HSS Tooling For The Lathe -Apples and Oranges

[rabler]

I bought the 8" diamond lapping plates in 80, 120, 360, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1500 and 2000 grit.
I have the ability to move material or bring to a mirror finish.

Finest I have right now is the 1500. Do you have any experience comparing the 1500 to 2000 for HSS? (Should I rush out and buy a 2000?) I would think it may be more important for carbide.

Have you compared Shars M42 to U.S. made M42? I'm wondering how much is M42 (which I would guess is significant) and how much is U.S vs import (discount) quality?

 

[C-Bag]

two different runs at the stuff.

 

[Janderso]

Finest I have right now is the 1500. Do you have any experience comparing the 1500 to 2000 for HSS? (Should I rush out and buy a 2000?) I would think it may be more important for carbide.

Have you compared Shars M42 to U.S. made M42? I'm wondering how much is M42 (which I would guess is significant) and how much is U.S vs import (discount) quality?

1500 is pretty darn fine. I bought the 2000 just because I could

 

[woodchucker]

I just saw rabler's post on his diamond lapper, nice.
Is it worth building the lapper? I have been intriguiged with it since I saw Stefan's a couple of years ago.

 

[rabler]

Is it worth building the lapper?

My 2 cents worth: Depends on how good you are with honing by hand. I have trouble keeping my edges perfectly flat when hand honing. Much easier when a machine generates the motion and I can just focus on holding the cutter at the right angle/orientation. My HSS parting has improved significantly.

 

[benmychree]

I have never been impressed with the need for extremely fine finishes on most cutting tools, a lick and a promise is good enough.

 

[C-Bag]

Besides getting my tool grinders properly set up and wheels balanced, I’ve learned the most about technique from my cheap stereo microscope. It doesn’t care how nice it looks only how the edge turned out.

 

[Tipton1965]

I have never been impressed with the need for extremely fine finishes on most cutting tools, a lick and a promise is good enough.

I worked with a fellow machinist that would pull the nastiest looking HSS tool bits out of his tool box and do beautiful work with them. They really don't have to look good as long as the geometry is correct for the task at hand. Since I don't have a foreman looking over my shoulder at my home shop, I take the time to try and make them look good.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I use mostly use carbide but with a bit of practice could still grind a tool.
At an online auction last summer there were 5 boxes of 4 ea new old stock hss bits up for grabs.
Big ones - 3/4 x 6 and 1 x 6. I thought no one would bid much on those old things and figured they would work for poor man's parallels. I bid $7. Then $15 then got out at $20.
They went for I think $60 a box.
I wonder who is still using that big of stuff and what they're using them for.

 

[woodchucker]

I use mostly use carbide but with a bit of practice could still grind a tool.
At an online auction last summer there were 5 boxes of 4 ea new old stock hss bits up for grabs.
Big ones - 3/4 x 6 and 1 x 6. I thought no one would bid much on those old things and figured they would work for poor man's parallels. I bid $7. Then $15 then got out at $20.
They went for I think $60 a box.
I wonder who is still using that big of stuff and what they're using them for.

form tooling