Tool holder size question.

[mmcmdl]

Even the industrial machines at work(hardinge super precsion) it made a difference.

Not that I would ever call an HLV-H and industrial machine ( more of a model shop precision lathe ) , the tool overhang would be the least of my worries . Cross slide , compound slop would concern me more .

 

[mikey]

That's the guidance I was looking for. It is interesting that you say to stick with HSS......currently frustrated with the learning curve to grind my own. I was hoping to use carbide bits for simplicity and hopefully a good consistent finish as well. 3/8 sounds like the way to go for my needs.

You can certainly use inserted carbide on your lathe. For an excellent guide, buy David Best's book on the subject; it is the best guide on the subject anywhere, for any price, and I would buy that book before buying any inserted carbide tooling. It will teach you, help you to choose the best tooling for your lathe and it will help you avoid costly mistakes. Even if you don't use carbide, the book is well worth reading; if you do go with carbide then it is mandatory reading.

Now, with that said, carbide requires adequate speed, power and rigidity for optimal use. I don't own an Atlas 10F, nor have I seen on in the flesh, but I have seen enough written about them to have an idea that carbide may not be the best choice for you. Your lathe was made to be used with HSS tooling and that is what I would go with. The reasons are that HSS tools, when ground properly, will cut with far lower cutting forces, will rough deeper and finish more accurately and finer than carbide on this class of lathe. For example, if you were to attempt a 0.075" deep cut in mild steel with an insert on your lathe it would very likely chatter or stall; with a properly ground HSS tool you would likely be able to take a 0.100" deep cut in mild steel with no chatter at all. Then if you were to take a 0.0005" deep cut with that HSS tool, it would take it off accurately. To get that same 0.0005" off with carbide you would need to plan the cut well in advance and even then you might not make it.

In general, HSS tools are often the best choice for smaller, less rigid and less powerful lathes. They are simple to grind, cost is low and they can last for decades if cared for. You can also grind shapes that are all but impossible to find in carbide. HSS will not work well for very hard materials but for the vast majority of materials we work with in a hobby shop, HSS is often the wiser choice.

I get that grinding tools can be a challenge at first. I know this first hand and do sympathize with you. However, once you understand what you're doing and why you're doing it that way then tool grinding becomes a very simple matter. I wrote an article here that sort of illustrates what I mean. If you can grind three flat spots on the tip of a blank then you can grind a really good HSS tool. This thread will give you enough info on the subject to choke a horse.

There are a lot of guys on the forum that own and use both HSS and carbide on small lathes. I'm sure you'll get a lot of input on it if you ask.

 

[Firebrick43]

Not that I would ever call an HLV-H and industrial machine ( more of a model shop precision lathe ) , the tool overhang would be the least of my worries . Cross slide , compound slop would concern me more .

Model shop, LOL. Every thing needs sub 2" parts, and the hardinge(or a monarch 10EE) does it better than nearly anything out there. We have every thing from the two hardinge's to a 24" x 96" Leblond and the hardinge's get 90 percent of the use in the tool room. There are several 13" and 15" monarchs in between. And it's for a factory making 700-7000 hp diesel engines. Hardinge chuckers(pretty much the same lathe with different tooling) was the back bone of small parts runs at one pre cnc time period.

Yes, even with well adjusted gibs, the cross slide and compound are the issue. No qualms about that. Hense why if possible replacing the compound with a solid block can be very advantageous. By reducing over hang of the tool you are reducing cantlever forces on the compound and slide.

 

[mmcmdl]

24" x 96" Leblond

Model shop ! Had one in my garage .

I agree on the solid mount if needed o these smaller lathes if he needs to take large / deep cuts . If he doesn't the dovetail in the larger holders really won't make a difference .

 

[Nogoingback]

Have you considered a tangential hss tool holder such as the diamond tool holder from eccentric engineering? Even though I have enough ccmt/tpmt inserts for the rest of my life from an auction score, I rough with the tangential tool. The loads are low and super easy to grind with their little fixture they include. I am really good at grinding hss but I don't have the time to do so and hate the mess. With the tangential I can grind half a dozen in a few mins and my finger don't get burned because of the fixture.

+1 on the Diamond Tool Holder. Mine has become my go-to turning and facing tool for most of what I do. The initial cost is higher, but
they work well, and are dead simple to sharpen with the included fixture. I replaced the Chinesium tool bit with a quality, older American
piece of HSS which improved performance more than I would have imagined.

 

[wa5cab]

The AXA is optimized for3/8" tooling. I don't know about HSS blanks as I mostly use carbide but 1/2" carbide usually s significantly more expensive than 3/8".