Aluminum for homemade carbide handle??

[RegisG]

I have some interest in trying carbide cutters for pen making.
I ordered a square carbide bit to give it a try. I have plenty of aluminum stock (1/2" round & square) and no steel in the shop.
Does anyone know a reason to NOT use aluminum to hold the carbide? Then attach wood handle on that.

Is it perhaps an issue of threads holding up?
I have tooling to make either, I just hardly ever do anything in steel.

Thanks,
Regis

 

[Curly]

Unless the alloy is in the 7000 series it will be too soft and flexible. Even the 7000 series like 7075 or 7055, while approaching the strength of mild steel, is still marginal for a turning tool. If you want to make one to see if you like a carbide tool then go ahead. Steel though is still cheap especially if you are a good scrounge.

 

[joshua_luther77]

I just made two carbide tools from 1/2" solid square steel. I bought them at my local Ace hardware store for less than $10 each. They were 12" long. NV woodworks on YouTube mentioned to me that it is better to use square steel than round when making carbide tools so the tool doesn't rotate in you when you're cutting on the side of the cutter. I made them to look like lightsabers.

Here is a link to the video I made. https://youtu.be/AGxd8bi-usk

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[RegisG]

That's exactly what I'll do. There is even an ACE just down the street. Better than going downtown Nashville.

Like your turned wood grips too.
Thank you,
Regis

I just made two carbide tools from 1/2" solid square steel. I bought them at my local Ace hardware store for less than $10 each. They were 12" long. NV woodworks on YouTube mentioned to me that it is better to use square steel than round when making carbide tools so the tool doesn't rotate in you when you're cutting on the side of the cutter. I made them to look like lightsabers.

Here is a link to the video I made. https://youtu.be/AGxd8bi-usk

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

[Skie_M]

Yeah, aluminum is much too soft to take the kind of abuse the bit will put on those threads. You want some kind of steel ... cold rolled 1040 or so steel should be fine. (they call it "weldable" steel ... it's not galvanized or "hot dipped")

 

[joshua_luther77]

That's exactly what I'll do. There is even an ACE just down the street. Better than going downtown Nashville.

Like your turned wood grips too.
Thank you,
Regis

I just made two carbide tools from 1/2" solid square steel. I bought them at my local Ace hardware store for less than $10 each. They were 12" long. NV woodworks on YouTube mentioned to me that it is better to use square steel than round when making carbide tools so the tool doesn't rotate in you when you're cutting on the side of the cutter. I made them to look like lightsabers.

Here is a link to the video I made. https://youtu.be/AGxd8bi-usk

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

Thank you. Let us know how it turns out for you. Post some pictures here when you finish them.

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk

 

[More4dan]

Aluminum will also drag more along your tool rest vs steel. It will end up wearing a groove in your tool.


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[RegisG]

Bought the steel rods. I have some oak to turn for grips. Now waiting on bits to arrive in a couple weeks.

Then I'll post completed photos

Thanks for all the help,
Regis

 

[BeeAMaker]

I just made one last night during our maker meeting. This one holds the round bit, I made the one for square last week, posted here.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f45/who-needs-bridgeport-146218/

I'm using a Harbor Fright mill and 303 SS rod.
I'll post pictures of the round one later in the other thread I started. Real easy to do, the longest part for me was tapping the holes. I do it by hand so I take a little at a time - don't want to break the tap half way through (been there done that).

The round one cuts real nice, much like a bowl or fingernail gouge but better, I'll probably be using that one most often.