What's wrong with using my right hand turning tool for facing?

[twooldvolvos]

One of the hardest things for me to learn since I purchased my lathe almost 2 years ago is how to grind my lathe tools. I have been working with HSS and concentrating on the right hand turning tool. I have made a couple of them with Mr. Pete's tutelage. When it comes to facing, my right hand turning tool seems to work just fine. I just angle the compound and Bob's your uncle. What am I missing?

I'll attach a few pictures of my grinder and my right hand turning tool.

 

[MrWhoopee]

As long as the tool does the job, who cares what it's called? Once you understand the whys and wherefores of the various angles, you will find yourself grinding some very interesting tools. I once ground a tool that came to be known as the "flying V" for a special purpose job. It would plunge straight in and turn in both directions to a square shoulder on either end. Saved a lot of tool changes.

 

[benmychree]

That is quite an accepted method of finish facing, using a very small angle and facing outwards, a fine finish may be had with shallow depths of cut. For rough facing, I would do just the opposite, with an opposite handed tool going from OD to center.

 

[mmcmdl]

HSS cutters ground on a 90 degree point are great for facing and also chamfering . As long as the appropriate clearance is on the tool , any shape will cut . These tools don't have to be perfectly ground by any means , as long as they cut , use them . Think about form tools , they aren't ground to any specs other than what they have to cut , and you won't see any instructions as to how you need to make them . Just use your knowledge and know where the clearance is needed and where it's not .

 

[erikmannie]

I usually face from the outside in, but I will sometimes do what the OP is doing.

 

[benmychree]

I usually face from the outside in, but I will sometimes do what the OP is doing.

Finish facing from the inside outwards is done as stated, with a very small angle of tool to work, and a relatively fast feed, with a bit of cutting oil, it leaves a nice finish. Feeding inward is quite appropriate with roughing cuts, and of course, can be done with a fine feed for finishing, but will likely not obtain the finish as when done by the outward method. Lots of side rake is helpful for nice finish facing, I use a ground in small radius for chip breaking and outward facing.

 

[woodchucker]

You know, there are many different ways of doing things, and if it works, it works.
There are somethings that are dangerous and should not be done...

But if it works, it works. When someone says NO YOU NEED TO DO IT THIS WAY... ask WHY? if they say , That's the way it should be done... the person has no clue. If they offer you a reason that explains the danger of a part flying out or climbing over the cutter or digging in, they may have some knowledge. The thing is everyone is different, and new products come out all the time because people try different things, or have different ideas. So listen, and decide for yourself. If you hear a warning, think about it, determine if you are receiving good info.

I dimple my surface grinding wheels. One guy on here went nuts. I understood his concern, but he was wrong, he was not thinking. I had gotten my info from a youtuber that I trusted, turns out the same info was available from Suburban Tool .. Don Bailey... a very trusted and knowledgeable man. I made the right decision for me, and it was backed up by other highly reputable people. The person who called me a lot of nasty things was WRONG.

You're fine in what you are doing, standard practice.

 

[JPMacG]

I notice that the angles on the tools that Mr. Pete grinds look much different than the angles on insert tools. I also notice that they both work just fine. I am only a casual hobbyist, but I suspect that there is superstition involved in choosing cutter angles.

 

[Jim F]

I notice that the angles on the tools that Mr. Pete grinds look much different than the angles on insert tools. I also notice that they both work just fine. I am only a casual hobbyist, but I suspect that there is superstition involved in choosing cutter angles.

HSS and carbide inserts are 2 way different things.....

 

[savarin]

I think the thing to remember we are hobbiests not production machinists which the standard grinds are derived from and for.
I use mainly HSS and grind some strange shapes to get into areas a so called conventional tool wont reach.
Also stickout is a general rule that can be broken if required.
As stated above if it cuts ok its ok to do.