HSS Lathe Tool Set

[oskar]

I’m learning to make my own cutting tools for my Taig lathe and I bought a few HSS blanks 1/4" SQ x 2.5” long from KBC Tools in Toronto. I used a mild steel 1/4" SQ bar to practice the angles for a Face / Turning tool and I’m happy with the results (I follow a thread shown the process in details)

However my problem as a beginner is how to know which tool is required for a certain cut and what the angles / shapes are for each tool. The thread I follow is only for a face / Turning tool.

Is there somewhere a guide showing the tool required for certain cuts including picture of the tool?

Thanks

 

[kd4gij]

This might help

 

[Jimsehr]

90 percent of the time the first two shown will do the job. Plus you will nead a boring bar.

 

[oskar]

The Tool Bit Style Cross Reference Guide you posted kd4gij is beautiful but difficult to read. If you can post a link where you got it or a better picture would be wonderful

Thanks

 

[francist]

There's quite a few illustrations out there, here's another one that is kind of useful for matching various shapes with the tools. As mentioned already though, you don't necessarily need all the shapes right off the bat. A few of the basic ones to get you started and then grind more as you need them.
Google search for "lathe tool shapes" will get you lots of illustrations.



-frank

 

[oskar]

Thanks Frank for your time, I got the picture you posted and is quite useful to understand. As mentioned in post #3 only 2 tools are enough for the majority of operations but for a beginner it helps to know what other toll shapes are available and the picture in post #2 provides that information

 

[JPMacG]

What tool shape would be used to turn the flat bottom surface of a large diameter blind hole - a hole of say several inches in diameter? Think of making a metal coffee cup. What tool would be used to cut the inside bottom flat?

 

[francist]

This is one I have used successfully. It's primarily a boring bar, but with the defined nose radius and a less than ninety degree shape, it can cut cleanly along the bottom of the bore.

I remove the bulk of the material in the conventional manner (from the sides of the bore in Z), then lightly skin the bottom to remove any "steps" from the first operation. With light cuts it works well, and it can clean up right to the centre. In the case of a coffee cup, I think getting in that deep without chattering would be a bigger challenge than actual tool profile though.

-frank

 

[Mitch Alsup]

I’m learning to make my own cutting tools for my Taig lathe <snip>

However my problem as a beginner is how to know which tool is required for a certain cut and what the angles / shapes are for each tool. The thread I follow is only for a face / Turning tool.

I used a single 90º carbide tool (1 tool) for about 10 years on my Taig (#D neutral from the above picture).
I just rotated the tool holder around until the tool point and face were at appropriate angles, and went to town.

 

[mikey]

Any positive rake boring bar will do the job properly. The ever popular SCLCR bars are an example:

Positive lead bars have clearance angles at the tip that allow clean cuts at the bottom of the bore.