An investment in tools is required for most every craft except perhaps daydreaming. Is thinking not a type of formless tool? Let me ponder that…

Just a prelude to this pricey little tool used for machine controlled (CNC) wax carving. It is an 1/8 inch shaft diameter, tapered (10 degree [total]) 0.004 inch ball end carbide milling bit. That's a mouthful.

These type of bits are the smallest tip for the finest detail machine carving. Also used are 0.005", 0.010", 0.015"and 0.020" in this style. Several other bits of various designs (twisted pyramid) are commonly used. The pyramids have flat tips and are made in similar tapered tip diameters as the ball ends bits.

They all are super fine needle tips and size cannot be determined by just looking. This one has the size LASER engraved on the shaft.

I have "stuck" myself many times with careless hand moves with these. A little blood loss is a risk and a part of almost every task using any type of sharp tools.

The tool source for procuring these precision tools is Bits&Bits. Here is a link: https://bitsbits.com/ . Peruse this website and check the prices. Not your cheap burr-type bits but worth the investment for precision CNC wax carving. These are finely made machine tool items.

A range of quality burrs are used at the workbench (away from the CNC machine work) for manual wax carving. More like the Dremel style but used in Foredom brand motor tools. For very fine details a large array of various shaped hand-held manual tools is also available for use in pure hand-carving at the bench.

Good tools are worth the investment. Having struggled with poor quality cheap tools in my early low-budget days, I discovered how MUCH of a struggle poor quality tools create. Working with good tools will encourage better skills. Its when one stops blaming the tools, the realization it is the user that creates the issues.