What are these chips telling me?

[Wino1442]

Hi all....I was wondering what a general opinion is about the chips in the photos and what they are telling me. Is my feed/speed correct or if the insert may be getting dull..etc. I know neither of the photos are nice "C's" or "6's".

My lathe is a Clausing 6304 which only provides 8 spindle speeds...the highest rpm being 1300(-ish)

The material is 1018 steel...the long spiral chips were made at 810 rpm, .030 depth of cut, and a feed rate of .004/rev
the short "curly" chips were made at 810 rpm, .030 depth of cut, " " " .002/rev.

Thanks

 

[Asm109]

What diameter is the stock you are turning?

Long pieces look like what I get when turning mild steel.

 

[SLK001]

Does your insert have a chipbreaker molded in it?

1018 can produce long and dangerous curls without a chipbreakder.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

the short and curly chips are generally more desirable, safety wise .

 

[pontiac428]

You have room to increase your feeds. The short chips are thin and might be from rubbing (you are using carbide, so you have to get the tool under the cut). The color on the left is not from the good kind of heat removal, it's from thin chips. The stringy ones are ok but a chip breaker will make life easier. It's mild steel, doesn't finish great but has a wide working envelope. Try with stainless and the chips will have a lot more to say.

 

[GeneT45]

A chipbreaker may not work at lower SFM. Unless this is a large diameter piece I'd say you're getting about what I'd expect from 1018.

GsT

 

[Wino1442]

Thanks for the response....I had forgot to list the diameter of the workpiece...it was 1/2"

 

[benmychree]

I would do a much deeper depth of cut if the job and machine allowed it, with that DOC it would be difficult to get the chips to break.