not some minute home-made from hardened silver still for tiny holes. I am yet to have carbide insert versions for this. I don’t need it that much. The new lathe came along my biggest boring bar. This bar is something like 1 inch dia and about 12 inch long with a HSS tool. I might not use it from time to time.
I have had face-to-face transactions with the JB Cutting tools and they really know what they are talking about. There website has with very neat set of images that show what each type of tool can do. Thus I have ordered from them.
These carbide inserts can somehow easily chip the tips if they are misused hence I still maintain some reservations on them. It is my hope that the 80deg tips will show some more strength relative to the 55deg tips I have been using for decades. They however work very well and can result in a good finish even from heavy cuts.