15mm and 7/16" diameter HSS tool steel bar

Struggling to find these non-standard diameters of HSS round bar for boring. 15mm is for a Narex boring head. 7/16" is for an Elliott "B" boring head. I could find smaller standards and make appropriate holding bushes but would like to exhaust sourcing possibilities first. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I don't have a toolpost grinder to reduce oversize standard diameters

Edited By Adam Harris on 09/03/2019 16:53:26

MSC Direct list 7/16" dia HSS and 15mm carbide

Even if you could find 15mm it's a lot of grinding to shape a cutting end, why not make some holders to take smaller 1/4" or 6mm bits something like this.

Edited By JasonB on 09/03/2019 17:03:17

Try groundflatstock.com

Jim

I've just had a look and they list both sizes. I use them for my silver steel now.

Jim

Jimmy is that HSS ?

Thanks but cannot find these on MSC and frankly rarely can find what I want on MSC and if I can, normally the prices are way beyond my reach. Their special offers are sometimes good, but searching without a part number is a complete waste of time imho!

Edited By Adam Harris on 09/03/2019 17:30:00

Thanks Jim, that looks a great site! Do they do HSS tool steel?

Jason, where is the best place to buy 1/4" diameter HSS tool steel for such bits?

Try searching for HSS Drill Blanks. Both sizes (the 7/16" is listed as 11.113mm) in the drop down list here:-

**LINK**

Edited By Nick Hughes on 09/03/2019 17:57:43

Adam, look on page 376 of the virtual catalogue, I have the paper one and find it a lot easier to thumb through that. part number is TBR-10007B

I usually pick up an odd bit at the ME shows or tack it onto an order for other things from one of the usual suspects _ Tracey, ARC etc, like with most things you pays more for better HSS

Thanks very much Jason.

Nick that Knighton Tools drill blanks is a very useful site indeed. £28.66 for the 15mm diameter does seem a bit high (!) but if it is the only source.....Jason's source for the 7/16" HSS round bar at MSC is £12.45 for 5 1/2" length but they don't do the 15mm diameter.

I misread!

I buy drill blanks from MSC when I need HSS blanks

Jim

Edited By jimmy b on 09/03/2019 18:45:27

MSC don't do 15mm

Are you sure it's a 15mm hole that you have? I've just looked through a narex catalogue and the smaller heads tend to be 16mm

Drill Service do 7/16" and 15mm drill blanks in both HSS and carbide; although you should sit down before looking at the price of the 15mm carbide blank.

However, I'm with Jason, I can't see that HSS blanks are going to be that useful. There's one whole heap of grinding needed to get a usable tool. As suggested make a steel boring bar with a small HSS insert in the end.

Andrew

Alternatively, save up your knackered carbide tips, machine a bit of ordinary steel bar to fit the head at one end and take a tip at the other and silver solder it on = free carbide tipped bar! Just need a green grit wheel to tickle it up ready to use. All my bars are home made with either HSS round or even old milling cutters and centre drills or repurposed carbide tips. Works fine for me so not about to be spending £'s on bought ones! (Yup, I'm tight!).

Paul.

Hi Jason, yes my Narex is a VHU 32 which I think is the smallest they made and discontinued some time ago. It is a lovely piece of kit for a smallish milling machine - smaller than the Wohlhaupter UPA3 and just a tiny bit smaller than the VHU 36 which is their current smallest model. The VHU 32 does take 15mm bars, whereas the VHU 36 takes 16mm