Shop made lathe tools

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  • poolhound
    Veteran Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 3195
    • Phoenix, AZ
    • BT3100

    Shop made lathe tools

    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 :-)



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    Jon

    Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
    ________________________________

    We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
    techzibits.com
  • Slik Geek
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2006
    • 669
    • Lake County, Illinois
    • Ryobi BT-3000

    #2
    Nice job! You'll enjoy using those tools for a long time.

    Comment

    • Two Much
      Established Member
      • Mar 2003
      • 365
      • Long Island, NY
      • (two) Ryobe BT-3's

      #3
      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.

      Comment

      • Bill in Buena Park
        Veteran Member
        • Nov 2007
        • 1865
        • Buena Park, CA
        • CM 21829

        #4
        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!
        Last edited by Bill in Buena Park; 09-30-2017, 11:54 PM.
        Bill in Buena Park

        Comment

        • poolhound
          Veteran Member
          • Mar 2006
          • 3195
          • Phoenix, AZ
          • BT3100

          #5
          Originally posted by 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!
          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.
          Jon

          Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
          ________________________________

          We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
          techzibits.com

          Comment

          • Bill in Buena Park
            Veteran Member
            • Nov 2007
            • 1865
            • Buena Park, CA
            • CM 21829

            #6
            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.
            Bill in Buena Park

            Comment

            • poolhound
              Veteran Member
              • Mar 2006
              • 3195
              • Phoenix, AZ
              • BT3100

              #7
              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 :-(


              Originally posted by 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.
              Jon

              Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
              ________________________________

              We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
              techzibits.com

              Comment

              • J.H.Smith
                SawdustZone Patron
                • Nov 2017
                • 36
                • Central Florida
                • vintage Sears 10" PROseries

                #8
                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 ?

                Click image for larger version

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                .

                Comment

                • leehljp
                  Just me
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 8429
                  • Tunica, MS
                  • BT3000/3100

                  #9
                  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!
                  Hank Lee

                  Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

                  Comment

                  • Bill in Buena Park
                    Veteran Member
                    • Nov 2007
                    • 1865
                    • Buena Park, CA
                    • CM 21829

                    #10
                    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 in Buena Park

                    Comment

                    • poolhound
                      Veteran Member
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 3195
                      • Phoenix, AZ
                      • BT3100

                      #11
                      Originally posted by 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 ?

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	image_23597.jpg
Views:	289
Size:	35.3 KB
ID:	832207


                      .
                      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,
                      Jon

                      Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
                      ________________________________

                      We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
                      techzibits.com

                      Comment

                      • poolhound
                        Veteran Member
                        • Mar 2006
                        • 3195
                        • Phoenix, AZ
                        • BT3100

                        #12
                        Originally posted by 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)
                        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 :-)

                        Jon

                        Phoenix AZ - It's a dry heat
                        ________________________________

                        We all make mistakes and I should know I've made enough of them
                        techzibits.com

                        Comment

                        • Bill in Buena Park
                          Veteran Member
                          • Nov 2007
                          • 1865
                          • Buena Park, CA
                          • CM 21829

                          #13
                          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....
                          Bill in Buena Park

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