Machining lathe tool on the shaper

[Martin W]

A few months ago I picked up for next to nothing a large high speed steel lathe tool. They looked like they were just roughed out and whoever had them would sharpen as needed. Must have been for a large lathe, they are 1-1/2”x1-1/2” x10”. Too big for my lathe, so I set them it up in the shaper and planed 0.250 off so I could get it on centre.
Sharpened it up and even on a small round it cuts like butter.
Cheers
Martin

 

[benmychree]

I would have to assume that it was still in the annealed condition on the shank, with the old forged tools, after forging to shape, the whole tool was not hardened, only the end doing the cutting. Are you sure it is HSS? The sparks would show relatively short red sparks, if high carbon tool steel the sparks would be white and long and branching.

 

[Martin W]

I just assumed it was high speed steel. It machined easily but as I got closer to the business end it was pretty hard.
Cheers
Martin

 

[Ulma Doctor]

it was very common to weld/braze HSS to low or medium carbon stock, not so long ago.
the shank needs no special properties.
just the business end needs to be harder than the material to be cut

 

[smfkt205sa]

Great use of existing tool. It is always good to see Shaper set ups, tooling and work being done with them. More photos please from those with Shapers. Attached photo is a 1-1/2 x 6 x 22 in. long bar being roughed out on my 24 in. G&E. The bar was a scrap yard find very pitted with some weld beads, and the Shaper plowed right through.