Arthur Warner turning tools?

I have some and like them very much. Also grind my own tools. My lathe is a SB10K and most of my jobs are small.
 
I bought a couple sets while I was taking a machine tool operator course. I originally bought a set for threading, I have ground my own and threaded with carbide also. I have the sets for turning, but have not used them yet. I am waiting on a lathe so we will see how well they work.
 
To grind turning tools correctly is a very NECESSARY skill,and should be mastered as soon as possible when you get a lathe.

I suppose one of the prime things you need to do is develop the ability to look at a correctly ground tool,or a decent picture of one(from,say,a lathe manual). Learn to look carefully at it and imitate the angles when you grind the tool.

You need to have SOME mechanical leanings. Like,grasp that the cutting tool needs a clearance angle on its front,or leading edge or it will not cut. period. I have seen otherwise competent craftsmen who did not understand this when they got a lathe,and simply could not figure out why their tool would not cut.

I saw an otherwise good gunsmith make a 3/4" tap for threading flintlock breech plugs,and leave no clearance angle. He could not understand why the tap would not cut. I ground a clearance angle on each flute,and it cut quite well. The tap was very well made but for the lacking clearance angle.

I saw some blacksmiths let their lathe tool get ground until the cutting edge was extremely obtuse. Then,they thought the lathe I had gotten for them was no good. These were very long term craftsmen. I explained that they would not expect their pocket knives to cut with such a blunt cutting edge. The tool worked perfectly well after I re ground it properly. The lathe I had gotten them was a Hardinge,too!!

So,learn to LOOK AT the sample carefully and imitate it at least.
 
Pat, I own the AR Warner turning tool set and one of their boring bars so I am very familiar with their quality and performance. They are good tools and the inserts are easily sharpened so this may reduce costs over expensive carbide inserts. I have also used these ARW tools with carbide inserts in them and they perform as you would expect such a tool to perform. If you're looking to contain costs while having the option of switching to a carbide insert at need then the AR Warner turning tools are a very attractive option in my opinion. Your 1340 will handle either type of insert easily.

With that said, I rarely use these turning tools because my in-shop tests show that a well-ground HSS tool with a tip geometry suited to the job will easily outperform a flat-topped insert. They can also last a lifetime if cared for so they are cheaper.

So, I'm with George and the others who advise you to spend the money on a good grinder and learn to grind your own tools. It is a skill well worth learning.

If you choose or prefer NOT to grind your own then the AR Warner tools are a good choice.
 
I have two sets, one is for carbide and the other HSS. They work really well. I also have been grinding my own HSS. This is something I thought I'd never would be able to do, but have found out it is not that hard, and find it very fulfilling.
 
How good or bad are Warner HSS inserts at breaking chips when turning aluminum stock, mostly 6061-T6? Any different from grind-your-own tools?

Tom
 
I purchased a set of 5 turning tools in 1/2 inch - these are great - especially the 60 degree point for single point threading - one good thing is that when these inserts dull, you can just turn them - they have 3 sides - after that, only one side needs to be honed. Place the flat side bevel up and hone - returns cutter to near new condition -
I was not having much luck grinding tool bits and wanted to turn chips right away - now, after practice, I do Grind HSS bits, but these indexable inserts are HSS and not carbide so they can be used on a small to medium machine where carbide requires too much umph to sluff off instead of cut.
 
higgite said:
How good or bad are Warner HSS inserts at breaking chips when turning aluminum stock, mostly 6061-T6? Any different from grind-your-own tools?
Click to expand...

Tom, these are flat-topped inserts with no chipbreaker so they cut just like any other flat-topped insert, meaning they will put out a looong stringy chip if you feed to slow or cut too shallow. Get the feed, depth of cut and speed right and it works just fine in aluminum. Finishes nicely, too. They still won't cut nearly as well as a HSS tool ground for aluminum that has a lot of side rake and decent back rake. In addition, cutting forces will be higher with the ARW inserts compared to a good ground tool, something to keep in mind if you have a small lathe. HOWEVER, if you don't grind your own tools then these HSS inserts are a decent option.
 
Thanks for the input gents.
As several folks have said I will be learning to grind my tools but wanted a set that I could use now. I have ordered and received the #7 kit, 3/8" right hand turning and 3/8" boring bar. I'm hoping to mount them today and do a bit of turning.
Thanks again.
 
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