Tools

I have recently fallen in with a Colchester Master Lathe & I would like to buy some tools for it, when I go online there is a choice of 6mm, 10mm, 12mm, etc.

What would be the ideal size for this lathe.

Also, any advice where & what to buy? As I got the lathe for nothing, I wouldn't mind spending a bit if money on the tooling. (I don't intend on using the cooling fluid)

Hello Innes and welcome. Personally I would go for the 12mm (or 1/2" inch) but buy the ones you need rather than a set.

I don't know where you are but I've had good service by mailorder from ArcEuro in Leicester.

As to the type of tool i.e. carbide, HSS or insert well that depends on what materials you will be cutting but ArcEuro will advise.

Don't dismiss cooling fluid, especially if the lathe has a coolant pump. Coolant can provide a better finish and extend tool life but make sure that you get something that will not cause rust on the lathe.

Brian

I suggest you buy a diamond toolholder from Eccentric Engineering (see link on this forum) for HSS; and some TCT insert tools from JB Cutting Tools. Don't buy brazed tip TCT tools.

Innes

The ideal size is 16mm to 19mm they will fit your toolholder best with less shimming required

+1, I find the tangential ( 'diamond tool holder' ) is the most used tool in my arsenal, followed by a couple of TCT insert tools, plus an insert TCT parting off tool, although I have others, HSS etc. I have a couple of brazed tip carbide tipped tools that I use for CI as you'll find that there often will be some castings that will have chilled spots & you need to get under the skin, hence the brazed tip tools.

George.

If you have to ask then clearly you have a lot to learn so it's great that you came here rather than waste money and ask afterwards.

First never buy 'sets'. They are all the shapes nobody wants. Next don't buy Chinese tipped tools in sets or singly as they are tipped with reject cheese. Next don't buy 'gimmick' or branded special tools or 'this will solve all your problems' tools etc until you know what you are doing in about 3 years.

Don't buy 'inserts', or insert tool holders or 'this is wonderful' tool holders.

Don't buy big fat half inch or larger tools just because they will fit in the toolholder. It just means you have a load more expense and have to grind most of it to dust to get the shape right.

Don't be worried about fitting shims to get the height it is utterly trivial and only takes seconds. You don' tneed a quick change tool post to set the height. On a lathe this size you don't need to set the height to better than by eye on centre height.

So what do you get? Look on ebay for a collection of a few bits of used HSS coming in about £1 each including postage. You do not need special brands of HSS or cobolt or blah blah magic metal.
Get a grinder like this

Join you local club. Local being within 40 miles it is still worth the trip once a month.

As Ian says, the master will work very well with 16mm to 20mm tools. There's no benefit in throwing away the rigidity of the lathe to floppy tools.

CCMT or (better) CNMG 12040X inserts and their tool holders will work well with the capabilities of the machine.

Edited By Mark Rand on 23/02/2018 00:58:26

I have to agree on the Eccentric Engineering Diamond Tool Holder. I was a novice when I bought my lathe a few years back and the Diamond was a life saver. Not cheap but well worth the money. I later bought TCT tipped tools for cast iron etc. Good luck!

Edited By Nick Thorpe on 23/02/2018 07:23:08

You will be able to do most work with 1/4"/6 mm square HSS tooling in a tool holder. The first thing I did when I got my lathe, a TY 1324 BH from Taiwan, it's quite big, uses 8" chucks, was to buy a LH, RH, and straight 1/4" tool holders, and some bits of 1/4" HSS tool steel, since then I have aquired a number of bits of HSS in 3/8" 1/2" 5/8", along with tungsen carbide tipped tools both brazed on and indexable.

The smaller tool is less clumsy than the larger sizes, and easier/quicker to grind to shape, and keep in shape.

Ian S C

Why use toy lathe tools on a 3hp machine?

I agree a master will quite happily accommodate a 1" shank tool no problem, this isn't a small lathe we're talking about here. I've used both the long and short bed versions of this lathe.

I'd go with 16mm tipped tools as you'll be able to find a lot of these. 

If you're not going to use coolant keep an oil can handy for lubrication on steels. 

PS: you lucky git for managing to convince the powers that be to accommodate this! 

Michael W

Edited By Michael-w on 23/02/2018 23:04:01

Why do you think the Armstrong tool holder was invented?

You might have 3hp, but for most jobs in the modler's workshop 1/4 of that will do, when you get to the bigger stuff, use a bigger tool and take a bigger bite, with a 16 mm tool maybe 1/2" DOC, or more.

Ian S C