Feeling a little restricted.

[Pete.]

Carbide tooling has come a long way in recent years. The old idea that you need a robust lathe to handle negative-rake loads is no longer true so don't let anyone tell you they are completely unsuitable. I do grind HSS tooling but if I have a suitable carbide tip I'll always use that first.

 

[Brad93]

Hss tooling will cover aluminium and steel nicely, you have a bench grinder so should be no problems. If you plan on turning some stainless carbide indexable tips is the way forward from my research. Do you have quick change tool post?

 

[WorkshopChris]

Looking good is that finish off the tool or have you polished.
Personally tipped tooling for stainless and HSS for mild and aluminium.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

I use tip tools for everything, works fine. I'll send you a piece of square stock, I want to see a turners cube in te next month from you

 

[Pete.]

I was going to say the finish looks like emery but didn't want to insult Richard

 

[Richard.]

Looking good is that finish off the tool or have you polished.
Personally tipped tooling for stainless and HSS for mild and aluminium.

They are both straight off the lathe.
I used this tool No polishing.

 

[armalites]

I've got an ML7 and it has got me out of trouble a few times. Like with welding the learning curve is knowing how far you can go in certain circumstances. I love watching Abom79 on youtube, very genuine guy who explains everything he does but his machine can trowel 5-10mm cuts off without blinking.

@richard I made a similar first piece when I got mine, I used 2 old caliper pistons and I fit was so good(pure luck) that you can drop one into the other and it slowly lowers as the air is dispersed. Like you I was very proud, it's still in the drawer 15 years later.

I've even managed to make some stainless caliper pistons but it takes so long it's not worth doing.

 

[Richard.]

I was going to say the finish looks like emery but didn't want to insult Richard

No insult there at all its a compliment that you guys think my finish is ok.

 

[Richard.]

I use tip tools for everything, works fine. I'll send you a piece of square stock, I want to see a turners cube in te next month from you

Ha. I don't even know what that is.

 

[WorkshopChris]

Looks like a nice lathe, you can normally get a good finish with Hss when your last cut is a spring pass going back over without increasing the depth of cut. Some tipped tooling like this others often cut poorly only giving a good finish on heavier cuts.
Sure you will spend many hours experimenting to see what combination works best with your setup .

edit :- another fan of Abom79 probably one of the best machinist on YouTube.

 

[Kram]

Where are pics of lathe ?

For aluminium, the high rake polished inserts will give a much better finish than anything.

 

[Richard.]

Where are pics of lathe ?

Lol

 

[Richard.]

The bits are scattered every where at the mo but I'll pic them up soon as I have questions about them too.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Ha. I don't even know what that is.

One of these little fellas

 

[Bill Edwards]

Ha. I don't even know what that is.

Well worth watching imo, see what can be achieved in a lathe!

 

[Richard.]

One of these little fellas

Oh yeah I saw that.
Yeah right...........
I'll make One tomorrow lol.

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Well worth watching imo, see what can be achieved in a lathe!

Exactly te video I went off to make mine!

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Oh yeah I saw that.
Yeah right...........
I'll make One tomorrow lol.

Suprisingly, once you get your head around the process it's not that difficult, just requires time and care. Teaches you a lot about ordering processes and imagining things in 3d

 

[Brad93]

That finish is lovely on those. Someone has really spent some money on that lathe, carbide toolholder, quick change toolpost there like you say all the bits and pieces. Have you got any spare toolholders or just the holders currently attached to the toolpost? Im sure you know how it works regarding setting your centre height for different tools so when you change them over youre bang on the money everytime?

 

[Brad93]

I assume youve got a boring bar as you turned down the inside of one of the tubes?

Cromwells do some lovely tools but aren't exactly the cheapest place.

You will want a parting off tool and holder.