Introduction

hi Lee,

HSS tools are relatively easy to grind using a cheap B&Q grinder to begin with. There are only about 4 basic tool shapes plus a parting tool (but that comes later - a bench vice and hacksaw make a good substitute in the earluy sstages),

Best regards

Terry

Apologies for unintentional duck pun Lee - never again, I promise

Tapping and drilling fluid isn't really what you would want to use for turning - it's too expensive for one thing and doesn't like the heat generated on heavier cuts. Smells awful when it gets hot.

Your water soluble cutting fluid will need a good cleanup routine after use because it tends to stain the lathe bed. I have used three approaches of getting the fluid to the workpiece - applying with a brush, gravity drip feed and a pond pump inside a 5 litre tank. The gravity feed, plan B, was a pain but plans A and C were fine. You do tend to get through a few brushes though - no matter how careful you are they get a 'haircut' from time to time.

Carbide tooling doesn't like interrupted coolant apparently and can crack due to thermal shock. I have only just started using it though, all my experience is with HSS or Stellite.

Don't worry Siddley, it cracked me up typing it,

I'm a bit of a joker even if it's pointed at me, I'm terrible for practical jokes and lightly winding people up at work, the trouble is people don't know if I'm being serious or not,

thanks again for the information,

I completely see what you mean about the cutting fluid smell, I tried to drill a hole with a blunt drill in my early apprentice days

I was thinking of just using a tin can/brush and a spray bottle for the W/S "turning" fluid and the tap/drill fluid out of the bottle, The brush's i was just going to get a cheap bumper pack and super glue the heels,

I already have a bench grinder, so when i order my QCTP i will get a S/C wheel and a large assortment of HSS blanks to play with,

I am wanting to fit bellows ASAP, but i am unsure of the dovetail size, also i would like to fix them to the carriage with small thumb screw nuts and a small slither of aluminium, so i can easily oil the ways while keeping swarf on the ways to a minimum, which is why i was leaning towards the oiler systems, so i could keep the ways covered until the work area was clean again,

On the subject of cleaning, I also have an old smelly henry hover that i got at a carboot sale, that i was planning on sticking under the desk, so when the spindle stops i could quickly clean the area

Hi Lee,

I got my mini-lathe just less than a year ago and I bought one of the sets of carbide tipped tools like these:

**LINK**

I thought they would get me started as I didn't fancy making my own from HSS blanks (not having used a bench grinder for about thirty years). After making a few parts for my first little engine I was getting a bit disappointed with the poor finish so decided to have a go at grinding a simple knife tool. I though I would be doing well if it performed similarly to the carbide tools but was amazed at the improved finish considering this was my first attempt. So as others have said, have a go at making some tooling yourself. Lawrence Sparey's book "The Amateur's Lathe" which although a bit dated is a great starting point.

Gary

That very good to hear,

I was thinking of HSS tool making as a black art, and/or that I would need to make an awkward jig to get the angles correct, to eleminate rubbing and to give a better finish, but that is good to know, I was thinking that I would burn though twenty blanks before I have anything resembling a tool, let alone anything usable

Thanks for putting me on to Lawrence Sparey, worth more than its weight in gold come "X Factor" time.

Hi again Lee

For everyday turning I would use HSS tools. I feel that you are much more likely to achieve a good result than with tc tipped tools. Certainly the cheap option is to buy HSS blanks and grind up your own but I agree that a certain amount of practice is necessary. You will need a bench grinder eventually but you can buy ready ground HSS tools.See an example of a set HERE  ( I bought some a couple of years ago at a show and they are fine) Maybe santa will oblige? These are ready sharpened and, until you get a grinder, you could keep the edge on tools with just an oilstone. You will need an oilstone anyway to ensure that you keep a good edge. Someone once pointed out to me that you can't get a better finish on your work than you have on your tool.

You worry about breaking tools but ( with the possible exception of a thin parting tool) I think this unlikely as long as you work carefully. Other than that very thin parting tool I can't recall ever breaking a lathe tool. Go carefully, feel the cut you put on, look at the swarf produced and listen to to the sound of the machine and the cut as it proceeds.

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 23/12/2012 00:35:07

Hi Lee

If you think of HSS tool making as a black art why not buy or make a tangential toolholder? It is very easy to grind the HSS tool bits for these holders. If you buy one a grinding jig is usually supplied. It is not difficult to make your own holder and grinding jig.

Regards

Thor

Hi Lee
Welcome, and could you set yourself up a profile, it would be nice to know what part of the world you live in, Try Thor's advice they are fantastic. Please do not scrape the bed of your lathe, Just clean off the manufacturers grease with a white spirits/light oil mix then redo with a coating of light oil, Enjoy your lathe and please ask I still do and have been retired for over 15yrs.

Bob

Lee, I think you'll find the lathe bed is hardened, so your scaper won't touch it, just wrap up the scraper and put it away in a draw, it might come in hand one day on a model or something.

If you must use carbide, unless you can flood the work, cut dry. With HSS I use a little squeeze bottle, it started life with PVA glue in it, sometimes I find straight cutting oil works better, but the type I use normally is diluted 1prt to 10 prt water, and it doe'nt stain, or cause rust.

I think you'd be better off with a brush to clear the swafe, rather that covering the ways with bellows, I know some milling machines use bellows, but mine has'nt, and it's been going 25 years, no problem.

The local engineering shop near me gave up on carbide tools.and went back to HSS for there main work, boring hydraulic cylinders on a large Dean Smith and Grace lathe, it was decided it was'nt ridgid enough,ie., it's going on 70yrs old, and things arn't as tight as they used to be, also it did not have enough speed (I suppose a smaller chuck would help, you can only take a 14" chuck so far). Ian S C

I have just looked at a few articles about tangential tooling and would like to thank you for the information,

i will purchase one first to get me on the HSS tooling step, then at a later date i will make a few for the QCTP,

i like the ideas behind it, only one cut "face", no cut reliefs due to the tool angle, so a major weight off my shoulders,

Also due to the "kite" shaped cut face the tool can be adjusted on what i think is the B axis, to provide you with turning and facing abillity on one tool, aiding you in turning to a shoulder,

also the cutting load is on the length of the tool rather than on 10% of the end, not sure if that means much in tooling terms, but it sounds good to me,

I just want to say I know these are not an all in one wonder tool, but a good starter to HSS tooling,

i would like to thank every one for their input

Hi Lee

I think the tangential tool is really good - note you only need one holder and the bit it comes with will last for years. Just one point -  if you are buying one of these as a "starter" you don't need the QCTP straight away. You can adjust the centre height of the tangential by extending the tool in the holder so many turning and facing operations can be achieved by just this means and by adjusting the angle that the tool is presented to the work. It is possible, with an appropriately ground bit, to use it for external screw cutting ( although I've not tried that yet. ) For parting, boring etc. you will need something else! I have a QCTP and the tangential sits in one ( of about 15!) tool boats. That is the one that probably gets most use.

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 23/12/2012 16:24:09

Hi Guys,

Just renewing some ME interests.

I used to live in A-u-L (NE M/Cr) and was fairly inviolved with Rochdale MES

Now living in Dublin, Ireland (For 23 years)

So if any one from RMES is here I would love to hear from you

Edited By JasonB on 16/07/2014 07:16:29