I seem to have my own style of tool grinding, not that its any different than anyone else, but I have my own favorite tools and grinds that I use on the daily basis, most of which I picked up from my dad. I rarely use the positive lead angle approach, mine is usually set to turn to a square shoulder. I thought it might be of help to share with what I learned and how I grind my chip breakers. Im going to add it to my list of videos to make. BTW, I'll be posting up a large lathe work video soon.
Finally A video that shows the results as the cutter is being ground. I found your channel and am now a happy camper due to the way you explain and demonstrate. I especially appreciate you replying to everyone's comments. Keep up the good work.
Hi Chris, Great points. There is way to much weight is given to specific tool angles and geometries. The bottom line is a large range of configurations work. Take a look in a really old machining handbook at check out some wacky looking forged tools. In the olden days (when you were a lad) a blacksmith was an important guy in the machine shop. Many tools were forged and heat treated right on the shop floor. Regards, Tom
I really enjoyed watching this video. I wasn't trained as a tool maker but have been machining for 20 years. I am now starting to learn the art of making tools and wish I had been taught this many years ago. We really enjoy your videos here at the shop and thank you for making them and sharing your knowledge.
I just found your channel a week or so ago and it is a wealth on useful information. Most videos on toolbit sharpening spend too much time talking about angles and theory. I liked the fact that you created a toolbit and then used it in your lathe. Real life turning not just theory. Looking forward to the flycutter portion. Inserts are great but HSS will always have place in my toolbox. Thanks, Rich
Hi Tom, today I practiced your tool grinding techniques and I am astonished about the result. The cuttingsound was smooth and I meet had so many curls when cutting so now I need to make the chip breaker. I have been facing off a 5 inch diameter disc and it was peanuts. Thanks for the great video. Regards, Ritchie
Ground my first lathe bit after watching several other videos. This one demystified it for me. I followed your very simple instructions in this video and started cutting beautiful smooth steel on the first try on my old Shoptask. Thank you!!!!!
Hi Joe, Thanks for the comment. I find too much talk about the angles and their names are not helpful to beginners until they have ground a couple of bits. Glad you had a good result with your own ground tool. Cheers, Tom
Hi Keith, Its a dual grit bench stone made by Norton. Its similar to McMaster 4506A5. I think it came from MSC or J&L tools. The fine side is something like 320 and the coarse side is a little too rough for most things. Glad to hear you put something you saw to use in the shop. That kind of stuff makes my day. Thanks for the comment. Regards, Tom
Hi Straighthread, The stone on the left side is Aluminum oxide run of the mill bench grinder wheel. Probably 46 grit. The right hand one is Silicon Carbide, also fairly coarse. You don't need super fine wheels for most tool bit work in particular if you hand hone. Fine grit wheels are nice for holding form and sharp corners like you would need for detail work like chipbreakers. Regards, Tom
This is a great lesson. Im a newbie and just started grinding bits. So this helped me fill a lot of knowledge gaps that other videos did not. Thanks!!!!
Hi Flip, I took the chipbreaker all the way to the leading edge. It is very high positive cutting angle. The chip breaker is rather large which is somewhat realistic hand grinding on an average bench grinder. To make really fine chipbreakers you need a fine narrow wheel with a tight crisp dressing. Best, Tom
Hi Dan, Excellent questions. The reason I lifted the tool was to get onto the more curved part of the wheel if that makes sense. I was holding the bit at a compound angle to do the top rake of the bit. So I tipped the right hand side of the tool in toward the spindle and down toward the tool rest. Its also easier to feel when you engage with the wheel if you are making full contact with the previous grind. Its water with a little soluble oil. Best, Tom
A big THANK YOU for taking the time to share all your years of hard learned experience, you save the average home machinist countless hours of learning the hard way. AGAIN THANK YOU
Hey Tom another great Video, on making a chip breaker how about cutting it with a thin cut off wheel in die grinder, I find it's easier and creates a sharper edge for the chip breaker. The tool bit is held in the vice does not get hot and I have more control with a die grinder. Hal
Hi Jack, You are right. I generally grind my chipbreakers on my Deckel. The small diameter fine diamond wheel is the killer tool. Not everybody has that so I did it the lowest equipment investment method. I'm glad I got the point across. Best, Tom
Hi Tyler, Great question. First I would have ground the chip breaker differently for steel to make it stronger. For the same basic tool in steel I would have run it at 250-300 rpm and the heavier feed rate on the 1.5 (50mm) diameter. Regards, Tom
Hi Steve, They are all interconnected. Surface speed, feed rate and tool geometry. Of all of the factors feed rate has the most effect on chip breaker performance. Best, Tom
Haven't finished watching this yet, but i thought id say that i normally skip honing stones and just give my tools a lick on the balder buffing wheel before I use them and it does essentially the same thing, leaves a nice finish at least with aluminum. Its something I started doing years back with wood carving chisels and the cutters I used on my old wood lathe and I've just carried the practice over in my shop for metal work. And if you find yourself up in humboldt county sometime, stop by. Be cool to meet you and talk shop one of these days.
Hi Tom, Low carbon steel and in particular hot rolled is difficult to get a really nice finish on. My advice is use a nose radius and take a depth of cut radially that is equal to the nose radius or greater as a minimum cut. The hard thing is to take a really light cut and get a super finish on hot rolled steel. Regards, Tom
Hi Chris, Another good point. In fact in this video I moved the leading cutting edge over after I ground the chip breaker. The wheels on my grinder have big corners so I was having a little trouble making a tight little chipbreaker. But I also really wanted to use the bench grinder and the lowest equipment investment tools. Best, Tom
I know this video has been up for a while and I have subscribed to your site for a while , but I have just come across it and it has filled in SO many missing links in my knowledge. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. They are so helpful to home machinists. A very helpful video, thank you
Nice video. I am new to lathe/milling operations and it good to see the mechanics of tool development and the corresponding impact of speed and feed operation on the finished product. thank you!
Excellent description on grinding hss toolbits, I particularly like your comment at 13 min about wide range of angles that will work, I also like that you place the toolbit flat on the table and let the radius of the wheel produce the back rake, much easier to regrind when its time,
Hi Hal, That's a good way to grind a small feature like a chipbreaker. I'm going to get a couple of finer harder wheels for my small bench grinder and get back in practice. Lawrence suggested a Dremel with a small cutoff wheel which I tried and it works well. Regards, Tom
Hi Annoy, Not sure what you mean "away" from the edge. I push the tool in the direction that would make it cut. In other words the same direction the material would flow into the edge in question. Does that make sense? I think I might have said something like how you sharpen a knife in the video. I don't think it matters too much which is probably why I didn't blather on about it. Thanks for the comment. Best, Tom
I just ground a HSS tool today, and the finish in 1018 was rough. My feeds are limited on the old Logan. I didn't want to go to a tangential shear tool for finish. I'll go stone the new bit and try it again. Thanks TL!!!!
Hi Sharg, I didn't take your comment in a negative way. You seem knowledgeable and experienced about metalworking and it shows. Thanks again for your comment that makes the channel content better. Regards, Tom
Hi Bill, I generally keep my toolpost at 90 degrees to the axes for everything. It is probably a habit from using DRO's on lathes for so long where you might have to retain five or six tool offsets. Moving the post around all the time monkeys with keeping tools calibrated. Regards, Tom
Hi Sharg, I showed and insert similar to what you mention in another video. Several viewers requested a video showing honing and preparation in more detail. I also like the diamond hones for touching up tools for the same reason you mention. I wanted to show the lowest level of tooling investment needed to make good cutting tools. Thanks for your comment. Regards, Tom
Thanks, I am not sure how to comment on your blog but that is one of the coolest lathes I've ever seen. Between its ergonomic three speed tail-stock and the infinitely variable rpm it is a well featured machine. You would be crazy not to be it home Tom.
Now THAT is a tool bit collection! The honing really makes a difference to the surface finish.... Just a few more of these videos and I should be capable of using my own hobby lathe :)
Tom back watching some of your older videos. Good stuff geat demo, also interesting to see how you have devoliped as a presenter. still a joy. thanks really enjoy hearing your thought process. I always am interested in the why. not just push it up against the wheel. thanks Will
Hi Fadt, Most of the holders I've seen for inserts that have that much relief are flat also. That is horizontal to the machine center line. You could put some angle in the pocket to create some rake but I would not do it. If you get non flat top inserts that already have a positive geometry they may not perform at all. Stick with what the manufacturers are doing as they invest lots of time and money to get their tools to work. Hope that helps. Regards, Tom
Thanks Tom that makes sense with the DRO, I never have used one on a lathe. I should have been more specific in my question, I was wondering about the tool rest on the grinder. Thanks, Bill.
Nice video. I hadn't planned to watch the whole thing, but you kept it interesting with the comparison of various tool geometries as well as feed rates and depth of cut. I liked your demonstration of the chip breaker groove. However, I think that makes the tool suitable only for turning, and you would need the groove on the other cutting edge for facing. I sometimes use diamond files to touch up my tool bits, particularly carbide, and I use a 5x binocular magnifier. Thanks for the tips.
Hi Paul, Thanks for the comment and compliment. Indeed you can face with this tool as well. It will perform better at turning for sure but it will face as well. I have several of the diamond honing files and love them. I just keep cleaning them and they just keep lasting forever. Cheers, Tom
Hi rhost, The chip breaker does go all the way to the edge. Its rather large for fine depth of cuts so that is part of the reason it performed poorly on the light cuts. The feedrate was the variable with the most effect on the chips breaking with the setup I showed. Thanks for the comment. Best, Tom
Thanks for the great tutorial! I use an EZE-LAP diamond stone to hone my high speed cutting bits after grinding. Additionally I polish (lap) them with various other tools to get a nice finish. Most of what I machine on my very small TOS tool makers lathe, is 303 stainless, and precious metals. I never had much need for a chip breaker, and I am going to give this a try the next time I need to grind a new cutting bit.
Hi Zews, I like the diamond laps myself. I deliberately tried to keep the tool bit video as low a tool investment as possible. There are some wonderful diamond products out there at really reasonable prices. As you say everybody should have some diamond tooling in their box. I wonder what the chip breaker for gold and platinum look like. I'd be willing to run some tests for you....... Cheers, Tom
Great video Tom. I enjoyed the fact you showed how minor changes like honing can make amazing changes. I have discovered from using HSS inserts when the finish starts to get rough or erratic a quick pass on a vermiculite stone brings back the original performance. Keep up the great work Thanks Scot
thanks for the simple to follow instructions Tom! i learned the importance of a chipbreaker grind last year turning some 4140 when a nice long stringer caught me and split my knuckle to the bone. this video will definitely help improve my work so thanks
Super great info. As a rookie, you took a lot of mystery out of tool bit sharpening. I have rarely honed. Can't believe the difference it makes. Will cutting steal have the same results? I usually cut hot rolled steal and am not often satisfied with the finish. next video maybe a little blackboard theory? great info Tom. tkx, .
Hey Tom I got my first lathe delivered yesterday a BV20-1L. I've never used a machine lathe before, just a little time on a wood lathe in 8th grade. The last week I've been watching your tool development 1-2 and 3. I got all HSS blanks with a sharp edge from the factory and after the first cut which was a little crappy I took it off, honed it and gave the front leading edge a little radius on the stone and what do you know, much better just like your video, but like you said we can still do better. That's buddy, saved me a lot of trouble from the first 2 minutes on the new machine.
ROCKMOREDESIGN Hi Rock, Glad you liked that one. Congratulations on your new lathe. Its always fun to get a new machine tool. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Tom I have to bore a perfect 22mm hole in the side of a 30mm 6061 rod. The hole is to be used as a clamp to hold another 22mm tube. I bored a 21mm hole and found out quickly that an adjustable reamer is not designed to enlarge a hole, just smooth it out. My next move is to bore the 21mm hole and use a 22mm end mill mounted in my lathe chuck to enlarge the hole. I made a clamp with taped holes to attach my work piece to the saddle and move it into the drill. Worked perfect to bore the 21mm hole. The question is will it work to bore out the hole to 22mm with the end mill.. I Thanks for the advice, my HSS radius lathe tools work well already, but as you said we can do better. Here is the Facebook page with the 1st rough part. facebook.com/mike.rockmore.3
Hi fgleich, Another viewer suggested the very same idea. I tried it myself and it seems like a way to put in a very small narrow chipbreaker that would work well for light depth of cuts and slow feedrates. Thanks for the comment. Regards, Tom
Very informative. I feel It's one of those things that can be theorised reasonably easily but perfected via trial and error. I cant wait to try. Oh, and to all the comments about the danger of hands in the chips, obviously he's been doing It for years and still has all his fingers. I'll be damn sure to stay away until I naturally feel attuned to my task just like any trade.
Hi Adam, Thanks for the nice comment. I would really like to see you do a toolbit video also. In all the shops I worked in everybody had their own tricks for making good toolbits. I think you could do a great one and show some of the features you like to see in lathe tools. Yeah the Noga holder is working good. My camera is getting oily! Regards, Tom
GAAHHHH THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THE RIGHT AND LEFT IDENTIFICATION. IM KINDA NEW TO MACHINING AND JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST LATHE ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO AND HAVE BEEN REALLY CONFUSED ON WHY THEY CALL A TOOL THAT FACES LEFT A RIGHTY AND A RIGHT FACING TOOL A LEFTY.
Ok Tom, I started watching the video this morning when I was getting ready for work, but I had to wait untill my 13 hour work day was finished to finish watching the rest. Good info on the tool grinding and honing, I enjoyed it. I have to say, I was planning on making a similar video myself, and hope you dont mind if I do so some time later. BTW, I noticed that NOGA holder is helping you get more closer to the action!!
This is a great video and the first I have seen of yours. You have great camera angles and very good explanations of what you are doing and what you hope to accomplish. I am anxious to watch your other 95 videos and hope they are just as good. Nice work Tom!!!!
Cool video man! Really good idea of showing the differences between the stages of grinding/honing. This is an art form that few and fewer people seem to know these days so thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge, I will pass on what I have learned here today I promise, my apprentices will appreciate this, as do I :)
Hi Fred, I don't think I honed the top surface after the chipbreaker was put in. The reason is if that surface is honed after it can very easily be damaged since its a fine edge. I lead with the cutting edge as you say but many people go the opposite. I bought the maps at a local voodoo shop. What city were you in again? Looks like I need to stick another couple of pins there. Regards, Tom
Hi Scot, As you said once you have a good tool its pretty easy to maintain it with some light honing or built up edge removal. Thanks for the comment. Best, Tom
Homo Sapiens the tool maker. Watching you carefully make these tools from observational skills and long term experience I can't help but think about our Ice Age Ancestors (as modern as we and perhaps more intelligent, their brains were actually larger than ours today) sitting around the fire Flint Knapping a variety of specialized tools from the materials found in their environment, who's very lives and their families depended on their quality.
Hi Titus, If you read about Ishi a California Indian they were able to study at close range. They noted he was very careful and meticulous when knapping and making tools and articles he depended on. I think you are right about their craftsmanship was more of life and death for them. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Very good video Tom; from your back catalog. All the tool angles are really confusing when starting out on the lathe. You took the edge of that with this video. Thanks. I noticed that your stone was pretty grimy. I was told that using oil on the stone transports all the metal particles away, and makes it easier to keep a "sharp" stone (or clean if you like).
Hi Arnljot, I clean my stones pretty regularly normally. They pick up metal from stoning off large surfaces. I guess I showed this one in a loaded condition. I typically use the stones dry. There are two points of view on stone sharpening dry or wet. Both have merits depending on the type of stone and the sharpening goal. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Looking at the last part of the video, it looks like the reason the chip breaker isn't working is because the chips are never hitting it due to the relief angle on the front side of the blank. If you moved the chip breaker closer to the cutting edge it would work with less DOC.
Thanks a lot. I am wondering how much time and materials nice people like you donate in making these videos. I have been learning a lot about machining because of great people like you. Thanks a ton sir!!
Hi Yash, Good questions. I spend around something like 20 hours per week to produce and post the video content I put up. As far as materials it depends on the subject matter. Most of the tools I already have but I do spend some on raw materials and consumables that adds up over a year. Thanks for asking a great question. All the best, Tom
Hi Tom!...all depends but for just a chip breaker the small cutoff wheel works great much more control in how you want it positioned etc...I do use small blue wheels too...
best made simple video on the subject.thanks. When you grind the chipbreaker, do you grind it all the way to the cutting edge (thus dramatically increasing the rake angle)? or do you leave a tiny flat at the cutting edge to prevent the cutting edge to keep the edge from dulling too fast? it was hard to see if there was a tiny little sharpie line left on the cutting edge.
Small lathe, but I am having trouble getting good finishes, mostly I think because of my tools. Also I would like to better understand the difference between roughing and finishing, both in terms of tool geometry and feeds and speeds. Thank you for this.
Hi Scott, First off I can tell from your questions you need to buy the Southbend book "How to Run a Lathe" This book is a must have for anybody that has a lathe, period. They are readily available and cheap. So a couple of quick words on roughing and finishing. Remember these guidelines. Rough ugly. Its to remove material quickly, nothing else. Feedrates from .015 down to .008. Finishing is for size and finish. Sharp honed tools and feedrates from .005 down to .002 per rev or less on certain operations. For a small lathe that is not rigid then lean toward the finishing side of things with sharper lower pressure tools. Hope this helps. All the best, Tom
Hi Alex, If it works then that's all that matters. Its more important to make good parts than to do everything by the book so to speak. You are probably correct that the cutting edge will not last as long but if the results are controllable and reproducible then who cares. The word on tool angles is there is a broad range of angles and geometries that will cut metal. Don't get hung up on the "book" I would suggest trying your coworkers deal yourself and making your own assessment. Best, Tom
Great video When i started turning i never found a good video like yours , the chip breaker maybe could be easy to made with a dremel or any other rotatory tool ,and a small cutting disc.
Hi Battle, Harder grinding wheels work well for chipbreakers. My wheels were too soft for a small one. A dremel would also work well. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
Like the video. Informative. I think you might want to rethink the suggestion of grinding it "uphill" however due to the possibility of the hss becoming a projectile.
I am fascinated by the process of grinding one's own tools. It seems like an absolutely essential and entry-level skill for anyone who wants to get in to metal-work handicrafts on a lathe, especially as an amateur or hobbyist. 'thisoldtony' also has an excellent video on the same topic and when combined with this, slightly more in-depth study the two give a very comprehensive grounding on the techniques required. One aspect that occurs to me is--don't the blocks of tool steel get hot while you are grinding them?
Tom that was really good I'm going to have to watch it again to catch all the info. The tool bits I've ground have been with smaller stock (1/4 inch) which makes it hard to see and get the geometry right. I'm going to see if I can get some larger tool bit stock to grind. Honing really seems to make a big difference too I'm going to try that as well. What angle is your tool rest at it looks like 90? Thanks again for the vid!
hi thanks for the vid -im struggling to get a mirror finish on aluminum on my old southbend 9 - possible my motor is worn? ive been trying using the back gear for more torque, tends to labor even on light cuts! really frustrating!
Tom could you share what grit you are using to hone and if the stone is something special or just a decent stone? Loved the video and used the information just tonight and what a better cut!! Thanks bunches Keith
Thank you for your video! Ive had a very difficult experience breaking chips with CNC turning internal diameter aluminum with vcgt inserts on a 4" long part to a tolerance of 0.0006". had to add 3 stops on 3 different boring bars to manually clear the chips cause it can make trouble with the ATC. wonder if there is a good solution to it? of course with this fine tolerance and long thin boring bar you cant push the part to break the chip and are left with long stringy chips. the ap is only about 0.01" on diameter for the finish cut. ive tried to decrease it to 0.004 and no luck there too (trying to make dust like and have coolant wash it off). would love to hear your take on this matter. thanks!
Hi Lawrence, Thats a great idea! I'm going to try that out right away because I just picked up a nice corded Dremel for ten bucks. Thanks for the great idea. Do you just use the thin cutting discs or the diamond type? Best, Tom
Looks like the chip breaker is directing the chip to fly over the chip breaker, missing the angle that is supposed to bend the chip till it breaks. Hard to see detail, have you ever tried polaroid sunglasses? That would give a cheap test. They can be miraculous in some instances. May need lens rotation depending on the light.
This is a very neat demo. I just have one concern: At the end of the cut, the bit moves rapidly back along the surface, without retracting in the y-axis. By listening to the audio I can hear that it's scratching the workpiece during the retraction move, and that is probably spoiling the surface finish of the cut. It would be great to see the comparison without that happening.
Hey Jay, Give me a time stamp where you think this is happening. I looked at a couple near the end and non of those were dragging on the Z retract. The cross feed is the x axis on the the lathe. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Tom
oxtoolco Oh yes you're right -- sorry, I meant x-axis. It happens once at 15:05, and to a lesser extent at 16:00 and 23:35. After honing the tool, when the feed rate was slow, it didn't happen nearly as much. For example it didn't seem to happen at all at 22:30, 25:00, and 26:38. That said, I really appreciate you making this video, and I learned a lot about tool grinding -- never saw how to make a chip breaker before, and it was great to see what high-speed steel can do! By the way, what model of lathe is this? It seems really nice.
tom, if you use water instead of coolant when grinding, the wheel will not glaze over so bad. also try using a half inch sq. by four in. long medium India stone when honing. Use the stone like a file for better control . much easier.
Hi Richard, Thanks for the tips. The wheels on my bench grinder are pretty soft so I dress them frequently for shape as opposed to glazing. I cant remember which case it was in this video. cheers, Tom
Very useful video for someone who just got himself a small hobby lathe. Thanks. I was thinking about using a angle grinder to cut the blanks. This will get you a flatter surface that you could sharpen on the bench grinder. But things can get rather hot with an angle grinder and I'm wondering if this will have a negative impact on the HSS steel. Any thought on that?
Tom, I love all your videos. Can you comment on a finishing tool always shown in the old school books.l it looks like a square tool with rounded corners. LIke maximiizing the corner radius to a flat. They always seemed like you would be fighting chatter with them.
Hi Sofyanas, Thanks for the comment. Feed rate is how much the tool advances per revolution on the spindle. I don't know what "Forage" is. Can you give me a time stamp in the video so I can understand what you mean. Cheers, Tom
Hi Dang, The geometry shown in this video will work well for plain steel. Cast iron would have less rake angles particularly on the top. Hope this helps. Cheers, Tom
Heya Tom! Thanks for the clear demonstrations of each step. One thing I'm running into when turning 6061 is welding, i.e. the aluminum begins to adhere to and build up on the cutting edge. Any tips on dealing with that?
Tom I been watching your videos for some time now so I decided to subscribe what type of wheel should I use on my bench grinder for high speed steel also stone for honing tool bit I really enjoy your videos
+oxtoolco I'd also like to learn how to become a hoppy machinist, even though it does sound a little dangerous...I'll bet with a nice facing grooving tool you could make some serious bottle caps! ;)
I have watched a lot of video about large radius nose tools. They seem to work really good. Do you know what is the best large radius nose tool that give a very good finish? Thank you so much!!
Watching old Tom videos in 2024 for fun. Youve taught me much, starting with your book when it was new. Thanks, Mr Wizard!
I seem to have my own style of tool grinding, not that its any different than anyone else, but I have my own favorite tools and grinds that I use on the daily basis, most of which I picked up from my dad. I rarely use the positive lead angle approach, mine is usually set to turn to a square shoulder. I thought it might be of help to share with what I learned and how I grind my chip breakers. Im going to add it to my list of videos to make.
BTW, I'll be posting up a large lathe work video soon.
Finally A video that shows the results as the cutter is being ground. I found your channel and am now a happy camper due to the way you explain and demonstrate. I especially appreciate you replying to everyone's comments. Keep up the good work.
Hi Andrew,
Glad you like the toolbit series. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Thank you so much for giving back to the field and to the hobby. As a "greenhorn", I certainly appreciate your time, effort and experience!!
Hi Chris,
Great points. There is way to much weight is given to specific tool angles and geometries. The bottom line is a large range of configurations work. Take a look in a really old machining handbook at check out some wacky looking forged tools. In the olden days (when you were a lad) a blacksmith was an important guy in the machine shop. Many tools were forged and heat treated right on the shop floor.
Regards,
Tom
I really enjoyed watching this video. I wasn't trained as a tool maker but have been machining for 20 years. I am now starting to learn the art of making tools and wish I had been taught this many years ago. We really enjoy your videos here at the shop and thank you for making them and sharing your knowledge.
Hi Lead,
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I just found your channel a week or so ago and it is a wealth on useful information. Most videos on toolbit sharpening spend too much time talking about angles and theory. I liked the fact that you created a toolbit and then used it in your lathe. Real life turning not just theory. Looking forward to the flycutter portion. Inserts are great but HSS will always have place in my toolbox. Thanks, Rich
Hi Tom,
today I practiced your tool grinding techniques and I am astonished about the result. The cuttingsound was smooth and I meet had so many curls when cutting so now I need to make the chip breaker. I have been facing off a 5 inch diameter disc and it was peanuts. Thanks for the great video. Regards, Ritchie
Hi Chippie,
Glad you had a good outcome. This is the stainless steel you were machining correct? Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Tom
Ground my first lathe bit after watching several other videos. This one demystified it for me. I followed your very simple instructions in this video and started cutting beautiful smooth steel on the first try on my old Shoptask. Thank you!!!!!
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the comment. I find too much talk about the angles and their names are not helpful to beginners until they have ground a couple of bits. Glad you had a good result with your own ground tool.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Keith,
Its a dual grit bench stone made by Norton. Its similar to McMaster 4506A5. I think it came from MSC or J&L tools. The fine side is something like 320 and the coarse side is a little too rough for most things. Glad to hear you put something you saw to use in the shop. That kind of stuff makes my day.
Thanks for the comment.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Straighthread,
The stone on the left side is Aluminum oxide run of the mill bench grinder wheel. Probably 46 grit. The right hand one is Silicon Carbide, also fairly coarse. You don't need super fine wheels for most tool bit work in particular if you hand hone. Fine grit wheels are nice for holding form and sharp corners like you would need for detail work like chipbreakers.
Regards,
Tom
This is a great lesson. Im a newbie and just started grinding bits. So this helped me fill a lot of knowledge gaps that other videos did not. Thanks!!!!
I would recommend this video to anyone wanting to learn toolbit grinding. Great video. Keep making chips.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Flip,
I took the chipbreaker all the way to the leading edge. It is very high positive cutting angle. The chip breaker is rather large which is somewhat realistic hand grinding on an average bench grinder. To make really fine chipbreakers you need a fine narrow wheel with a tight crisp dressing.
Best,
Tom
Hi Dan,
Excellent questions. The reason I lifted the tool was to get onto the more curved part of the wheel if that makes sense. I was holding the bit at a compound angle to do the top rake of the bit. So I tipped the right hand side of the tool in toward the spindle and down toward the tool rest. Its also easier to feel when you engage with the wheel if you are making full contact with the previous grind. Its water with a little soluble oil.
Best,
Tom
A big THANK YOU for taking the time to share all your years of hard learned experience, you save the average home machinist countless hours of learning the hard way. AGAIN THANK YOU
Hi G,
Thanks for the nice comment. Its nice to hear folks appreciate the effort,
All the best,
Tom
Hey Tom another great Video, on making a chip breaker how about cutting it with a thin cut off wheel in die grinder, I find it's easier and creates a sharper edge for the chip breaker. The tool bit is held in the vice does not get hot and I have more control with a die grinder. Hal
Hi Jack,
You are right. I generally grind my chipbreakers on my Deckel. The small diameter fine diamond wheel is the killer tool. Not everybody has that so I did it the lowest equipment investment method. I'm glad I got the point across.
Best,
Tom
Hi Tyler,
Great question. First I would have ground the chip breaker differently for steel to make it stronger. For the same basic tool in steel I would have run it at 250-300 rpm and the heavier feed rate on the 1.5 (50mm) diameter.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Steve,
They are all interconnected. Surface speed, feed rate and tool geometry. Of all of the factors feed rate has the most effect on chip breaker performance.
Best,
Tom
Haven't finished watching this yet, but i thought id say that i normally skip honing stones and just give my tools a lick on the balder buffing wheel before I use them and it does essentially the same thing, leaves a nice finish at least with aluminum. Its something I started doing years back with wood carving chisels and the cutters I used on my old wood lathe and I've just carried the practice over in my shop for metal work.
And if you find yourself up in humboldt county sometime, stop by. Be cool to meet you and talk shop one of these days.
Hi Tom,
Low carbon steel and in particular hot rolled is difficult to get a really nice finish on. My advice is use a nose radius and take a depth of cut radially that is equal to the nose radius or greater as a minimum cut. The hard thing is to take a really light cut and get a super finish on hot rolled steel.
Regards,
Tom
This video explains the inconsistent finish quality. This is priceless for a beginner like me. Thank you so much.
Hi Jeffrey,
Glad you had some success. Thanks for the comment and participation.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Chris,
Another good point. In fact in this video I moved the leading cutting edge over after I ground the chip breaker. The wheels on my grinder have big corners so I was having a little trouble making a tight little chipbreaker. But I also really wanted to use the bench grinder and the lowest equipment investment tools.
Best,
Tom
I know this video has been up for a while and I have subscribed to your site for a while , but I have just come across it and it has filled in SO many missing links in my knowledge.
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos. They are so helpful to home machinists. A very helpful video, thank you
Hi Charles,
Glad you found something useful. This is all the stuff the books leave out. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Nice video. I am new to lathe/milling operations and it good to see the mechanics of tool development and the corresponding impact of speed and feed operation on the finished product. thank you!
Excellent description on grinding hss toolbits, I particularly like your comment at 13 min about wide range of angles that will work, I also like that you place the toolbit flat on the table and let the radius of the wheel produce the back rake, much easier to regrind when its time,
+Walter Maisey Hi Walter,
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Hal,
That's a good way to grind a small feature like a chipbreaker. I'm going to get a couple of finer harder wheels for my small bench grinder and get back in practice. Lawrence suggested a Dremel with a small cutoff wheel which I tried and it works well.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Annoy,
Not sure what you mean "away" from the edge. I push the tool in the direction that would make it cut. In other words the same direction the material would flow into the edge in question. Does that make sense? I think I might have said something like how you sharpen a knife in the video. I don't think it matters too much which is probably why I didn't blather on about it.
Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Tom
Hi Adam,
Can't wait to see your next video. You are so smooth on the lathe its a pleasure to watch.
Best,
Tom
I just ground a HSS tool today, and the finish in 1018 was rough. My feeds are limited on the old Logan. I didn't want to go to a tangential shear tool for finish. I'll go stone the new bit and try it again. Thanks TL!!!!
+stxrynn Hey Let us know how it works out. 1018 is a pain to get a super nice finish on sometimes. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Sharg,
I didn't take your comment in a negative way. You seem knowledgeable and experienced about metalworking and it shows. Thanks again for your comment that makes the channel content better.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Bill,
I generally keep my toolpost at 90 degrees to the axes for everything. It is probably a habit from using DRO's on lathes for so long where you might have to retain five or six tool offsets. Moving the post around all the time monkeys with keeping tools calibrated.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Sharg,
I showed and insert similar to what you mention in another video. Several viewers requested a video showing honing and preparation in more detail. I also like the diamond hones for touching up tools for the same reason you mention. I wanted to show the lowest level of tooling investment needed to make good cutting tools. Thanks for your comment.
Regards,
Tom
Thanks, I am not sure how to comment on your blog but that is one of the coolest lathes I've ever seen. Between its ergonomic three speed tail-stock and the infinitely variable rpm it is a well featured machine. You would be crazy not to be it home Tom.
Now THAT is a tool bit collection! The honing really makes a difference to the surface finish....
Just a few more of these videos and I should be capable of using my own hobby lathe :)
Tom
back watching some of your older videos. Good stuff geat demo, also interesting to see how you have devoliped as a presenter. still a joy. thanks really enjoy hearing your thought process. I always am interested in the why. not just push it up against the wheel.
thanks Will
Hi Will,
Thanks for the nice comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Fadt,
Most of the holders I've seen for inserts that have that much relief are flat also. That is horizontal to the machine center line. You could put some angle in the pocket to create some rake but I would not do it. If you get non flat top inserts that already have a positive geometry they may not perform at all. Stick with what the manufacturers are doing as they invest lots of time and money to get their tools to work. Hope that helps.
Regards,
Tom
Thanks Tom that makes sense with the DRO, I never have used one on a lathe.
I should have been more specific in my question, I was wondering about the tool rest on the grinder. Thanks, Bill.
Nice video. I hadn't planned to watch the whole thing, but you kept it interesting with the comparison of various tool geometries as well as feed rates and depth of cut. I liked your demonstration of the chip breaker groove. However, I think that makes the tool suitable only for turning, and you would need the groove on the other cutting edge for facing. I sometimes use diamond files to touch up my tool bits, particularly carbide, and I use a 5x binocular magnifier. Thanks for the tips.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the comment and compliment. Indeed you can face with this tool as well. It will perform better at turning for sure but it will face as well. I have several of the diamond honing files and love them. I just keep cleaning them and they just keep lasting forever.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi rhost,
The chip breaker does go all the way to the edge. Its rather large for fine depth of cuts so that is part of the reason it performed poorly on the light cuts. The feedrate was the variable with the most effect on the chips breaking with the setup I showed.
Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Tom
Thanks for the great tutorial! I use an EZE-LAP diamond stone to hone my high speed cutting bits after grinding. Additionally I polish (lap) them with various other tools to get a nice finish. Most of what I machine on my very small TOS tool makers lathe, is 303 stainless, and precious metals. I never had much need for a chip breaker, and I am going to give this a try the next time I need to grind a new cutting bit.
Hi Zews,
I like the diamond laps myself. I deliberately tried to keep the tool bit video as low a tool investment as possible. There are some wonderful diamond products out there at really reasonable prices. As you say everybody should have some diamond tooling in their box. I wonder what the chip breaker for gold and platinum look like. I'd be willing to run some tests for you.......
Cheers,
Tom
Great video Tom. I enjoyed the fact you showed how minor changes like honing can make amazing changes. I have discovered from using HSS inserts when the finish starts to get rough or erratic a quick pass on a vermiculite stone brings back the original performance. Keep up the great work
Thanks Scot
thanks for the simple to follow instructions Tom!
i learned the importance of a chipbreaker grind last year turning some 4140 when a nice long stringer caught me and split my knuckle to the bone.
this video will definitely help improve my work so thanks
Super great info. As a rookie, you took a lot of mystery out of tool bit sharpening. I have rarely honed. Can't believe the difference it makes. Will cutting steal have the same results? I usually cut hot rolled steal and am not often satisfied with the finish.
next video maybe a little blackboard theory? great info Tom. tkx,
.
Hey Tom I got my first lathe delivered yesterday a BV20-1L. I've never used a machine lathe before, just a little time on a wood lathe in 8th grade. The last week I've been watching your tool development 1-2 and 3. I got all HSS blanks with a sharp edge from the factory and after the first cut which was a little crappy I took it off, honed it and gave the front leading edge a little radius on the stone and what do you know, much better just like your video, but like you said we can still do better. That's buddy, saved me a lot of trouble from the first 2 minutes on the new machine.
ROCKMOREDESIGN Hi Rock,
Glad you liked that one. Congratulations on your new lathe. Its always fun to get a new machine tool. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom I have to bore a perfect 22mm hole in the side of a 30mm 6061 rod. The hole is to be used as a clamp to hold another 22mm tube. I bored a 21mm hole and found out quickly that an adjustable reamer is not designed to enlarge a hole, just smooth it out. My next move is to bore the 21mm hole and use a 22mm end mill mounted in my lathe chuck to enlarge the hole. I made a clamp with taped holes to attach my work piece to the saddle and move it into the drill. Worked perfect to bore the 21mm hole. The question is will it work to bore out the hole to 22mm with the end mill.. I Thanks for the advice, my HSS radius lathe tools work well already, but as you said we can do better. Here is the Facebook page with the 1st rough part.
facebook.com/mike.rockmore.3
Hi fgleich,
Another viewer suggested the very same idea. I tried it myself and it seems like a way to put in a very small narrow chipbreaker that would work well for light depth of cuts and slow feedrates. Thanks for the comment.
Regards,
Tom
Very informative. I feel It's one of those things that can be theorised reasonably easily but perfected via trial and error. I cant wait to try.
Oh, and to all the comments about the danger of hands in the chips, obviously he's been doing It for years and still has all his fingers. I'll be damn sure to stay away until I naturally feel attuned to my task just like any trade.
+Tristan Patterson Hi Tristan,
Thanks for the comment.
cheers,
Tom
Tristan Patterson
Thanks for the video. I’ve just started making my own HSS tools and I really enjoy it. I’m no good at it yet but I am having fun!
Hi Adam,
Thanks for the nice comment. I would really like to see you do a toolbit video also. In all the shops I worked in everybody had their own tricks for making good toolbits. I think you could do a great one and show some of the features you like to see in lathe tools. Yeah the Noga holder is working good. My camera is getting oily!
Regards,
Tom
GAAHHHH THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THE RIGHT AND LEFT IDENTIFICATION. IM KINDA NEW TO MACHINING AND JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST LATHE ABOUT A MONTH OR SO AGO AND HAVE BEEN REALLY CONFUSED ON WHY THEY CALL A TOOL THAT FACES LEFT A RIGHTY AND A RIGHT FACING TOOL A LEFTY.
Ok Tom, I started watching the video this morning when I was getting ready for work, but I had to wait untill my 13 hour work day was finished to finish watching the rest. Good info on the tool grinding and honing, I enjoyed it. I have to say, I was planning on making a similar video myself, and hope you dont mind if I do so some time later. BTW, I noticed that NOGA holder is helping you get more closer to the action!!
This is a great video and the first I have seen of yours. You have great camera angles and very good explanations of what you are doing and what you hope to accomplish. I am anxious to watch your other 95 videos and hope they are just as good. Nice work Tom!!!!
Cool video man! Really good idea of showing the differences between the stages of grinding/honing. This is an art form that few and fewer people seem to know these days so thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge, I will pass on what I have learned here today I promise, my apprentices will appreciate this, as do I :)
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi Fred,
I don't think I honed the top surface after the chipbreaker was put in. The reason is if that surface is honed after it can very easily be damaged since its a fine edge. I lead with the cutting edge as you say but many people go the opposite.
I bought the maps at a local voodoo shop. What city were you in again? Looks like I need to stick another couple of pins there.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Scot,
As you said once you have a good tool its pretty easy to maintain it with some light honing or built up edge removal. Thanks for the comment.
Best,
Tom
Homo Sapiens the tool maker. Watching you carefully make these tools from observational skills and long term experience I can't help but think about our Ice Age Ancestors (as modern as we and perhaps more intelligent, their brains were actually larger than ours today) sitting around the fire Flint Knapping a variety of specialized tools from the materials found in their environment, who's very lives and their families depended on their quality.
Hi Titus,
If you read about Ishi a California Indian they were able to study at close range. They noted he was very careful and meticulous when knapping and making tools and articles he depended on. I think you are right about their craftsmanship was more of life and death for them. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Very good video Tom; from your back catalog. All the tool angles are really confusing when starting out on the lathe. You took the edge of that with this video. Thanks. I noticed that your stone was pretty grimy. I was told that using oil on the stone transports all the metal particles away, and makes it easier to keep a "sharp" stone (or clean if you like).
Hi Arnljot,
I clean my stones pretty regularly normally. They pick up metal from stoning off large surfaces. I guess I showed this one in a loaded condition. I typically use the stones dry. There are two points of view on stone sharpening dry or wet. Both have merits depending on the type of stone and the sharpening goal. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Hi John,
Thanks for the kind words. Looking forward to the next project in your shop. Did you sort your camera issues?
Regards,
Tom
Great tool grinding techniques. I like how you presented your lesson. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Cutter,
Thanks for the comment and compliment.
Cheers,
Tom
Looking at the last part of the video, it looks like the reason the chip breaker isn't working is because the chips are never hitting it due to the relief angle on the front side of the blank. If you moved the chip breaker closer to the cutting edge it would work with less DOC.
Hi Rick,
Thanks for the swell comment. Its all in the results right? There are no prizes for talent just results.
Regards,
Tom
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for the comment. Now watch the video.
Best,
Tom
Thanks a lot. I am wondering how much time and materials nice people like you donate in making these videos.
I have been learning a lot about machining because of great people like you. Thanks a ton sir!!
Hi Yash,
Good questions. I spend around something like 20 hours per week to produce and post the video content I put up. As far as materials it depends on the subject matter. Most of the tools I already have but I do spend some on raw materials and consumables that adds up over a year. Thanks for asking a great question.
All the best,
Tom
Hi Tom!...all depends but for just a chip breaker the small cutoff wheel works great much more control in how you want it positioned etc...I do use small blue wheels too...
best made simple video on the subject.thanks. When you grind the chipbreaker, do you grind it all the way to the cutting edge (thus dramatically increasing the rake angle)? or do you leave a tiny flat at the cutting edge to prevent the cutting edge to keep the edge from dulling too fast? it was hard to see if there was a tiny little sharpie line left on the cutting edge.
Hi Zippy,
Thanks for the comment.
Regards,
Tom
Small lathe, but I am having trouble getting good finishes, mostly I think because of my tools. Also I would like to better understand the difference between roughing and finishing, both in terms of tool geometry and feeds and speeds. Thank you for this.
Hi Scott,
First off I can tell from your questions you need to buy the Southbend book "How to Run a Lathe" This book is a must have for anybody that has a lathe, period. They are readily available and cheap. So a couple of quick words on roughing and finishing. Remember these guidelines.
Rough ugly. Its to remove material quickly, nothing else. Feedrates from .015 down to .008.
Finishing is for size and finish. Sharp honed tools and feedrates from .005 down to .002 per rev or less on certain operations.
For a small lathe that is not rigid then lean toward the finishing side of things with sharper lower pressure tools.
Hope this helps.
All the best,
Tom
I like your angled toolholder shelf on top of the lathe.
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the comment. In one video I do a survey of it so you can see it a little closer.
Cheers,
Tom
Good video-- explains the missing info in sharpening. What is is the math for speed feed/ length of cut-- you keep referring to.
Hi Alex,
If it works then that's all that matters. Its more important to make good parts than to do everything by the book so to speak. You are probably correct that the cutting edge will not last as long but if the results are controllable and reproducible then who cares. The word on tool angles is there is a broad range of angles and geometries that will cut metal. Don't get hung up on the "book" I would suggest trying your coworkers deal yourself and making your own assessment.
Best,
Tom
Great video When i started turning i never found a good video like yours , the chip breaker maybe could be easy to made with a dremel or any other rotatory tool ,and a small cutting disc.
Hi Battle,
Harder grinding wheels work well for chipbreakers. My wheels were too soft for a small one. A dremel would also work well. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Great video Tom, you have sparked my interest and I'm going to have ago at grinding my tool bits now. Thanks John
Hey John,
Go for it. Its important to understand how tool geometry relates to the cutting action. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
Like the video. Informative. I think you might want to rethink the suggestion of grinding it "uphill" however due to the possibility of the hss becoming a projectile.
I am fascinated by the process of grinding one's own tools. It seems like an absolutely essential and entry-level skill for anyone who wants to get in to metal-work handicrafts on a lathe, especially as an amateur or hobbyist.
'thisoldtony' also has an excellent video on the same topic and when combined with this, slightly more in-depth study the two give a very comprehensive grounding on the techniques required.
One aspect that occurs to me is--don't the blocks of tool steel get hot while you are grinding them?
Tom that was really good I'm going to have to watch it again to catch all the info. The tool bits I've ground have been with smaller stock (1/4 inch) which makes it hard to see and get the geometry right. I'm going to see if I can get some larger tool bit stock to grind. Honing really seems to make a big difference too I'm going to try that as well. What angle is your tool rest at it looks like 90? Thanks again for the vid!
hi thanks for the vid -im struggling to get a mirror finish on aluminum on my old southbend 9 - possible my motor is worn? ive been trying using the back gear for more torque, tends to labor even on light cuts! really frustrating!
Tom could you share what grit you are using to hone and if the stone is something special or just a decent stone?
Loved the video and used the information just tonight and what a better cut!!
Thanks bunches
Keith
MrCrispin has a great tool sharpening video... he's a Rolls-Royce engineer.
Thank you for the video! I just discovered your channel last week or so. Great channel and I am enjoying your videos!!
Thank you for your video! Ive had a very difficult experience breaking chips with CNC turning internal diameter aluminum with vcgt inserts on a 4" long part to a tolerance of 0.0006". had to add 3 stops on 3 different boring bars to manually clear the chips cause it can make trouble with the ATC. wonder if there is a good solution to it? of course with this fine tolerance and long thin boring bar you cant push the part to break the chip and are left with long stringy chips. the ap is only about 0.01" on diameter for the finish cut. ive tried to decrease it to 0.004 and no luck there too (trying to make dust like and have coolant wash it off). would love to hear your take on this matter. thanks!
Hi Lawrence,
Thats a great idea! I'm going to try that out right away because I just picked up a nice corded Dremel for ten bucks. Thanks for the great idea. Do you just use the thin cutting discs or the diamond type?
Best,
Tom
good video! but i would like to add that the chip breaker can be done more precisely with a dremel tool ...
Looks like the chip breaker is directing the chip to fly over the chip breaker, missing the angle that is supposed to bend the chip till it breaks. Hard to see detail, have you ever tried polaroid sunglasses? That would give a cheap test. They can be miraculous in some instances. May need lens rotation depending on the light.
Hi EF,
I'm sure you will find some electrolytic honing method for your toolbits. Still waiting for your next video installment mate.
Regards,
Tom
This is a very neat demo. I just have one concern: At the end of the cut, the bit moves rapidly back along the surface, without retracting in the y-axis. By listening to the audio I can hear that it's scratching the workpiece during the retraction move, and that is probably spoiling the surface finish of the cut. It would be great to see the comparison without that happening.
Hey Jay,
Give me a time stamp where you think this is happening. I looked at a couple near the end and non of those were dragging on the Z retract. The cross feed is the x axis on the the lathe. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
oxtoolco
Oh yes you're right -- sorry, I meant x-axis. It happens once at 15:05, and to a lesser extent at 16:00 and 23:35. After honing the tool, when the feed rate was slow, it didn't happen nearly as much. For example it didn't seem to happen at all at 22:30, 25:00, and 26:38.
That said, I really appreciate you making this video, and I learned a lot about tool grinding -- never saw how to make a chip breaker before, and it was great to see what high-speed steel can do!
By the way, what model of lathe is this? It seems really nice.
oxtoolco
15:08
tom, if you use water instead of coolant when grinding, the wheel will not glaze over so bad. also try using a half inch sq. by four in. long medium India stone when honing. Use the stone like a file for better control . much easier.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the tips. The wheels on my bench grinder are pretty soft so I dress them frequently for shape as opposed to glazing. I cant remember which case it was in this video.
cheers,
Tom
Very useful video for someone who just got himself a small hobby lathe. Thanks.
I was thinking about using a angle grinder to cut the blanks. This will get you a flatter surface that you could sharpen on the bench grinder. But things can get rather hot with an angle grinder and I'm wondering if this will have a negative impact on the HSS steel. Any thought on that?
+U3erpru7ser Hi U3,
High heat will not cause any problems. High speed steel retains its hardness at red heat. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
thanx
Have to say I didn't watch the video yet. But love all the videos Tom. It's like taking metal shop in my own house. Can't beat that
Tom, I love all your videos. Can you comment on a finishing tool always shown in the old school books.l it looks like a square tool with rounded corners. LIke maximiizing the corner radius to a flat. They always seemed like you would be fighting chatter with them.
thanks for your time and knowledge you so freely give.
Hi John,
Thanks for the nice comment.
All the best,
Tom
thanks for video,, it's the best for study lathe machine.. how to get a smooth finish like your video?? what do you mean for "forage" and feedrate??
Hi Sofyanas,
Thanks for the comment. Feed rate is how much the tool advances per revolution on the spindle. I don't know what "Forage" is. Can you give me a time stamp in the video so I can understand what you mean.
Cheers,
Tom
How can I make a lathe tool for a smooth finish on steel or iron? Thank you so much!!!
Hi Dang,
The geometry shown in this video will work well for plain steel. Cast iron would have less rake angles particularly on the top. Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Tom
Thank you so much :):)
I enjoy your videos Tom, could you comment please on why you wouldn't choose to make a chip breaker with a Dremel cut off wheel thanks for the videos
Heya Tom! Thanks for the clear demonstrations of each step. One thing I'm running into when turning 6061 is welding, i.e. the aluminum begins to adhere to and build up on the cutting edge. Any tips on dealing with that?
Very good video. It helped me to understand the basics.
Hi HP,
Thanks for the comment. More toolbit stuff coming out soon. Stay tuned.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom I been watching your videos for some time now so I decided to subscribe what type of wheel should I use on my bench grinder for high speed steel also stone for honing tool bit I really enjoy your videos
I found this video very useful to me as a hoppy machinist, if you don't mind to show tips how to grind a tool to cut facing groove!!!!!
+Fawzi Alkhalifah Hi Fawzi,
Thanks for the comment. Face grooving tools are interesting to grind. Might be a good video.
Cheers,
Tom
+oxtoolco I'd also like to learn how to become a hoppy machinist, even though it does sound a little dangerous...I'll bet with a nice facing grooving tool you could make some serious bottle caps! ;)
I am finding some kind of lathe tools that make a smooth finish. Can you recommend some? Thank you so much!!
Hi Dang,
The video will show you how to make your own smooth cutting toolbits. Thanks for the comment.
Cheers,
Tom
I have watched a lot of video about large radius nose tools. They seem to work really good. Do you know what is the best large radius nose tool that give a very good finish? Thank you so much!!