Tool geometry for machining rubber

[Suzuki4evr]

Hi again

I know somewhere on this forum there has been referred to tool geomatry for machining rubber on the lathe,but I can't seem to find it,and I will keep looking,but in the meantime, can someone help me with this via pics or anything to point me in the right direction please?

Thank you.
Michael

 

[Martin W]

This link may help.
Martin

 

[MrWhoopee]

This is the best tool I've found for machining rubber on a lathe.

 

[RJSakowski]

Success in machining rubber depends greatly on the durometer of the rubber. A hard rubber like a hockey puck machines fairly well but softer rubbers are almost impossible to machine. Generally, the colder the rubber is, the easier it is to machine. Razor sharp tools with a high rake will help.

 

[Suzuki4evr]

This is the best tool I've found for machining rubber on a lathe.

View attachment 469137

Now this is funny and ironic. I must turn down a rubber contact wheel for a belt grinder.

 

[Suzuki4evr]

Success in machining rubber depends greatly on the durometer of the rubber. A hard rubber like a hockey puck machines fairly well but softer rubbers are almost impossible to machine. Generally, the colder the rubber is, the easier it is to machine. Razor sharp tools with a high rake will help.

I dont have it in hand now,but I think it is about 250mm diameter and it is something like a wheelbarrow wheel.

 

[whitmore]

Years ago, I machined a rubber friction element (from a turntable); it worked adequately, because the rubber
part was cemented to a metal hub, and I could dip it in liquid nitrogen then do a lathe pass before it warmed up.

 

[homebrewed]

Make a mold and cast it? You can get silicone rubber casting compound in a wide range of durometer values.

 

[benmychree]

This is the best tool I've found for machining rubber on a lathe.

View attachment 469137

I quite agree, grinding is the best way to deal with rubber, I have done it on a cylindrical grinder with coolant, it worked well, and also have done it in the lathe with tools that were shaped like a thin blunt knife, used inline with the axis, not radially. In grinding rubber, the wheel needs to be fairly coarse grit and dressed quite roughly.