Member postings for Mark Peatfield

Good evening and thank you all for the responses to my questions. I didn’t expect so many replies and it shows how helpful this forum is to budding machinists.

I have tried to sharpen HSS tools when I did some machining 30 odd years ago and was never particularly good at it. While I did get a useable edge, tools sharpened by others always gave a better finish. If I had practiced more I’m sure I would have improved but as I had someone who was very good at it, I left them to it. Looking back I should have got them to teach me how. In the future I am determined to make my own tools but until then indexable is the way forward for me.

There is a large amount of useful information in all the replies and a lot of things I had no idea about. I have learned more reading the replies than all the books I have invested in recently.

Again many thanks to all who responded to my post.

Mark

Hi newbie from mid Lincolnshire here. I have recently purchased a Myford super 7B lathe. I have always tinkered with motorcycles and have got the lathe so I can take my tinkering to the next level.

While I have some limited experience on a Myford S7 from 30 odd years ago I always had someone else to sharpen the tools. Some HSS tools came with the lathe but I haven’t got a clue how to sharpen them correctly. I have invested in some books in the workshop practice series to learn, but there is no substitute for being shown which in today’s climate is hard to do.

My solution, albeit costly I believe is to invest in a set of indexable lathe tools. Browsing the interweb it seems there are many different manufacturers and quality and price vary wildly. Can someone point me in the direction of a uk supplier of good quality indexable lathe tools. I had considered the 9 piece 8mm set from RDG but read the better quality ones are purchased singly rather than in a set. Also is it the tip itself that is the important part or do I need to go for a quality holder as well.

When I previously used an S7, to get the tool at the correct height we used strips of coke can to shim the tool. Quick change tool posts being out of our price range then.

I have been looking at QCTP’s and believe for my needs and my lathe a Dickson type would be better than a multifix type. Is the genuine Myford item worth the extra over the Chinese ones or are there others makes that I should be considering.

All information will be gratefully received and I’m sure I will have many more questions to ask