![]() ![]() ![]() Tony also has an awesome video on why you want to avoid those cheap brazed carbide tool sets that are everywhere.įirst things first, you will need a bench grinder! You don’t have to get too fancy here. If you’re interested in the actual physics of how cutting bits work (and you are), This Old Tony has a really terrific video where he walks you through why every angle exists. I think my method is easier to learn, but watching those videos may give you some context. As I’ve said in the past, carbide tooling has minimum speeds and cut depths needed to work well, and in general, hobbyist machines don’t have the horsepower for it. Besides, there’s a real joy in turning a nice piece using a tool bit you made yourself.įor some background on the overall process, I like these videos by Tubalcain and Tom’s Techniques. You may be resisting learning this because of the availability of carbide tooling, but HSS bits are still the most flexible and easiest to use for a hobbyist with a bench-top machine. Like sharpening a pencil, you can always grind your bits down a little more to sharpen them or get a better shape. Anything you grind from HSS will cut steel on your lathe. Keep in mind this process is actually quite forgiving. If you’ve been following my lathe series, you’ve made a few projects by now using the store-bought bits, but now it’s time to learn to make your own. The learning curve is gentle, and the resulting bits make nice finishes. I’m going to present a very simple method here to get started making your own basic turning/facing tools. Most instructional videos assume a high amount of freehand skill with a grinder, and the whole process seems unapproachable. There are a lot of videos on the subject, and lots of diagrams online of all the zillion angles you have to somehow create. Grinding HSS tool bits is an area of machining that seems very intimidating. In a few minutes, you can make any custom special purpose tool you want. HSS is cheap like borscht, easy to grind, infinitely reusable, and takes thermal abuse like a champ. With all the talk these days about carbide insert tooling, and online sellers practically giving away brazed carbide tools, it’s easy to forget why High Speed Steel has been the staple of machining for 107 years. ![]()
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