- Joined
- Dec 20, 2012
- Messages
- 9,422
Thanks for the kind words, guys. If you look at the pics in this thread and imagine my hands going left to right repeatedly, that is essentially how I grind a tool. Not a whole lot to the grinding thing. Page 4 of this thread will show you how to get the shapes you need for the three model tools discussed here, and you can PM @Z2V to get on the list to see and handle the model tools.
I do agree that a video would be nice to do one day, although as I said, it would just be me going back and forth.
As to the thought process behind the tool angles, that has been covered in this thread. Somewhere in this thread are some pdf files of all the stuff I've written on HSS tool geometry, too. I offered to do a group brainstorm thing where we would go through the thought process for grinding a tool for a specific material but it never took off; I figured the guys just weren't interested in it.
Guns, if you read this thread (yeah, I know its a monster), most of what is in my head is also in here. What is not here is how I think. That tool you referred to was something @Ulma Doctor and I brainstormed together to see if we could come up with a tool for his shaper. That was fun and it seems to work pretty okay but the thinking part is something we did in a PM. We can share that if the Doc chooses to do so.
Oh, and just to be clear, I'm no genius. All I did was not buy into the belief that the standard tool angles found in a tool table were gospel. Then I took the time to grind hundreds of test tools to see what worked and what didn't work. To be very honest, much of the motivation for learning this tool grinding stuff was so that I could make my live center. I needed to grind a tool that could reliably take a tenth of material off of 1144 steel and with control to make the arbor for that live center. You see, it isn't hard to rough stuff. Inserts and brazed carbide or even any old HSS tool can rough, but not every tool can take a micro cut with control. That takes an understanding of tool geometry so that is what I set out to do and it worked out pretty well.
Paul Thede, the owner of Race Tech Suspensions once said, "The best you've ridden is the best you know." If all you've ever used are inserted carbide tools then its natural to think that those tools are all you'll ever need. Little do you know that there is a whole lot more to precision turning than those tools will allow. I own carbide tools, too, but I don't use them often because HSS works better for me in most cases. The thing is, I have the option of choosing which tool to use; many do not.
I encourage you to give tool grinding a try. It isn't for everyone but if you own a smallish lathe or if you need to turn with great precision from time to time then it is a skill well worth learning. If I can help, I am here.
I do agree that a video would be nice to do one day, although as I said, it would just be me going back and forth.
As to the thought process behind the tool angles, that has been covered in this thread. Somewhere in this thread are some pdf files of all the stuff I've written on HSS tool geometry, too. I offered to do a group brainstorm thing where we would go through the thought process for grinding a tool for a specific material but it never took off; I figured the guys just weren't interested in it.
Guns, if you read this thread (yeah, I know its a monster), most of what is in my head is also in here. What is not here is how I think. That tool you referred to was something @Ulma Doctor and I brainstormed together to see if we could come up with a tool for his shaper. That was fun and it seems to work pretty okay but the thinking part is something we did in a PM. We can share that if the Doc chooses to do so.
Oh, and just to be clear, I'm no genius. All I did was not buy into the belief that the standard tool angles found in a tool table were gospel. Then I took the time to grind hundreds of test tools to see what worked and what didn't work. To be very honest, much of the motivation for learning this tool grinding stuff was so that I could make my live center. I needed to grind a tool that could reliably take a tenth of material off of 1144 steel and with control to make the arbor for that live center. You see, it isn't hard to rough stuff. Inserts and brazed carbide or even any old HSS tool can rough, but not every tool can take a micro cut with control. That takes an understanding of tool geometry so that is what I set out to do and it worked out pretty well.
Paul Thede, the owner of Race Tech Suspensions once said, "The best you've ridden is the best you know." If all you've ever used are inserted carbide tools then its natural to think that those tools are all you'll ever need. Little do you know that there is a whole lot more to precision turning than those tools will allow. I own carbide tools, too, but I don't use them often because HSS works better for me in most cases. The thing is, I have the option of choosing which tool to use; many do not.
I encourage you to give tool grinding a try. It isn't for everyone but if you own a smallish lathe or if you need to turn with great precision from time to time then it is a skill well worth learning. If I can help, I am here.
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