High Speed Stell Question

Hello,

I'm just now entering the zone of woodturning. I have read several historical threads regarding starter sets, must haves, etc.

I have a question regarding turning tools. I am curious as to the nature of the recommendation for high speed steel. Everything I have ever done with woodworking on other power tools regards carbide as much better than high speed steel. (prime example router bits) My guess is that you are much more likely to sharpen and resharpen your turning tools many more times than you would router bits. Additionally, I am guessing that, because most woodworking tooling is only carbide-tipped, that you would go through tools too frequently. Would solide carbide tooling work well, assuming it wasn't way too costly? Does heat buildup also play a part?

Please advise. I fully believe that hss is the way to go. I am just trying to learn the why.

Thank you,

Eric in MN

Reply to
JAFO
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High Speed Steel. Sorry for the typo.

Reply to
JAFO

Another thought...

Rather than go with cheap HSS tools, get some hands-on help from someone who can help you select the right tools (you really don't need that many to start), teach you to grind them properly (with a jig) and teach you how to use them. You will save money, time, frustration and will not have to try to make an ill-ground, poorly balanced and poorly selected set of tools work. And you may not develop bad habits which you will have to break in the future.

Our AAW chapter offers a mentoring program and many of our members take advantage of it. The more experienced turners offer their services and the use of their shops for free. It is a win-win situation -- the student gets help and the teacher is forced to think about what he is doing and why.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Rubenstein

You are right in your guess that turning tools are resharpened more frequently than other tools, but missed the mark on carbide. AFAIK, there are no tungsten carbide turning tools, tipped or solid. >Some< of the materials you will find turning tools made of are - carbon steel, high speed steel, (in several grades), powdered metal tools, like ASP 2060 and ASP 2030, and a number of exotic alloys.

For wear-and tear, go with the alloys or powdered metals, for ultimate sharpness, the carbon steel, and for the best compromise, (IMO) go with a good grade of HSS. I would, however, recommend that you start out with an inexpensive set of HSS tools until you have gotten a handle on sharpening, just to avoide grinding away $$ unnecessarily.

YMMV

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Reply to
Chuck

can help you

That's fine, if you have that option. I didn't know any other turners when I started, and would have been delighted to have known about the Harbor Freight HSS tools.

Many people do quite well w/o a jig and can sharpen their tools scary sharp freehand (myself included).

selected set of

the future.

All great ideas, thoughts and goals, but if you live in an area (rural or urban) where you don't have those resources, you sometimes have to do the best you can with what you have at hand. In my case, I didn't have a single person to use for a reference, but managed to teach myself, with the help of some books, this newsgroup, lots and lots of practice and a pile of firewood.

I don't believe in discouraging anyone from learning any craft or skill until they can meet some specific criteria for learning it. A desire and ability to learn, the willingness to make some mistakes and keep persevering and the ability to procure some basic tools and references are frequently all that is necessary to learn a new skill, craft or trade.

So, while I agree that your lesson plan is a nice one, it is certainly not the only one.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Reply to
Chuck

Thanks everyone. The collective responses confirmed some of my suspicions as well as educated me on tooling options. I appreciate everyone's feedback. I decided so far to start with three Henry Taylor hss tools from Lee Valley that seemed to be on several people's recommendations. (In historic posts) I went with 3/8" Spindle Gouge, 3/4" Skew Gouge, and a 1/2" std Parting Tool. I'm wishlisting a

3/4" to 1" Roughing for future purchase.

Thanks again,

Eric

Reply to
JAFO

SNIP .......... ===================== Hi, The "conventional wisdom" about carbide is that it won't approach the sharpness of carbon or high speed steel. I wonder how much of that is still true with the newer, finer grain carbide formulations? I've been thinking about getting some "bits" that are used for boring bar applications in metalwork and trying them in Oland tool configuration. Has anyone done that recently, and, if so, what kind of results did you get? It seems like that would be ideal for hogging out bowls, or overall roughing applications, IF the initial edge could be obtained. Any thought on this??

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

Reply to
Ken Moon

The tooling I'm using is from a machinist up the way, and I use it in my Stewart and Sorby tools. As a scraper, properly oriented, it'll take wood out in hot transparent shavings. None of the pieces hang over more than about a half inch from the steel, so if it were brazed to steel at that exposure or less, might do.

I tune it up with a 400 diamond paddle,which is a lot finer than the 120 grit stone I use on my gouges. It'll be smoother, if not "sharper" in cutting, which depends on attack angle (according to me) more than smoothness of the edge, which others claim.

Reply to
George

Hi Ken

The real problem with the carbide is not that you can't get a fine sharp edge on it, but if you put a acute edge on, the carbide is so brittle that it just breaks off, it does not have the flex of steel, some off the hss has carbide in it for the wear resistance, but there is only so much they can put in there.

I have seen solid carbide end mills, the 1/4"X2" where approx. $20.- and the 1/2"X3" where approx. $50.-, (and that was some time ago) if you know a place that uses those, they probable have some worn out or broken ones lying around, you could try to use one of those in a boring bar, but if you don't have a green silicon carbide or diamond wheel to sharpen, your not going to be able to use them, and the silicon carbide wears fast, you can see it go down, the diamond is just expensive .

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Ken Mo> Hi,

Reply to
Leo Van Der Loo

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