Turning brass

[Gerald Shultz]

Has anyone ever turned brass rod before? Any advise helpful
Thanks
Jerry>

[mickey cassiba]

Yes sir I have, but not on a wood lathe...specific questions?

[Art Kelly]

I use brass compression nuts to make ferrules for small tools. Turn them down with a parting tool. See attachment.

I've turned some old bronze boat-propellor shafts--mostly faced them off or put a little tenon on them. Can't even remember why. I've never addressed any with a 1/2" bowl gouge.:eek:

191896

Brass will grab a cutting tool pretty easily. That's why machinists will take a slipstone and just hone off the very outer corner of the flutes on a drill bit. That bit is then said to be, "Broke for brass," and it behaves better when drilling. Doesn't bind. I imagine the same phenomenon could occur when using hand-held tools to cut brass on a wood lathe.

[Steve Vaughan]

Same here on turning ferrules for handles. Easy stuff.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jerry

yes, Medium to fast speed for size of part. Small scrapers work best. Slow going but it works. I turn tip for burner 'ala' Matthew Hill.

[Roger Wilson]

With brass don't you have to worry about brass curlies slicing up your hands?

[ray hampton]

I wrote a answer to this post but my answer seem to had vanish, whom do I blame, hackers or mine mouse/keyboard

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have and used my metal lathe carbide tool to cut it.

[Curt Fuller]

My wife has a friend that does scratch board art. I made these 'scratchers' for her using brass compression nuts as ferrules and on one I turned down a brass wood screw for the scratcher part. I used a Doug Thompson spindle gouge for most of the shaping. If I remember right it worked best with very light cuts and a fast speed. I shined them with graduating grades of sandpaper and finally white buffing compound on a paper towel.

191995