TCT LATHE TOOLS

[John ExleyParticipant @johnexley18450]

SHARPENING LATHE TOOLS

[John ExleyParticipant @johnexley18450]

CAN ANY ONE ADVISE ME HOW TO SHARPEN TCT LATHE TOOLS I AM A COMPLETE NOVICE AS I BOUGHT MY SIEG C1 A WEEK AGO AND AM TRYING TO GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I CAN

 

REGARDS

 

JOHN 

[Anonymous]

Errr, not quite sure why there is a picture of my surface roughness measurement meter at the top of this post, pretty though it is!

 

John: By TCT I assume you mean tungsten carbide tipped, ie, a brazed tip? If that is so you’ll need a silicon carbide grinding wheel (colloquially known as ‘green grit’). If you just want to clean up the edges then a diamond ‘hone’ will be fine.

 

By the way, in forum speak all capitals is taken as shouting, and may be considered not quite cricket.

 

Regards,

 

Andrew

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

With a new lathe, and just learning how to use it, I would stick to HSS tools, easy to sharpen on an ordenary grinder, and finished with an oil stone.  Hss is more foregiving than carbide, and you’ll find that even after you know a little bit about lathe work, you’ll still use the HSS quite a bit.  Ian S C

[John ExleyParticipant @johnexley18450]

Thanks for your help Andrew I will try not to shout next time

regards John 

[John ExleyParticipant @johnexley18450]

Thanks Ian have some Hss bits will play around with them see how i go

regards

 

John 

[Paul BoscottParticipant @paulboscott25817]

I recently bought “the diamond tool holder” and I can tell you it works very well ( see add half way down on the right) in my opinion its better than the tipped tools I have. and its so  easy to keep 100% sharp all the time providing you have a grinder. see the youtube video

 

Paul

 

I have not connection with the company other than beeing a satisfied customer

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

Hi Paul,

Yet another convert, welcome  to the club. 

chriStephens 

[Richard EdmondsParticipant @richardedmonds33836]

Hi

Can somebody point me towards some good books to get me started with lathework. Last time I touched a Lathe was back in metalwork at school some forty years ago so I am well rusty. I want to eventually be able to turn steel tires for model railway wheels 12 – 20mm sizes. Thanks for any help and advice

 

Richard

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Richard,

 

You could start by signing up to the ‘Boxford Users Forum‘ on Yahoo. You may not have such a lathe but there is much information in their ‘file’ section including the very useful ‘Know Your Lathe’ book which was supplied by Boxford with their machines. It is very useful in explaining all the processes involved in using a lathe in down to earth terms.

 

apart from that there is the Lathework Book in the ‘Workshop Practice’ series available cheaply on Amazon. after those look at ‘Tool and Cutter Grinding’ in the same series. Many more books are available from the Camden bookshop, see them online, and in local libraries.

 

Welcome to the learning process, I’m still learning after 50 years of lathe use, there are many experts worth listening to an the various forums. such as Maddmodder, HMEM and the 9 x 20 forum

 

There is a great deal of information, advice and camaraderie in the world of Amateur (and professional) machining (and quite a bit of usually good natured grumbling and disagreement) but don’t get too Bogged down with Standards. Just enjoy the journey, hope that’s a help,

 

Best regards

 

Terry

[Richard EdmondsParticipant @richardedmonds33836]

Thanks Terry, that seems to be what I need, just the stuff to learn basics without killing myself while doing so. I know a lot of this work is experience related but I need to get some confidence basic experience first.

I ought to apologise to everyone else though as it would appear that I put my original post in the wrong thread.

[jomacParticipant @jomac]

Richard Hi, You may be lucky on the internet, Look for, Text book of turning, by Hercus lathes, Australia. I downloaded the earlier version a few years ago and its full of good lathe turning practices and an index of tables which you might find handy.

John Holloway.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

“The Amateur’s Lathe” by Lawrence H. Sparey. “Introducing the Lathe” by Stan Bray. “Using The Small Lathe” by L.C. Mason. ” How To Run A Lathe ” South Bend Lathe Works. I also have a few other vintage text books. And a really basic one “Preparing For Lathe Work” Basic Trade Manual, prepared by the Department of Labour and Immigration (Aust Govt). Before the earthquakes in Christchurch I used to spend quite a bit of time in second hand book shops, but since the one in Febuary most of the best ones have been wiped out, and I’v only been into town once since then, so my book collecting is on hold.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I’ve got ’em all! I think Len Mason’s “Using The Small Lathe” is the best. By “small” he means up to 3 1/2″ Myford size. It has recently been re-published by TEE.

 

Enjoy the journey.

 

Rod

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Hi,

 

I would suggest that Sparey is too advanced for a beginner, whilst Bray’s “Introducing the Lathe” is perhaps too simple. Mason is, in my opinion, extremely good whilst “Know Your Lathe” book is good, but is aimed at Boxford lathe users. I have not seen the South Bend book, “How to Run a Lathe”, so can’t comment on it.

 

I would also not recommend Bradley’s “The Amateurs Workshop”. Again, I think it too advanced for beginners. Or his “Myford Series & Lathe Manual”, unless that’s what you have.

I would not recommend Bray’s “Basic Lathework” in the Workshop Practice Series at all. In my opinion it is aimed at people who have absolutely no idea what a lathe can do: it is far too simplistic, and there are a lot of silly mistakes in it that should have been found well before it got anywhere near the printing stage.

 

I think possibly Hall’s “Lathework: A complete course” in the Workshop Practice Series would be a good book as it aims to get a lathe owner from not knowing what to do through to being a reasonably accomplished turner.

 

For tool sharpening, try Hall’s book “Tool and Cutter Sharpening”, also in the Workshop Practice series.

 

As ever, I would strongly suggest using your Public Library to at least read the books before purchase: whilst the books are cheapish, the cost of a library loan request may just save you something if you don’t like the book.

 

My apologies to all those who swear by the books I have not recommended.

 

Regards,

 

Peter G. Shaw

 

 

[Richard EdmondsParticipant @richardedmonds33836]

Thanks to all you guys for your input to my question. This is now very interesting to me as already there are different thoughts on what is good or not so good. What is great though is this forum where I know I will probably learn more from you experienced chaps than I will from looking at books even if it means lousing a few things up on the way. I am not totally inexperienced with machine tools just more or less not confident in my ability so I really should start at the basic end again and some of those books would be a good start.

 

Regards and thanks

Richard

[Richard EdmondsParticipant @richardedmonds33836]

Just to keep it going for a bit, I have two small cheap lathes at present, a peatol/taig and a clarke something or other than came from machine mart. What are your opinions for the ideal lathe for modelling in small scales such as 1:120 TT scale. I might as well start it right since I got this far.

 

Thanks again

ps sorry about this but are these questions ok on this thread about tool sharpening or should I start a new topic thread

 

Regards

Richard

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

Hi Richard

Might be an idea with this last question to start a new thread. Tony Jeffree is the man to ask about Peatol/Taigs, I’m sure they’d be more than capable to just about any work for TT scale loco and stock.

Keith

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Posted by Richard Edmonds on 11/04/2011 19:58:43:

Just to keep it going for a bit, I have two small cheap lathes at present, a peatol/taig and a clarke something or other than came from machine mart. What are your opinions for the ideal lathe for modelling in small scales such as 1:120 TT scale. I might as well start it right since I got this far.

 

Thanks again

ps sorry about this but are these questions ok on this thread about tool sharpening or should I start a new topic thread

 

Regards

Richard

 

Hi Richard,

 

It is probably a good idea to start a new thread as interested users may not see your interest and posts on this thread. Also you might look and see if there are specific user forums such as the Boxford Users Form and the 9 x 20 user forum. Such a forum if it exists for the Peatol (as it probably does) will be able to answer more specific questions,

 

Best regards

 

Terry

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

I detest having grinders in my workshop. All that nasty grit which floats in the air, (especially from the green grit bauxite wheels) and gets onto the slide ways. I normally use a Water Stone for grinding.

One day I saw a builder cutting tiles with an angle grinder. The disk he was using was diamond plated. I nipped into my least favourite store and bought one with the finest grit size I could find. It was cheap and had a 6mm band of grit on each side. It was designed to cut on its narrow edge and flex slightly in use. I made a backing plate about 12mm thick to allow it to take side thrust. The whole thing is mounted in my tool grinder with an old permanent magnet and a vacuum cleaner pipe in the guard to take up the waste products. A quick rub up with a diamond hone/lap to take out the roughness left by the coarse grit and job done.

You have to be gentle with it as it is greedy, but it grinds HSS and Tungsten Carbide with ease. They cost 1/10 of a green grit wheel, are faster and from the dreaded ‘grit in the air’ point of view cleaner.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Often as far as books go, its a case of what you can get, especially this end of the planet, most of the books are from the northern parts, and because they are a very small market, they rarely make it here.

Richard, I got one of those wheels a good while ago, cost $4NZ, must try it. ian S C

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

One thing I will also say: read the books, and then go and play. Write off a few carbide tipped tools. Turn some scrap steel, then turn some known steel such as EN1A and note the difference. In other words, experiment. This way you will learn what can and cannot be done on your equipment. And if you get stuck and do not know what is wrong, then come back onto this forum and ask: there are a lot of extremely knowledgable people around. Then there is me who is, after many years, still experimenting and learning what I can and can not do.

 

As an example of things I can not do, take carbide tipped tools, ie the ones with a lump of carbide brazed onto the end, and often supplied as a set. The parting off tools simply did not work for me – lots of chatter, and one where the actual tip parted company from the shank. Other tools seem to chip as soon as they saw a piece of metal, let alone cut it – I exaggerate of course, but after having spent many hours with diamond hones repairing them, I am no longer a fan of tipped tools. HSS rules OK! Some people here reckon that replaceable tips are the way to go, and fair enough I bought a replaceable tip milling cutter and so far it seems to be working absolutely fine.

 

But above all, and yes I am repeating myself, get out there and experiment. And enjoy. There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you actually get something to work and you can say “I made that. It may not be pretty, but it is all my own work”.

 

Incidently, my current parting off tool is made from an old 4″ file, along the lines of Mason’s hacksaw blade parting off tool in his book “Using the Small Lathe”. I have to say that it works absolutely fine.

Regards,

 

Peter G. Shaw

[Richard EdmondsParticipant @richardedmonds33836]

This is exactly the thing, experimenting is the way to go, what is a pain is the fact that my mate is a tool maker but I just cannot get him out of the pub and round my garage to show me how to do it all properly. Thats why I am asking you guys but I have to say I am enjoying the response to my questions enormously. I was interested in Peters article about tipped tools etc, my mate made a load up for me from HSS steel which will get me going, but of course keeping them sharp is something I will have to learn myself. Anyway I missed the postie today and of course some books from Amazon as well.

Thanks guys I am enjoying this journey back to the world I wanted to be in when I left school, an old workmate once said to me ” Dick you will never be happy until you have a workshop” how right he was

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Tonight I had one of the jobs that I use carbide tools, turning down some 35mm 4140 bar, and I did’nt want to take all night over it (its a paying job), other wise I’d use HSS.

I,v often used a bit of a 1″ x 12″ power hacksaw blade as a parting tool. Just grind the teeth off, shape the cutting end, use tooth side up, on my one it has a HSS edge. I would’nt use an all hard blade. Ian S C

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Just going back to the homemade parting off tool.

 

Mason recommends the use of old hacksaw blades as these will make a very fine, well comparatively fine that is, tool thus reducing waste to a minimum. Unfortunately, the first blade I used was useless as it was softer than the metal I was trying to cut and ended up with a rounded cutting corner. The next blade I used was much harder, probably an all hard blade, but whilst it tried to work, it was much too brittle and thus snapped off. This is probably why Ian SC doesn’ recommend all hard blades.

 

The homemade tool, as I said uses an old 4″ x ½” file with the sides ground down to form a blade about 1.8mm thick. The cutting point is formed using the smooth edge of the file and is left flat, ie no groove or anything. With plenty of cutting fluid, and a deliberate “in” movement, it works extremely well and I can part off up to about 18mm without problems and without using a rear toolpost.

 

Why 1.8mm? In my case 3mm caused a lot of chatter, the saw blade at 0.8mm was too thin and brittle, and the original rubbishy tool I was using until I broke it was 1.6mm at the tip. I therefore reasoned that anything between 1.6mm & 2.00mm would be ok, so when I got it down to 1.8mm, I stopped grinding.

 

I suspect, and perhaps Ian SC could confirm, that the 1″ x 12″ power hacksaw blades are considerably wider than the standard ½” blades.

 

This is what I mean by experimenting to find what works, and doesn’t work.

 

Regards,

 

Peter G. Shaw

[Author]

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