Parting is no longer such sweet sorrow.

savarin

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Aug 22, 2012
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I have just tried out a "T" shaped parting blade of 1.6mm width on my 9x20 lathe, QCTP and a plinth not the compound slide.
Admittedly it was on cast aluminium about 2+ inches in dia but the ease and speed it went through was like a hot knife through butter.
You can see how much hang out I had on the blade and there was no chatter. I didnt even hone the edge, its just as I received it.
I am so impressed at its ease of use that I just have to say if youve never used one try it.
This is just as it parted, I started dry, the black marks are from when I decided to try a bit of wd40 then I finished dry.
IMG_4089.jpg
 
Can we have a bit more info, I am not familiar with this tool.

Thanks
Rich
 
T type parting blades are definitely superior to the regular tapered type! I have been using them for over 50 years; they have much less tendency to drag than the tapered type, which is the undoing of many attempts to part off. An old friend and mentor (30 or so years older than I ) told me back in the day, that threading was usually the hardest thing for the beginner to master, and parting a second; he qualified it, saying that threading got better with experience, but parting, never did. Perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration but there is a ring of reality to it. I think the biggest improvement in my success in parting over the years was when I bought an Aloris set of QC tools for my (then) 16' swing American High Duty lathe of 1916 vintage; it made a world of difference and partially paid for itself in fewer broken blades. Prior to this I used Armstrong holders in the typical lantern holder with wedge and ring; the tool would hang up, the wedge would slip back in the ring, causing the tool to go more sideways and break; I improved that situation by making a solid ring the proper thickness to bring to tool right on center, and that helped lots, but the ridigity of the QC holder made even more improvement; I later sold the lathe, kept the QC set, and am still using it on my 19" Regal Leblond (and breaking even fewer blades!
 
savarin, did you get the FoR tool holder as well? You mentioned you used the 1.6mm blade, did you order other sizes for different materials, or do you think the 1.6 is generally good for most stuff?
 
savarin, did you get the FoR tool holder as well? You mentioned you used the 1.6mm blade, did you order other sizes for different materials, or do you think the 1.6 is generally good for most stuff?
No, as to your second question I have no idea. So far its worked on that chunk of aluminium and some 16mm stainless. With the stainless it started to chatter but as soon as I applied feed pressure the chips came off in smooth tight curls.
I used minimum stick out with the stainless.
 
I did some looking after savarin posted here, I am frustrated by the results I have been getting, so naturally anyone claiming to have some success is going to get my attention.
I found other sources for the blades, they seem to be in the 18.00 range for 11/16" x 4" 3/32"; 1/8" a few dollars more. I assume any t blade is the same as these?

Not looking to buy into any new systems right now, will the t blades work in my standard cutoff holder that comes with my Lathe? Do I need to modify anything?

I'm willing to buy a couple blades to see what they can do for me. I use mostly steel 1018, 1045 mostly. Lots of mystery metal.

Thanks
Rich
 
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