# WHAT TOOL TO USE?????



## riversidedan (Mar 19, 2021)

Been working mostly indexable insert tools turning round 6016 alum  stock that have been going fairly well but need help figuring out what tools
are used for and  what purpose, check the picture out and get back to me.....


I marked on the tool  and tried to follow the  sellers  sequence like 1 thru 8 but might have been wrong, anyway would like to know what they all do........  thanx


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 19, 2021)

if you can expose the tips of each tool ,identification would be simpler


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## dirty tools (Mar 19, 2021)

Standard turning bits in a fancy box


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## riversidedan (Mar 19, 2021)

Ulma Doctor said:


> if you can expose the tips of each tool ,identification would be simpler


dont care about the box, but  is a nice little case........ tool ID is more important  here ya go


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## Ulma Doctor (Mar 19, 2021)

Disclamer....
i would tend to use these tools as listed, 
they are by no means the only these tools can be used.


Picture 1, starting from the left most tool- We'll call #1 (of 8)
#1 Facing Tool, can make cuts to tailstock- light external chamfering
2  Appears to be a threading tool turned on its side
3 internal boring tool
4 General purpose with chip breaker, cuts towards headstock
5 Facing tool, can make cuts to tailstock
6 Facing tool, can make cuts to tailstock, light external chamfer
7 Parting Tool for small diameter stock
8 (may be ground as a Threading tool) light internal chamfer- unclear as to the profile- sorry


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## mikey (Mar 19, 2021)

I agree with Doc, except:
1. I think this is a right hand turning tool.
4. RH facing tool
5. LH facing tool
6. Looks like a duplicate of #1?
8. Threading with inadequate relief angles

We saw someone with similar tools recently but I don't remember who it was (my apologies). Just know that there are other ways to grind HSS tools that may be just as, if not more, effective.


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## DavidR8 (Mar 19, 2021)

I was given a set just like that and I haven’t found them to be terribly useful.
I get much better results from my shop ground tools.


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## erikmannie (Mar 20, 2021)

I have about 4 of those sets in various sizes. I have only used them on steel, and they are OK, but they dull rather quickly. I find them to be serviceable, but I find myself going over to the grinder a lot to sharpen them up.

I often use the grooving tool as a parting tool, and it works *extremely* well! I wish they sold the grooving tool by itself. Those are definitely worth buying.

As others have said, the very last picture that the OP posted shows L to R:
unknown to me (?) (I have never found a use for this one),
RH (turn),
LH (face),
chamfer,
groove/part,
thread.

That chamfer tool was the only tool that I had (and I have quite a few) that worked for a certain chamfer that I was doing. I remember what it was: after threading between centers, and I was putting a chamfer on either side of the thread relief (aka safety groove).

You have to give the manufacturer credit for moving the threading tool a little more toward the headstock than many other similar threading tools. Also, it is kind of neat how the RH (facing) tool reaches out away from the tool holder.


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## riversidedan (Mar 20, 2021)

appreciate your efforts  gentleman......got lots to learn!


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## erikmannie (Mar 20, 2021)

riversidedan said:


> appreciate your efforts  gentleman......got lots to learn!



I like those preground tool bits because when they do need sharpening (which is quite often!), you can see what the geometry is supposed to be.

You will be well set up for success if you use that grooving tool for parting.

It is a little depressing, however, to have the LH and RH facing and turning tools become dull so quickly.


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## riversidedan (Mar 20, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> I like those preground tool bits because when they do need sharpening (which is quite often!), you can see what the geometry is supposed to be.
> 
> You will be well set up for success if you use that grooving tool for parting.


exactly!  thats part of the reason I bought them>>>>>>>>>groove tool for parting?? glad you said something.  meanwhile still  waiting on the 1/4 HSS set and will be interesting to see what gives.....


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## erikmannie (Mar 20, 2021)

riversidedan said:


> exactly!  thats part of the reason I bought them>>>>>>>>>groove tool for parting?? glad you said something.  meanwhile still  waiting on the 1/4 HSS set and will be interesting to see what gives.....



I have used that grooving/parting tool bit for some grooving & a LOT of parting. Enough to where I have had to sharpen it a few times. After I sharpened it, it is not quite as much of a hero. The factory cut is sweet! So sharp.

The factory cuts on the RH & LH bits are crazy sharp! You can shave off just a wee bit of your workpiece if you wanted. Terrible for roughing, however.

I felt like they could have added some more cobalt (or whatever makes it hard) to their HSS recipe, however. They seem to be to be just a little on the soft side.


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## riversidedan (Mar 20, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> I have used that grooving/parting tool bit for some grooving & a LOT of parting. Enough to where I have had to sharpen it a few times. After I sharpened it, it is not quite as much of a hero. The factory cut is sweet! So sharp.
> 
> The factory cuts on the RH & LH bits are crazy sharp! You can shave off just a wee bit of your workpiece if you wanted. Terrible for roughing, however.


heres a stupid question>>>>>>>>>on some of those I cant tell up from down, how can you tell??


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## erikmannie (Mar 20, 2021)

riversidedan said:


> heres a stupid question>>>>>>>>>on some of those I cant tell up from down, how can you tell??



I will go take a picture of a bunch of mine with the top side up. Your machining will go a lot more smoothly if you orient them correctly.


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## erikmannie (Mar 20, 2021)

In all of my photos, I have the top side up.


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## mikey (Mar 20, 2021)

Really helpful to him, Erik!


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## riversidedan (Mar 20, 2021)

thanx for your time, hopefully itll help get me goin on the right path but might have some questions


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## graham-xrf (Mar 20, 2021)

@erikmannie
Erik - your QCTP kit looks all brand new smart!
and..
Is that a custom aluminum toolholder rack?
(Apologies - I was getting off topic while thinking "Damn! Gotta get me one of those"! )


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> In all of my photos, I have the top side up.
> 
> View attachment 359807
> 
> ...


sir, I know I said the pix looked good but on 2nd thought and more exam, can you plez I.D. the 9 tools in the 1st picture  , then Id really in good shape cuzz I can then lay mine out in the same order and know what they are.


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## erikmannie (Mar 21, 2021)

In the picture below, from L to R:

(1) RH turning tool: use for turning toward the headstock (medium size)

(2) Internal threading (medium size)

(3) Internal threading (small size)

(4) Chamfer tool

(5) Part/Groove

(6) Unknown to me (?). I have used it to chamfer, but I don’t know what they mean this to be used for (small size)

(7) Same answer as (6) above (medium size)

(8) RH turning tool. Use for turning toward the headstock (small size)

(9) Internal threading (small size)

(10) LH facing tool. Use for facing.




Note that sometimes people use the above tools outside of the above designations. I’m sure I’m not the only person who uses their threading tool to put on a chamfer now and then.

Another example of this would be that if you were turning away from the headstock, you would use tool (10) above.


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

just read the 1st post and can now understand but will send another pic of mine just to make sure, thanx again


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

heres what I got from your recent pictures and info, the last 4 am unsure of

1 is for parting etc.
2 is RH turning
3 internal threading
4 LH turning
the next bottom 4 am unsure of


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## erikmannie (Mar 21, 2021)

The ones under the “?” are (top to bottom):

Chamfer

External threading

External threading

Also:

I’m very glad to see that you have them all oriented correctly.

I do consider “LH Turning Tool” and “Facing Tool” to be synonymous. Along these lines, it is very rare when I need to turn away from the headstock (LH turning). It is even more rare when I need to face radially outward. 

Very nearly 100% of the time, I face from the outside in; if the cutting tool is not centered perfectly, this results in a nub. If the nub has perfectly straight sides, your tool is too low. If the nub has a rounded profile, your tool is set too high.


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> The ones under the “?” are (top to bottom):
> 
> Chamfer
> 
> ...


wonderful!  am assuming thier all on the top side, correct?


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## erikmannie (Mar 21, 2021)

riversidedan said:


> wonderful!  am assuming thier all on the top side, correct?



Yes. You have them marked correctly. It looks like the factory put the etching on the top of the tool.


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> Yes. You have them marked correctly. It looks like the factory put the etching on the top of the tool.


thiers actually etching on 2 sides " top and bottom " and the one on top that sez " form 7 etc.
is that spose to mean something??

just noticed each tool is numbered   1 -8


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## riversidedan (Mar 21, 2021)

erikmannie said:


> The ones under the “?” are (top to bottom):
> 
> Chamfer
> 
> ...


yes sir, I learned that center tool thing in the beginning


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## markba633csi (Mar 23, 2021)

I think the third one down from the top (9) in post #22 is actually an internal boring tool- doesn't look like the right shape for threading
The first one of the ? tools sure resembles an external threading tool.  The 3 below that could be used for cutting pulley sheaves- I have made some like that when I needed to make a small pulley
-Mark


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