question about the metal part of making tools

[curtis rosche]

ok, so yesterday i made a new tool rest for my lathe, i took an old tire iron and made the bend square. and cut it to the right length. i stuck it in the fire to bend it. is there anything i should do to the metal to harden it or what ever to make it stronger? i heated it up and quenched it a couple times, but im not sure if that does anything or not. also. when i make my hollowing tools, should i just let the metal cool off after heating it, or do something to it?

also, Leo, can you tell me where or how you made the peice on your hollowing tool, that holds the bit?


one last thing, how much of a difference will there be if i use the files to make a tool bit versus buying a cobalt blank?

[Brian Brown]

Curtis,

I can't help you with the hardening of the steel. I know it involves quenching in oil, but as far as what oil, and temperatures for the right hardening, I have no iddea. As for the tool made from an old file, be careful. Because a file is used to cut metal, they are made very hard. Much harder than most hardend tools. Because of this, they are quite brittle, and can shatter when you get a catch, or put too much presure on them. Just think of the damage that flying shrapnel can do.

[David Walser]

Curtis,

If you're really interested in making your own tools out of metal, I suggest you get some additional reference materials. As Brian mentioned, using steel that has been improperly tempered for the task at hand can be very dangerous. There are lots of books on backyard blacksmithing. One I can recommend because I own it and have read it is Make Your Own Woodworking Tools: Metalwork Techniques to Create, Customize, and Sharpen in the Home Workshop by Mike Burton. Here's a link to the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1565233069

A couple of comments about the book: It's easy to read and covers making tools for turners and carvers. He discusses how to take "junkyard steel" and turn it into tools for your shop. He shows you how to get the job done with the minimum of equipment -- he won't tell you you need to spend thousands of dollars on a state-of-the-art furnace before you can get started. Of course, since there are hundreds of books that address these topics, there may well be a better one. I recommend this one not because it's the best one but because it's the only one I've read.

Good luck!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Curtis I can't make you a machinist from here, but you could have who knows what kind of steel there, so no advise on your toolrest, just one thing, if it is carbon steel you made hot and then quenched, all you did is make it hard and probably more brittle, you don't make steel stronger, just harder, you have to anneal it to make it less brittle and more tough.
I'll add 2 more pictures here Curtis, you should be able to understand what you have to do by looking at it.
As I said in the previous post, I cut a disk (from a 1" round shaft).
I drilled a hole through the disk to screw it to the tool shaft.
I also drilled a hole just slightly smaller than the tool bit, and hammered the bit through that hole, to have the toolbit fit in there tight, as it will make 4 grooves when you hammer the bit through, (use a brass hammer if you have)if it is too loose you can always glue it in or use a setscrew to hold it in place.
A good 3/16" or 1/4" cobalt bit will cost you about buck, so why screw around with a piece of file steel that will probably snap on you, and as it is carbon steel, the edges are probably blue by the time you have it to size and will not hold an edge anyway (exploding pieces send shrapnel flying, so don't use a hand grenade :rolleyes:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curtis don't take short cuts trying to make tools that if not done properly could cause severe injuries. You have gotten some good advice above and like was said take all your files and put them back in the drawer to be used as intended. Just be careful and make your tools right. The book David is talking about is excellent. My uncle has one that I have read and when I can use it for blacksmithing.

[curtis rosche]

thanks for the pics Leo, i just wanted to double check what it looked like. if i am really nice to my brother maybe he will CNC one of those for me.

thanks for the help guys. i will put the files back and hide them from the lathe once and for all

[Jeff Nicol]

Curtis, If you have a Harbor Frieght close buy this little package of HSS cutters is on sale right now. For less than $4 you can get it. I have 2 packages of them and they work great. As for the tool rest it does not have to be anything but a piece of pipe or rod or angle. You are overhinking the whole thing and not putting enough thought at the same time. I have never used heat to bend any of the tools I have made, if you use mild steel or even 304 stainless it bends pretty easy clamped in a vise and hammerd over rod or other pipe to get the arc you want. Leo did a nice job on how he mounts his cutters. I do it a bit easier as I take a washere and bend one side down and grind it of so it is a little less than the thickness of the cutter. Then take a bolt that you are going to thread into the shaft of the tool, put a smaller washer on top to put pressure on the cutter to hold in place and the bend in the washer keeps it from slipping out or twisting.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40641

Here is a pic of what I do, very simple and cheap! The cutter is one from the pack above.

Good luck and be careful!

Jeff

[curtis rosche]

jeff, do you use this for roughing out or finishing?

[curtis rosche]

i was thinking of a cutter from here
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/N2DRVSH?PACACHE=000000088362797

[Allen Neighbors]

Curtis, I buy Model #383-5216 1/4"x1/4"x2-1/2" cutters from USE-Enco.com. $2 and change, each.
They are HSS with 10% Cobalt, so it's not necessary to sharpen them as often.
They're like that cutter in Leo's post. You can get 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", and 3/8" from them, and their service is quick.
Just a suggestion.

[curtis rosche]

thanks allen

[Bob Hallowell]

Curtis, mscdirect is also a fine place to buy them from. I bought from the several times. same prices.

Bob

[curtis rosche]

i just remembered another cutting metal. Tantung. is that harder than cobalt?