A friend gave me several metal lathe bits (if that's what they are called). They range in length from 2 to 4 inches and 1/4 to 1/2 inches wide. Can these be used for wood turning? I was thinking of welding them to a longer piece of steel and grinding it smooth to slide on the rest. Most of them are square ended, but a couple have hardened rounded tips. Any ideas on shaping or uses would be appreciated. Rick
metal turning bits for wood?
Feb 18, 2004
3 Replies
Nope- useless for wood. can't be done, dangerous- causes hair loss, bad breath and flatulence. Send them to me and I'll "take care of them" for ya.
Instead of welding, you can make a "housing" for them from bar or round stock. I think Owen or Darrel have home-made tools similar to this. Check their websites for info- I can't find the links in my mass of bookmarks. You also might want to look at the tool heads for some of the hollowing tools with interchangeable tips- the metal cutters might work the same way.
/vic
Rick, The two bits with hard tips are probably carbide and are brittle, hard to sharpen and don't produce a sharp edge. There are "myriads" of tools made from the plain bits, but welding or brazing them is tricky. I think most are inserted into a hole into the end of a shaft of round or square steel either at an angle or straight in. They are fixed with glue or a set screw. An appropriate wooden handle can be turned. Look in woodturning catalogs and study the many websites for details. Our own Darrell Feltmate's is one of the best. Good luck, Arch
Fortiter,
John Try my web site under "Make a tool"
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