How To Grind A Hss Turning Tool

ch2co said:
Could you suggest a SFM for trepanning?
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In aluminum, nothing over 600 sfm. at large diameters, you are usually limited by machine rigidity and HP. another thing to note, is just like parting you need to feed fast enough to get a continuous cut, if you don't the tool flex and generate chatter.
 
The reason that I ask, is that my biggest problem when cutting with this tool is a continuous very high pitched squealing that drives me nuts even with my head phones (ear plugs) on. I would think that chatter is an intermittent but variable
speed interrupted event. ??
 
That continuous sound is probably rubbing, Chuck. I'm betting on the area right below the cutting edge doing the rubbing.
 
Great thread on how to grind HSS. I did this on my 1/4" HSS cutters for my lil sherline few months back. Used bench grinder at lower speed and generated a lot of heat but got basic shape needed and honed it on my wet stones (have few of those cuz mainly a woodworker and hone chisel and plane blades) I got a quick lesson on cutter angles and rake etc... the square tipped HSS cutter (trying to cut up to shoulders) and the little sherline quickly let me kno that much contact on the aluminum wasn't gunna work. I basically made a 1/4" wide parting tool/cutter wit bout 15deg rake on front face and tried to cut like do on my wood lathe. NOPE!

Really like the sander idea as I made a 2x72" belt sander for knife making but use it for lots things in my shop. Will try to post pic of it and my cutters.

I'm new to this forum and machining in general so need to learn cutter shape needs before I cut many more. Thanks
 
Hi all ,New member here and also new to the lathe hobby. I have a HF 7x10 I got from a friend at a great deal. I followed this thread and tried my hand at grinding some keystock to the tune of the first post. Came out fine on my second try. Did a few more for practice and now ready to try on some HSS I ordered.
Thanks to Mikey for making this easy to follow and a great tutorial.
The cutters I have are the inserts and the HF carbide on the red arms. I don't seem to get a nice finish cut on cold rolled steel. Its ok on aluminum which is easier to cut.
I did have a question though.
Why remove so much material on the first cut of the side? Is this for all around cutting or for specific materials?
Thanks again,
Solman
 
Mark, Thats a sweet sander you made . I have a Kalamazoo 1x42 which runs at half speed and I like it, but yours looks much better for knife making.
 
markrf555 said:
Great thread on how to grind HSS. I did this on my 1/4" HSS cutters for my lil sherline few months back. Used bench grinder at lower speed and generated a lot of heat but got basic shape needed and honed it on my wet stones (have few of those cuz mainly a woodworker and hone chisel and plane blades) I got a quick lesson on cutter angles and rake etc... the square tipped HSS cutter (trying to cut up to shoulders) and the little sherline quickly let me kno that much contact on the aluminum wasn't gunna work. I basically made a 1/4" wide parting tool/cutter wit bout 15deg rake on front face and tried to cut like do on my wood lathe. NOPE!

Really like the sander idea as I made a 2x72" belt sander for knife making but use it for lots things in my shop. Will try to post pic of it and my cutters.

I'm new to this forum and machining in general so need to learn cutter shape needs before I cut many more. Thanks
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Thanks, Mark, and welcome to the HM community! That grinder is going to make things a lot easier for you to grind good tools - it came out really nice!

The Sherline lathe is an excellent lathe. I love mine and use it a lot, despite having a much larger one in my shop. Like all small lathes, it is limited in its power, rigidity and speed, and the key to unlocking every bit of the potential in that lathe is your tooling. With the wrong tool or tool shape, the lathe will balk and fight you but with the right tool it will perform with great precision and will take cuts that will surprise you.

Spend some time grinding some tools from mild steel keystock until you are comfortable with grinding. Those practice tools won't hold an edge long but they will cut. When you feel that you have a handle on the material in the OP, try one in HSS. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what your little lathe can do. Show us your results if you've a mind to - I would be interested in seeing them.

Again, welcome to HM. This is a wonderful community and you'll learn a lot from the posts here. You'll learn even more by asking questions; there is no other forum that is as open and helpful to beginners than this one.
 
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