My New Lathe Tool - Thanks Paul Atkins!!

[John Keeton]

After seeing Paul's videos, and his home made tool he uses for beads, etc., I decided to try to make a similar tool. I bought some 3/4" square steel tubing, and acquired some old HSS planer blades from a creeker.

In the meantime, I inquired of Paul as to how his was made. Paul was gracious enough to send me pics of his tool, and many of his cutters that he has made. He has done a much cleaner job, and used a rectangular tube that appears to be about 3/4" wide, but not as thick. I think that is a better choice, but this one seems to work fine.

I soldered two 1/4 x 20 nuts on the surface, and then drilled through the top of the tubing. Then I tapped the tubing, using the nuts as a guide for the tap. Installed two 1" set screws, and shoved in my very roughly made beading cutter to try this thing out.
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It worked great, though as one one expect, any roughness in the cutter is transferred to the wood. This one was a trial run, and future ones will be done smoother. The walnut is a scrap of firewood, and had some practice cuts on it from when I first got my lathe a couple months ago.
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After noticing the roughness in some of the surface areas of the bead, I did not fully cut these beads. Making these cutters work efficiently will be trial and error for me, due to my lack of experience with lathe work generally.

While it needs improvement, I am happy with the result. I do want to learn tool technique and improve my skills with "normal" lathe tools, but I can see that when one needs to consistently duplicate beading and various other shapes for a set of legs, etc., this tool can make that happen easily.

Paul uses this tool in some of his videos, but I have encouraged him to do another video with emphasis on this tool, and some of his various cutters. Hopefully, he will find time to do that.

THANKS PAUL!!

[Steve Schlumpf]

John - that's pretty cool! Great job on making your tool! I can see where this could really help you out on table legs! Always enjoy it when folks make their own tools to fill a need! Thanks for sharing!

PS - your lathe skills are really coming along!

[Roger Wilson]

...and shoved in my very roughly made beading cutter to try this thing out...


So how did you make the beading cutter, how do you get the round concave shape. Most grinder wheels are flat. Does this require using round files ?

[Bill Bolen]

Looks like this turning thing has really sucked you in! I too love making my own tools and you did an excellent job here...Bill..

[John Keeton]

Roger, I think Paul has some stones/grinders that he uses in a Dremel. However, (and let me preface this with the disclaimer "don't try this at home!") I "gently" and between some plastic jaws covers in my shop vice, clamped my angle grinder and simply held the planer blade against it to work the profile.

It went pretty quickly. Files don't do very well on the HSS, although I was able to do a little touchup with a chainsaw file.

This cutter was actually made before I had the tubing, and before I had the pics Paul sent me. I actually cut the planer blade in half by notching on either side with the grinder and snapping it. Paul uses both ends for different shapes, and doesn't cut the blade - much better approach!

While I think I can now get a smoother edge since I know what I am after, the best way would be to use the Dremel approach - at least to smooth out the grind after getting the general shape.

[Jim Kountz]

Looks like its going to work out fine John. I havent been around much lately so I missed you getting a lathe. Are you having lots of fun with it yet??

[John Keeton]

Looks like this turning thing has really sucked you in!Bill, I am 3/4 of the way to completion of my current flat work project. I hope to have it done and in place before Christmas, and after the holidays spend some more time on the lathe.

I took a break this morning to finish up this tool and post the thread. Hopefully, after the holidays I will get back to the lathe - so much that I want to learn, just not enough time!!

Jim, saw your post after this post went up. I am enjoying the lathe, but I have only had time to do the legs for my current project - more later!!

[Curt Fuller]

John, I don't have a picture but I've seen some beading tools made from spade bits ground in the way you've described.

[phil harold]

is there a way to make the hss steel soft to shape it and then re-harden it?

[John Keeton]

is there a way to make the hss steel soft to shape it and then re-harden it?Phil, perhaps someone here might know the answer, but this is a perfect question for George Wilson who frequents the Neander forum. George is very familiar with metalurgical properties. I, on the other hand, know only how to destroy the temper in metals:eek:;) And, always when unintended!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

John,

You could expand on this tool making theme to make a scraper to make small knobs with also.

You think making table legs is tough. Wait until you try to make knobs.

[John Keeton]

Ken, there are actually several small scrapers I want to make for those little recesses that may otherwise prove tricky.

Thanks for the warning on the knobs!:eek: I am going to undertake turning the walnut ones for the table I have in progress right now. Hope to get to that next week sometime. At least when I screw up I have not wasted near as much wood!:D

[Rob Cunningham]

Nice job on toolmaking John.

Phil- in order to harden M2 tool steel, you need to heat it to @ 2175* F, let it soak at that temperature, then quench it properly. Not something you can do at home.

[mickey cassiba]

Thanks John, for posting, and Paul for the idea. I've got a lot of small pieces of M2 & M3 that will make neat little scrapers. Definitely have to watch the videos. I've been digging through the old posts, looking for tool ideas, for little money, but I completely overlooked Paul's videos. I will watch tonight, thouh.
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[Bernie Weishapl]

John great looking tool. Looks like it works really well.