Shop made lathe tools

[poolhound]

It seems like forever ago (it was) that I saw the carbide lathe tools that Bill (Buena Park) made. At the time I thought I have to make some of those. I found the wood for the handles and got hold of some bar stock. I got as far as cutting and gluing the handle blanks but then they sat around the shop gathering dust. I have been trying to set a new rule in the shop that I will not leave half finished projects lying around so I got all the bits together and finished them.

My metalworking is rather rudimentary and the epoxy could have been neater but I am very happy with the end result. The small ones are 18" long with 12" of handle using 3/8 bar stock. The big ones are 24" total length with 16" of handle using 1/2" bars.

I am dying to give them a try on something but should really wait at least 24 hrs for the epoxy to cure hard. I did sneak a few light passes and they seem to cut like butter :-)

[Slik Geek]

Nice job! You'll enjoy using those tools for a long time.

[Two Much]

Nice job... I wish I had such nice handles on some of my kitchen tools -- such as spatula handles,
my plastic handles are half melted.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Beautiful job on those Jon! Mine have been indispensible to me, as I'm sure you'll come to appreciate when you start using them. I'm presently working on a natural edge fluted vase, just today in fact, and used at least 4 different carbide tools in addition to standard gouges and scrapers. Let us know if they handle as nice as they look!

[poolhound]

Beautiful job on those Jon! Mine have been indispensible to me, as I'm sure you'll come to appreciate when you start using them. I'm presently working on a natural edge fluted vase, just today in fact, and used at least 4 different carbide tools in addition to standard gouges and scrapers. Let us know if they handle as nice as they look!

Thanks Bill. I used them this weekend and the rougher especially did great at hogging out rough forms. Still trying to figure the best way to use them for hollowing out bowls.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Only the flat round and the cupped round should be used for hollowing, in my opinion. The flat round can be used flat on the tool rest (scraping, on center or slightly above), or rotated for sheer scraping, ~45 degrees to the direction of rotation, or you may be flirting with a catastrophic catch. The cupped round is tricky - I only use mine in sheer cutting mode (not scraping). Although I still have a flat round on a round bar that I use on occasion, I made another tool on square stock to hold the flat round flat on the tool rest, this is the most useful for me for hollowing. For the cupped round, I modified my square bar by regrinding the tip to a 45deg compound angle, and I use it to do slight undercuts during hollowing. I used it on this vase, but its not shown in the vid. I'll have to take a picture of it tonight to show you how it looks on the end.

[poolhound]

I had mixed results with the flat round cutter it seemed OK when making initial plunge style cuts buts as I needed to refine the sidewall it did not seems as steady and I could not hog much out at a time. Not sure if that's due to the round bar. I decided to use that as I thought it would be easier when rotating for shearing cuts. I have a cupped cutter on the shorter smaller tool but on a square bar and havent tried that yet except for some finishing cuts on bowl exterior. Had not thought to use that for hollowing. Looks like I may have to make some larger heavier duty hollower. Although given how long it took me to make these that might be another 18 months :-(

Only the flat round and the cupped round should be used for hollowing, in my opinion. The flat round can be used flat on the tool rest (scraping, on center or slightly above), or rotated for sheer scraping, ~45 degrees to the direction of rotation, or you may be flirting with a catastrophic catch. The cupped round is tricky - I only use mine in sheer cutting mode (not scraping). Although I still have a flat round on a round bar that I use on occasion, I made another tool on square stock to hold the flat round flat on the tool rest, this is the most useful for me for hollowing. For the cupped round, I modified my square bar by regrinding the tip to a 45deg compound angle, and I use it to do slight undercuts during hollowing. I used it on this vase, but its not shown in the vid. I'll have to take a picture of it tonight to show you how it looks on the end.

[J.H.Smith]

good job, Jon !!
I am getting back into lathe work after a 20 year hiatus.
carbide cutters for wood is totally a new element for me and I've been
wrapping my head around how to make the cutters with a point fit into
the seat so they won't move. I like the idea of how you drilled a hole for
the point to rest in. my question is - do you notice any significant wiggle while using them ??
if you make more, what will you do for improvements ?




.

[leehljp]

Jon, I will give you and idea for two or three more tools. It never ends! I enjoy turning bowls but lately I have in mind some vases. They need longer bars. I bought me a set of HSS but would love to have a couple of long bared round carbide for hollowing deeper vases. I don't see doing any longer than 12 to 14 inches but still they need longer bars.

Just wanted to give you a good Christmas idea!

[Bill in Buena Park]

Hank, I like those articulating arm hollowers for 8 or more inches deep. I haven't made one yet, but it's on my to do list. I made a captive rest hollower from some 3/8" bar stock and a small carbide, and show the fabrication and use in the following videos:

https://youtu.be/Z6eSRXhu1Yg (Long hollowing tool)
https://youtu.be/AnrOCBecpQE (Captive tool rests)
https://youtu.be/WS1YgoiksDY (Hollowing a vase)

[poolhound]

good job, Jon !!
I am getting back into lathe work after a 20 year hiatus.
carbide cutters for wood is totally a new element for me and I've been
wrapping my head around how to make the cutters with a point fit into
the seat so they won't move. I like the idea of how you drilled a hole for
the point to rest in. my question is - do you notice any significant wiggle while using them ??
if you make more, what will you do for improvements ?




.

I have not noticed any wiggle in them. I am still not sure I like the diamond shaped cutters, they are more like a regular gouge but without the bevel. You are tempted to use like a gouge and I end up with more catches.

The only real do-over improvement I would make is to try to get the square cutters more square to the bar. One of mine is off slightly so I just need to angle the handle to make sure I get a straight cut,

[poolhound]

Hank, I like those articulating arm hollowers for 8 or more inches deep. I haven't made one yet, but it's on my to do list. I made a captive rest hollower from some 3/8" bar stock and a small carbide, and show the fabrication and use in the following videos:

https://youtu.be/Z6eSRXhu1Yg (Long hollowing tool)
https://youtu.be/AnrOCBecpQE (Captive tool rests)
https://youtu.be/WS1YgoiksDY (Hollowing a vase)

Bill, you should know that you are personally responsible for adding to my long list of projects :-)

It took me more than a year to finally make my carbide tools after originally seeing you do it. Now I guess I have to find time to make some tool rests and a hollowing tool. Dang you Bill Rockwood :-)

[Bill in Buena Park]

Jon, one rest I think you'll like with your square bar cutters is the flat "box" rest (called "box" rest due to usefulness in hollowing boxes), which gives you some reach into smaller openings and a flat surface on which to rest the bar securely and mitigate chatter due to vibration. Works well with traditional HSS scrapers as well, e.g. round nose and bedan-style. I used the bedan on this rest to make the small lidded box (not shown in the video) to cut the straight sides of the walls after rough hollowing.

Keep up the great work! Always happy to be the excuse for your tool acquisition and fabrication needs....