My first "shop-made" lathe tool

[eyekode]

Thanks Ray this makes perfect sense and thanks for the details on the threads etc.
Salem

 

[scsmith42]

Ray, those really look nice! At twelve bucks a tool, you can't beat the cost, either. I opted for the "burn in" method myself, but it required epoxy between the tool shank and the handle as the hole wasn't as tight as I'd like.

That Charlie sure is an enabler, ain't he.....

Charlie, good point re the round cutter; I'll add that to the list. I might try making a skew and gouge next, since I have some HSS in stock. Just a tad bit more challenging than the carbide insert route though.

 

[CatButler]

I love this. I'm getting ready to make an Enco order for the treadle lathe anyway, and I'm going to me needing some lathe tools in the future, so why not throw in a few extra bits and some square bar stock. I need to try this. I can see my wife shaking her head already.

 

[wrwilder]

Scott, thanks for the kind words.

All the kudos go to Charlie and yes he is quite an enabler. Without him asking me why I didn't build my own lathe tools I would have probably bought them. I never really considered the "build-it-yourself" option. He guided me through building the first one on his lathe and then I finished building the rest on my lathe using the first tool we built.

So now I'm off and running with a great set of tools.

THANKS CHARLIE. Couldn't or wouldn't have done it without your help.

 

[Charlie]

Thanks Ray, it was my pleasure.

 

[Nate Davey]

Nicely done Scott. Looks like you've got it figured out. Now, bannisters for three flights of stairs.

 

[manfre]

After having way too many end grain catches destroy small pieces, I'm sold on this style of tool. I'm having a hard time justifying the retail price and it seems relatively easy to make.

Attaching the bar to the handle already has a few good solutions mentioned above, but I'm curious what tools you used to notch the end to fit the cutter. Ideally, this would be done with a mill, but I no longer have access to one.

To those that bought the Easy tool cutters, which ones did you buy and what are their dimensions? I'm trying to figure out if I could put an appropriate sized endmill on my drill press and bore down in such a way as to allow indexing with both the square and circle cutters.

 

[scsmith42]

but I'm curious what tools you used to notch the end to fit the cutter. Ideally, this would be done with a mill, but I no longer have access to one.

Michael, although I used a Milwaukee Porta-band bandsaw, cutting the notch for a square curter can easily be accomplished with a plain old hacksaw and a vise.

The shank does not need to be a high strength steel; I made mine from plain old A36 square stock, so it cuts fairly easily.

For a rounded cutter, I would use an end-mill in my vertical milling machine to make the cut.

 

[Rob]

I bought the easy rougher, and finisher, sold the rougher, didn't like it, but use the finisher to clean up tool marks.

 

[wrwilder]

Scott's response about using a hacksaw will certainly work. I actually used a file to get the shape I wanted. The bar stock is soft enough that it really didn't take that long to file in down to the shape I wanted. I also shaped the stock under the cutter.

Give a shot to making the tools, you really have a greater appreciation for using them later.

 

[Tommy Smith]

Man, what a good job. Its inspiring to see all the home made tools and such on this site. So far all I'v used on my turnings were the EWT's and a couple of scrapers. Using a diamond sharpener puts the edge right back on the carbide cutters so you can use them couple of times over before replacing.

 

[ck1999]

Where is the best place to get the inserts?

Would these work
http://www.victornet.com/cgi-bin/victor/alphabetic/Inserts-Carbide-Square/127.html

the SNMG style about half way down the page. What would be the difference in a metal lathe insert and one for wood?

Chris

 

[NCTurner]

Where is the best place to get the inserts?

Would these work
http://www.victornet.com/cgi-bin/victor/alphabetic/Inserts-Carbide-Square/127.html

the SNMG style about half way down the page. What would be the difference in a metal lathe insert and one for wood?

Chris

http://www.carbidedepot.com/wood-turning.htm

 

[Tommy Smith]

http://globaltooling.bizhosting.com/products/carbide-insert-knives.html#ick151525byrd

Half way down the page, the square ones.

 

[manfre]

How well do the planer inserts work for turning? It seems that they are designed more for a shearing cut in the horizontal plane and don't have as much support under the cutting edge.

 

[Grumpybear]

Ray, what are the shaft sizes? Where did you get the cutters? I sent you a PM, but others probably are interested in the same thing.

 

[wrwilder]

Gary, the larger tools are 1/2 inch shafts and the mini tools have a 3/8 inch shaft.

 

[Grumpybear]

Good morning! Charlie, where did you get the round cutter and have you found a source for a triangular cutter...the ez brand is expensive! Gary

 

[CatButler]

To anyone in the Cary area who wants to do this, I ordered some 3/8" square steel bar from Enco before I figured that this is probably not the way to go for me. If anyone is interested, PM me.

 

[Charlie]

Grumpybear, I got my round cutter from EZ. You can also get them at Woodcraft, etc. They are costly but you only need one. I have turned 80+ bowls/vases in 2 years and I'm am still using the same round cutter. I hone it on a diamond stone occasionally. I puchase the square and radius cutters from Global Tooling for less than $2 each, so I just dispose them. I have purchased the square stock from Fastenal,. but it is available at Lowes, etc. I plan to make a triangle cutter and I will get the cutter from Woodcraft.