WTB HSS Blanks - 1/2", mostly

[G-ManBart]

The Traditional Tools Group (Inc.) -- Document View

This page is about working with traditional tools.

www.tttg.org.au

This link is to the best information source on tool steel that I have ever come across, and I am a fanatical reader. I refer to it often. It will help you identify what you're looking at and what it is good for. There are certain alloys and brands of tool blank that are seriously holy grail finds that get mixed in with random lots, and are either expensive or unattainable when they are identified by the seller. One more tool for your toolbox on your journey to learning the most versatile and cost-effective way to tool your lathe.

That's a great reference! I have boxes of HSS that I've accumulated as I've bought lathes and knew some were more desirable than others, but didn't know there was a place I could find info like this. I don't use much HSS often, but it's come in handy many times so I like having a nice stash.

 

[m1kemex]

Since you got me thinking, I jumped over to ebay and snagged 8 pieces of 1/2" Tantung G, NOS for $8/each. That's a steal for some of the hardest working tool bits out there, it machines like carbide but without chipping on interrupted cuts or peeling off grotty corrosion layers on your stock. So yep, it's still out there!

I have a bunch of stellite bits. They sure work better than HSS, but it's not a day and night difference like with carbide. In the end, hardness is mostly in the same range.

A word of warning: being a cobalt base alloy, it's imperative that you wear a face mask and vacuum out any residue when you grind it. Any particle that enters your lungs may turn into Cobalt-60 isotope (radioactive) next time you take an x-ray and significantly raise your chance of getting lung cancer.

 

[woodchucker]

@m1kemex I knew it was dangerous, but not how or why.
Thanks for the info. I have a bunch of stellite too.

 

[Pevehouse]

I love ground HSS, it's my number one choice for 95% of my lathe work. I take a lot of pride in the art form of grinding, and it is rewarding to run a tool that sings as smooth as a string concerto. I went through a brief period where I set ebay search alerts for blanks and "machinist lots" or estate lots until I had 50 lbs or so of excellent blanks, with lots of premium stuff along with the name brand general purpose tungsten/moly stuff. It's nice to have a variety to suit the work. Anyway, In the end, I was averaging about $3 per blank and passed on lots that were above that. So that's my secret, and I'm stocked up so I don't mind sharing... not worried about competing with y'all for auction lots anymore!

The Traditional Tools Group (Inc.) -- Document View

This page is about working with traditional tools.

www.tttg.org.au

This link is to the best information source on tool steel that I have ever come across, and I am a fanatical reader. I refer to it often. It will help you identify what you're looking at and what it is good for. There are certain alloys and brands of tool blank that are seriously holy grail finds that get mixed in with random lots, and are either expensive or unattainable when they are identified by the seller. One more tool for your toolbox on your journey to learning the most versatile and cost-effective way to tool your lathe.

That’s a great article you posted up there. Tons of useful information. Thanks

 

[pontiac428]

I have a bunch of stellite bits. They sure work better than HSS, but it's not a day and night difference like with carbide. In the end, hardness is mostly in the same range.

A word of warning: being a cobalt base alloy, it's imperative that you wear a face mask and vacuum out any residue when you grind it. Any particle that enters your lungs may turn into Cobalt-60 isotope (radioactive) next time you take an x-ray and significantly raise your chance of getting lung cancer.

You're right about the stellites, they are an improvement and not quite cemented carbide, they trade off some hardness for toughness. As for cobalt, it only goes from Co-59 to Co-60 under heavy neutron radiation like in s nuclear blast or reactor. Not an X-ray, wrong type of activation beam. Co-60 decays to nickel by releasing two, megavolt-level gamma photons, a beta, and an antineutrino. Very potent stuff. Ground state cobalt is a 2B suspect carcinogen and while not particularly potent should be treated with respect when welding. Grinding dust is fallout particles and too coarse for inhalation unless you go Tony Montana on it.

 

[G-ManBart]

Co-60 decays to nickel by releasing two, megavolt-level gamma photons, a beta, and an antineutrino. Very potent stuff.

<shouting> Nerd alert!

 

[Gnpenning]

You're right about the stellites, they are an improvement and not quite cemented carbide, they trade off some hardness for toughness. As for cobalt, it only goes from Co-59 to Co-60 under heavy neutron radiation like in s nuclear blast or reactor. Not an X-ray, wrong type of activation beam. Co-60 decays to nickel by releasing two, megavolt-level gamma photons, a beta, and an antineutrino. Very potent stuff. Ground state cobalt is a 2B suspect carcinogen and while not particularly potent should be treated with respect when welding. Grinding dust is fallout particles and too coarse for inhalation unless you go Tony Montana on it.

Tony Montana??? A little help here.

 

[mmcmdl]

Tony Montana??? A little help here.

Scarface

 

[GeneT45]

Tony Montana??? A little help here.

You're in Montana and you don't know Tony?!

TM was the main character in the movie Scarface. Toward the end he sticks his face in a pile of cocaine and starts snorting, which is the reference.

GsT

 

[Gnpenning]

You're in Montana and you don't know Tony?!

TM was the main character in the movie Scarface. Toward the end he sticks his face in a pile of cocaine and starts snorting, which is the reference.

GsT

Thank you guys for the reference. Totally understandable now. I'm not a movie goer or have any type of paid TV. Haven't been to a theater in over 25 years? Don't like it that much. Waaaaay to many fun things and beautiful places local. When you live in a place that people want to go see, you need to get out and enjoy it as well.