Shop made Carbide tipped turning tools - FORE!

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randyrls

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Feb 2, 2006
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Harrisburg, PA 17112
These are two turning tools I made for myself and a friend in our turning club. They are 5/8" x 18" hexagonal stock. I turned the shaft portion of the

The tools are very handy on wood and will remove wood almost too fast!

On acrylics I found them "grabby" and prone to create chip-out. I have more stock and more grips. I think a round one is in the future.

AND; YES those are golf grips used as handles. :biggrin::biggrin: FORE!





"I think that was a slice!" :biggrin:

(Insert your own Golf jokes here!)
 
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wood-of-1kind

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Jul 10, 2005
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Toronto, ON, Canada
On acrylics I found them "grabby" and prone to create chip-out. I have more stock and more grips. I think a round one is in the future.
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As someone who makes and sells carbide tools (professionally), the ROUND carbide inserts will certainly be better matched with acrylic blanks. Less of an opportunity to 'catch' with a round as opposed to 'square' inserts. Very nice tool that you have created.:)
 

soligen

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May 11, 2010
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Sterling Heights, Michigan
I suggest the R2 cutter on plastics. Works great for me - so well that I start sanding my homebrew PR blanks with 1000 grit. But, I never got the knack for roughing with the carbide cutter. I rough plastics with a skew using a planing cut, which helps prevent the chipping.
 

homemade

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May 31, 2011
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Huntsville, AL
I have been using a roughing gouge to turn the bulk off my PR and turn to my rounded skew for detail. But at a club meeting this past Saturday, I had the opportunity to use one of your carbide tools. I stood the blade up at around 60 degrees and sliced the PR off into fine ribbons. It didn't grab for me and I could see where the corner would grab. I may look into getting one with the R2 insert.
 

Brooks803

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Sep 13, 2009
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Aiken, South Carolina
I love the hex bar of my carbide tool. I regularly put it on its side and run it like a skew.

+1 I have the same tool as Hans and to be able to lay it at an angle like a skew with a SOLID base is absolutely a dream to use. I have the same cutter head on mine and use it one everything I turn. It takes a little getting used to for acrylics but I wouldn't change it for anything else.
 

randyrls

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Feb 2, 2006
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Location
Harrisburg, PA 17112
That's just about awesome. Where did you buy the hexagonal stock?

Steve; Online Metals or Metal Express will have 1018 or 12L14 hex stock in several sizes. You can also get it on Ebay. Try for a local supplier as the shipping tends to be more expensive than the metal.

The hex is 18" long and the 5/8" measurement is from flat to flat. I turned the handle end round to about .525" to fit the grip I had. I have a 9x20 metal lathe and you need to be able to insert the hex stock thru the headstock hole.
 
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