Turning Tools

Re: Turning Tools

Mike Brazeau

Handiest tool for metal work these days is an angle grinder with a cutoff disk.

what I might do

John K Jordan

Wow, thick stock! What kind of scraper will you make?

You don't provide much info - what kind of steel? I'm assuming it's either some kind of tool steel already hardened and annealed, or you plan to harden/anneal before use.

If it's not yet hardened, I'd probably mill the tang to 1/2" square then machine a 1/2" round cylinder on the end with the metal lathe. If already hardened, or if I didn't have machining capability, I'd square the tang with a bench grinder or an angle grinder with a coarse fiber-reinforced wheel, then grind round.

If the steel is not yet hardened, you can cut the tang to 1/2" square first with a metal-cutting bandsaw, sawzall, or plasma cutter. (I have all these and would pick the plasma cutter first). The plasma cutter will also work for hardened steel.

JKJ

JKJ,you have a plasma cutter, is ............

JamieDonaldson

....there anything you don't have handy? You have way more toys that the law allows!

Re: JKJ,you have a plasma cutter, is ............

John K Jordan

Hey, it's a dinky little plasma cutter! Well, it will cut 1/2" steel clean and 1" sloppy, but I don't have no big x-y table. I included a little weld room when I built my shop - so handy when things need a-fixin'.

That room is crowded, but I added double doors and a concrete outdoor work area for when the weather allows. Outfitted with TIG, MIG, and AC/DC arc welders, the plasma cutter, 20-ton hydraulic press, horizontal bandsaw, drill press, and more grinders and hand tools than probably legal in any state. The adjoining room has a milling machine or two, metal lathe, and tools for working on tractor and such. Making just this llama restraint chute saved enough money to pay for the plasma cutter and at least one welder!

In the shop I keep tools for hatching eggs, animal medical care and llama shearing, spinning wheels, an embroidery machine, stuff for electronics repair (oscilloscope, etc), photography, microscopes, and of course the odds and ends for wood sawmillin', lathe turnin', and some flat work when the need strikes. See, just a typical shop.

What I DON'T have is a kitchen or bathroom/shower in the shop. (Thinking of expanding though)

When you take a break, drive down this way for a visit - we have a guest room!

JKJ

Re: Turning Tools

Dick Coers

LOL, NOW you will find out why turning tools are pricey. Going to take some real time to put a good tang on 1/2" thick steel. As JKJ mentions, we can only guess until you tell us what and how hard the steel you have is. Hopefully it's not hardened all the way through. In my opinion, that 1/2" hole in the handle is way too small for that chunk of steel you are going to hang off it. I bought a thick and long scraper from Woodcraft decades ago. All it did was get me into trouble. You get the idea you can hang it way over the tool rest, and that's when the real trouble starts!!!!

Re: Turning Tools

Reed Gray

I have a video up on You Tube about the Big Ugly tool, and one about making handles for square tanged tools. Both should help. I don't care for the square stock though because it can leave you a bit high centered and off balance in any position other than flat on the tool rest, and I do shear angle cutting with all of my tools. I do have some of the tantung and silver solder ribbon. I was just up in Mt. Vernon demonstrating for their club last week..

robo hippy