What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel? *LINK*

DaveZ

>It's not HSS, but will probably work well for your scraper. Here's some properties


A2 info

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

Rick R. ,So Cal

>RP,

A2 is not a HSS, but properly hardened, it has better wear resistance than O1 (plain high carbon steel). Keep in mind that the bar stock available at Enco is annealed, and hardening A2 should really be left to pros that have the right equipment (two ovens, inert atmosphere to prevent de-carb). You could use O1 and harden it yourself, but a better bet for a heavy scraper is a HSS tool bit that you can buy at Enco. I used a 1/2" thick by 1-1/4 wide tool bit (about $15) to make a French curve internal bowl scraper.

Rick

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

RPE

>Thanks for your responses.

Rick, could you drop me an email, I'd like to ask how you attached a handle to the 7" bar you got from ENCO.

Thanks

RP

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

Rick R, So Cal

>RP,

I used a metal pipe for a handle, with a turned wooden plug to hold the toolbit.

The pipe is electrical conduit, 1-1/2" OD and 1-3/8" ID, about 20" long. The wooden plug is just a cylinder about 4" long, turned with a slight taper so that one end goes in the pipe easily while the other end requires a tight jam fit. The fat end has a slot 2" long x 1/2" wide to receive the tool bit. Insert the tool bit in the slot, jam the works into the pipe, and it's done.

Mine loosened up a little when the humidity dropped, so I shimmed the tool bit with some sandpaper and jammed it back in. Next time I would dry the wood in the oven first before turning the cylinder.

This tool was very quick to make, under an hour from inspiration to actually using the tool. It has become one of my favorite bowl turning tools- very stable due to the thickness of the blade, and the Enco bit takes an excellent edge. Let me know if any of the above is unclear.

Rick

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

adrien

>Rick, I'm missing something here. Is a high speed tool bit a round drill bit 1 1/4" in diameter that you ground flat?

Would you kindly indicate the specific name used by the Enco site?

TIA

Re: What is AISI Type A2 Steel?

Rick R, So Cal

>Adrien,

It's a rectangular tool bit 1/2" thick x 1-1/4" wide by 7" long, M2 HSS. Enco model #383-5774, $14.70. I can post a photo of the tool later tonight. It's ugly but works very well.

Rick

Heavy bowl scraper

Rick R. ,So Cal

>Here's a photo of my heavy-duty scraper made from an Enco 1/2" x 1-1/4" x 7" toolbit and a scrap piece of pipe. It ain't pretty but it works very well and it was cheap and easy to make. Overall length 25", with 20" x 1-1/2" OD handle. Cost to make was about $15 and an hour's time. It makes cleaning up bowl interiors so easy, it feels like cheating.

Rick