Turning tool choices

[TakeawayParticipant @takeaway]

I have just watched a video on the Eccentric Engineering website where they demo their Diamond Tool Holder. I quite like the idea of this tool as I tend to stick with HSS on my tidily mini lathe. Has anyone tried one of these – what did you think to it?

Also, on the subject of tool steel, I have been reading about something called "Crobalt" tool steel. It sounds like good stuff, but is it just a brand name for bogstandard cobalt tool steel or is it something a bit more special?

ATB Stuart

[TakeawayParticipant @takeaway]

Any good?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Stuart have a search for Tangental tool holder, its been covered several times on here

[TakeawayParticipant @takeaway]

Hello Jason – did that search and also a search for Diamond Tool Holder – no results!

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Stuart

The search on this page give four threads with 'tangential' in the title.

The google site search on the home page will pick up every mention.

Neil

[TakeawayParticipant @takeaway]

Thanks chaps – must have been spelling tangsomething incorrectly – I'll continue however to research "Crobalt" —- Stuart

[Anonymous]

Posted by Stuart Chesher on 19/01/2013 18:58:13:

Also, on the subject of tool steel, I have been reading about something called "Crobalt" tool steel. It sounds like good stuff, but is it just a brand name for bogstandard cobalt tool steel or is it something a bit more special?

Totally different; it's not a tool steel for a start, as it contains no iron. See here:

**LINK**

Regards,

Andrew

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Stuart

SWMBO 'treated' me to a pair for Xmas. (she hasn't 'divvied'up yet. either!) Procurement could have been better done but they arrived eventually. Thoughts? Not bad (damning with faint praise?) but even with my ham-handedness I can generate equivalent finishes with other less expensive tooling. All relative, of course, since my best finishes are usually equal to other's roughing cuts. Re. sharpening, yes, easy-peasy with the supplied guide but I also have a set of Myford inserted round tool holders which are equally simple and done off-hand. Recommend???? They won't make you into an instant Jason B or Ramon Wilson (for example) but if, like me you have difficulty off-hand grinding tools and you can afford the outlay without sacrificing something important, then give it a whirl. I got both left and right hand but , in retrospect, the left hand version would have probably been sufficient.

Please note this is PERSONAL opinion only

Rgds

Bill

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

Stuart,

The Eccentric Engineering site is: http://www.eccentricengineering.com.au

(another great Aussie invention !) There is also a link to a UK supplier.

The tool is a excellent to use and a breeze to re-sharpen and leaves a good finish when turning steel but I prefer to use carbide tools for machining cast iron castings because the HSS inserts do not stand up to cutting the hard outer layer. I intend to get one of the crobalt inserts which are much tougher and will hold an edge longer. Hopefully will be better for machining castings.

Regards, Paul.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Similar tools to the "great Aussie invention" have been around for well over one hundred years, you will find an example in the first volume of "Model Engineer", in 1898, Through the early part of the 20th centuary, lathe tools of this type were made comercially. Ian S C

[Michael HornerParticipant @michaelhorner54327]

If you want to build your own, you could look on Gadgetbuilders website or Michael Cox's.

Michael's design uses a parallelagram idea for one of the angles so you don't have to cut a compound angel.

I did the gadet builder one with my own tool bit clamp idea. I had some noname 3/16" to steel which wouldn't hold it's edge, from the eccentric web site I noted they used M42 tool steel I think, which may be a cobalt type steel, used this and it held its edge better, but I do abuse it!

Cheers Michael.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

I have some carbon steel lathe tools made by Eclipse that must be 50 years old If you take it easy you get an excellent finish on most metals Hard spots in cast iron excepted

Roy

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Roy, I think you carbon steel tools would be at least 50yrs old, could be double that.

My first thread cutting tool was(is) a bit of a 5/16" square file, it did its job OK, and is still in my collection of lathe tools, even though it has not been used for over 20yrs. I know of some older lathe opperators who swear by carbon steel, saying that you can't get as good an edge on HSS, and now its the same again, but with carbide, and HSS, but I think each tool for its own use. If you have time to go slow, carbon steel might be quite OK on a mini lathe, you would sure find out how to sharpen tools. Ian S C

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