Models for grinding HSS Lathe Tools

When I was first looking into getting a lathe, I looked into grinding HSS. I read lots of stuff, watched videos, but it never "clicked". Your directions and the models made it come together enough to feel confident making tools and keeping them going. I did my first repairs on some tools and they went great. I wound up liking it enough to build a belt grinder and mostly use my HSS tools now.

Getting into details of cutting geometry is much more complex than I expected, but I think I'm understanding it reasonably well so far. I find with these sorts of things I need to read, let it simmer a while, read again, try something, then start better understanding.

On that line, I think it would help me to see things. Would you be willing to try giving angles to demonstrate better some of the concepts? Then I can make a tool, and see it be better or worse. Perhaps with a common material we hobby users all have like 6061 aluminum or 12L14.
 
ttabbal said:
Would you be willing to try giving angles to demonstrate better some of the concepts? Then I can make a tool, and see it be better or worse. Perhaps with a common material we hobby users all have like 6061 aluminum or 12L14.
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It's coming, Sir. I gave you the angles for my aluminum tool and the square tool is the best mild steel cutter I have been able to make. I will give you the angles for a very good 303/304 SS cutter in my upcoming Mods post. I will tell you what to change and why you want to change it, and I'll tell you how much to change it and how to assess it.

After I deliver the article and you guys have a few days to think it over, I was going to propose we all design a tool together, on line. We would pick a material group, sort out the characteristics of the material that need to be dealt with and then design a tool to work with that material. It would help you guys to understand the thought process and solidify the concepts. It really isn't hard to do; what is hard is to say it in words.

I swear that if I could get you guys in my grubby little hands for one hour, I could teach you all I know about this tool grinding stuff.
 
mikey said:
I swear that if I could get you guys in my grubby little hands for one hour, I could teach you all I know about this tool grinding stuff.
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Mikey, I think we need at least 2 hrs,,,,,,,
 
Whew! It took a few sessions, and quite a few re-readings, but I finally made it through this. What a fantastic thread!

I got my belt grinder cleaned up and a selection of ceramic belts. My grinder does not have a platen, so I need to remedy that. When clicking on a link from this thread I came across graphite canvas as a platen surface. This would not have the static issue of pyroceram, but presumably gives a bit, so could lead to slight curvature of the tool face?

Here's a pic of the belt grinder I received from a very generous hobby machinist:
IMG_1070[1].JPG
 
Evan, to grind tools you must have a flat platen. I know Pyroceram will stay flat for many years so that is what I use. I have no experience with a graphite coated canvas thing but the forum guys say it give in use. I would use glass instead but it is just one opinion.
 
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The local metal supply has added a bunch of machines making a corner into a sort of showroom for tools. Mostly Jet brand, I saw this 2x42 belt / 8" disc grinder. It is a bit pricey but if it would be good for grinding bits I could start watching for a second hand one, finding a used one can't be any more of a long shot than finding the old Craftsman like you have.

http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/j-41002-2-x-42-bench-belt-disc-sander/577004
 
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