diff --git a/shared/src/OctalCode.cpp b/shared/src/OctalCode.cpp
index 9535402f77..8ba41ea0d9 100644
--- a/shared/src/OctalCode.cpp
+++ b/shared/src/OctalCode.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ float * firstVertexForCode(unsigned char * octalCode) {
     memset(firstVertex, 0, 3 * sizeof(float));
     
     for (int i = 0; i < numberOfThreeBitSectionsInCode(octalCode); i++) {
-        int8_t sectionIndex = sectionValue(octalCode + 1 + (3 * i / 8), (3 * i) % 8);
+        int sectionIndex = sectionValue(octalCode + 1 + (3 * i / 8), (3 * i) % 8);
         for (int j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
             firstVertex[j] += 0.5 * (int)oneAtBit(sectionIndex, 7 -j);
         }
diff --git a/shared/src/SharedUtil.cpp b/shared/src/SharedUtil.cpp
index 54b1c75e4f..04e517fe9a 100644
--- a/shared/src/SharedUtil.cpp
+++ b/shared/src/SharedUtil.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ float randFloat () {
     return (rand() % 10000)/10000.f;
 }
 
-unsigned char randomColorValue(uint8_t miniumum) {
+unsigned char randomColorValue(int miniumum) {
     return miniumum + (rand() % (255 - miniumum));
 }
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void outputBits(unsigned char byte) {
     printf("\n");
 }
 
-int8_t numberOfOnes(unsigned char byte) {
+int numberOfOnes(unsigned char byte) {
     return (byte >> 7)
         + ((byte >> 6) & 1)
         + ((byte >> 5) & 1)
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ int8_t numberOfOnes(unsigned char byte) {
         + (byte & 1);
 }
 
-bool oneAtBit(unsigned char byte, int8_t bitIndex) {
+bool oneAtBit(unsigned char byte, int bitIndex) {
     return (byte >> (7 - bitIndex) & 1);
 }
diff --git a/shared/src/SharedUtil.h b/shared/src/SharedUtil.h
index c7f8261070..967d0e9786 100644
--- a/shared/src/SharedUtil.h
+++ b/shared/src/SharedUtil.h
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ double usecTimestamp(timeval *time);
 double usecTimestampNow();
 
 float randFloat();
-unsigned char randomColorValue(uint8_t minimum);
+unsigned char randomColorValue(int minimum);
 bool randomBoolean();
 
 void outputBits(unsigned char byte);
-int8_t numberOfOnes(unsigned char byte);
-bool oneAtBit(unsigned char byte, int8_t bitIndex);
+int numberOfOnes(unsigned char byte);
+bool oneAtBit(unsigned char byte, int bitIndex);
 
 #endif /* defined(__hifi__SharedUtil__) */
diff --git a/shared/src/VoxelNode.cpp b/shared/src/VoxelNode.cpp
index 62c0756ea2..32b86ff2b6 100644
--- a/shared/src/VoxelNode.cpp
+++ b/shared/src/VoxelNode.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ VoxelNode::~VoxelNode() {
     }
 }
 
-void VoxelNode::addChildAtIndex(int8_t childIndex) {
+void VoxelNode::addChildAtIndex(int childIndex) {
     children[childIndex] = new VoxelNode();
     
     // give this child its octal code
diff --git a/shared/src/VoxelNode.h b/shared/src/VoxelNode.h
index 4efe7e0dec..bdd7428f6d 100644
--- a/shared/src/VoxelNode.h
+++ b/shared/src/VoxelNode.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ public:
     VoxelNode();
     ~VoxelNode();
     
-    void addChildAtIndex(int8_t childIndex);
+    void addChildAtIndex(int childIndex);
     void setColorFromAverageOfChildren(int * colorArray = NULL);
     void setRandomColor(int minimumBrightness);
     
diff --git a/shared/src/VoxelTree.cpp b/shared/src/VoxelTree.cpp
index 4efaaac9c2..83d0eaa067 100644
--- a/shared/src/VoxelTree.cpp
+++ b/shared/src/VoxelTree.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ VoxelNode * VoxelTree::nodeForOctalCode(VoxelNode *ancestorNode, unsigned char *
     if (*needleCode == 0) {
         return ancestorNode;
     } else if (ancestorNode->childMask != 0) {
-        int8_t branchForNeedle = branchIndexWithDescendant(ancestorNode->octalCode, needleCode);
+        int branchForNeedle = branchIndexWithDescendant(ancestorNode->octalCode, needleCode);
         VoxelNode *childNode = ancestorNode->children[branchForNeedle];
         
         if (childNode != NULL) {
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ VoxelNode * VoxelTree::nodeForOctalCode(VoxelNode *ancestorNode, unsigned char *
 }
 
 VoxelNode * VoxelTree::createMissingNode(VoxelNode *lastParentNode, unsigned char *codeToReach) {
-    uint8_t indexOfNewChild = branchIndexWithDescendant(lastParentNode->octalCode, codeToReach);
+    int indexOfNewChild = branchIndexWithDescendant(lastParentNode->octalCode, codeToReach);
     lastParentNode->addChildAtIndex(indexOfNewChild);
     
     if (*lastParentNode->children[indexOfNewChild]->octalCode == *codeToReach) {
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ unsigned char * VoxelTree::loadBitstreamBuffer(unsigned char *& bitstreamBuffer,
 {
     static unsigned char *initialBitstreamPos = bitstreamBuffer;
     
-    uint8_t firstIndexToCheck = 0;
+    int firstIndexToCheck = 0;
     
     // we'll only be writing data if we're lower than
     // or at the same level as the stopOctalCode
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ unsigned char * VoxelTree::loadBitstreamBuffer(unsigned char *& bitstreamBuffer,
 }
 
 void VoxelTree::printTreeForDebugging(VoxelNode *startNode) {
-    uint8_t colorMask = 0;
+    int colorMask = 0;
     
     // create the color mask
     for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {