Introduction and question

[Chris Struttman]

Hey folks,

I have been lurking for quite some time now and have just now decided to chime in. I want to start with saying thanks for all of the advice and information that you share on this forum. I have made great strides in my turning because of what I have read here.

I have been turning for about five months now on an old craftsman tube lathe. It was free and so far has been great to learn on. My dream machine is mustard color but that will have to wait for a while.

Now to my question. I would like to make some of my own tools like scrapers using HSS flat stock. However, I can't seem to find HSS flat stock. Any ideas where to find it? Can other metals be substituted? Maybe A2?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Chris.....I can't answer your question but.................


Welcome to the Creek! Wade right in the water's fine!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Hey Chris - like Ken - I can't answer your HSS question but wanted to jump in and Welcome you to the Creek!

I started out on a mono-tube Craftsman, circa 1954, and it is a great little lathe to learn on! Have fun and start posting with lots of pictures!!

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Well, now, you just come right in. Make yourself comfortable. As for hss, if available, just go to Harbor Freight and get a set of hss tools and start from there. True, they arent the fanciest, but they will do fine to practice sharpening on.that is my recommendation. Max

[joe greiner]

Grizzly and Enco have several shapes of HSS for DIY cutters and scrapers - square, round, and rectangular. Also HSS-cobalt, and also carbide. Usually sold as inserts for metal-cutting lathes. I've used the small square stock for making a couple Oland tools for deep hollowing. Search their sites (Google for links) for "HSS" and/or "boring bars."

And welcome aboard, Chris.

Joe

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Welcome to the Abyss Chris! I'll second what Joe said about Enco and Grizzly. It's good to have you with us. How about showing us some of your turnings, your shop, your lathe and so on. There is a saying here, " without pictures, it didn't happen.:)

[Terry Quiram]

Chris

Try this page from ENCO. Scroll down to Flat Stock.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INDRVSH

This is from MSC.
http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/GSDRVSM?PACACHE=000000027944933

This is from Travers.
https://www.travers.com/Default.asp

If you have someone in your area that does industrial grinding you might ask them if they have any stock on their scrap pile. I found some nice stuff in my area. The owner gave it to me. Said he was contributing to the arts.:D

Terry

[Randy Degen]

Take a look at www.onlinemetals.com (http://www.onlinemetals.com) they have A-2 Toolsteel in 18in lengths you would still have to get it heat treated after it has been machined. Randy

[Larry McCumber]

Hi Chris,
Packard Woodworks carries HSS boring bar cutters.
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SRCH&Store_Code=packard

If the link doesn't work, go to http://www.packardwoodworks.com and search for boring bar.

Craft Supplies carries the same type but in cobalt.
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com

Larry

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome to SMC Chris. You got the info I would have given you above. I made a couple of tools but I don't have the time to do many. If I did I would not get any turning done.

[Gordon Seto]

As far as I understand except for some already hardened tool bits, most longer HSS blanks sold are annealed. Heat treating HSS is not something for DIY low budget home shop.
The average per tool price for HF 8pc turning tool is only around $4. They are cheaper than buying tool steel. They are not ideal tool; use them for practice sharpening and converting them to special scrapers when you replace your frequently used tools with better tools.

Gordon

[Ernie Nyvall]

Don't know where you can get what you're looking for, but welcome.

[Mike Vickery]

You got good advice above, I have always got it from Enco. But just to add a little bit. For square or rectanglular pieces usually you find them by searching for "tool bits"

For round pieces search for "drill blanks" (note: not drill rod which is not hardened).

[Fred Conte]

Welcome Chris!

Goto www.speedymetals.com (http://www.speedymetals.com) and look under tool steel A-2

They come highly recommended by the homeshop machinists on the various metalworking forums I belong to.

They have a wide variety of shapes: rounds, squares, flats, etc. you can buy by the inch or pre-cut sizes.

I also purchased the HF HSS set for $37 and am modifying them for shapes I want to experiment with.

Good Luck!

Fred

[Chris Struttman]

Thanks for the replies folks.

I have looked at most of the links provided but still cannot find what I am looking for. I am trying to find 3/8" thick X 1.5" wide X 18" long to make a couple scrapers. McMaster Carr had something but at more than $250 it was a little steep. Is this what you would expect to pay for something like this? I can get a similar scraper from Sorby for about $115 but thought I might be able to make them for considerably less.

Any ideas?

[Mike Vickery]

Thanks for the replies folks.

I have looked at most of the links provided but still cannot find what I am looking for. I am trying to find 3/8" thick X 1.5" wide X 18" long to make a couple scrapers. McMaster Carr had something but at more than $250 it was a little steep. Is this what you would expect to pay for something like this? I can get a similar scraper from Sorby for about $115 but thought I might be able to make them for considerably less.

Any ideas?

None of the places I have looked have anything close to 18" long.
I would question why you need 18 inches? Even if you do need to go 18" deep only the tip would have to be HSS.

[Chris Struttman]

I really only need about 9 or 10 inches. However, the web sites that do have steel seem to sell them in 18" lengths so I thought I could get that and cut it in half and make two tools. Sorry if my requirements were misleading.

[Fred Conte]

This is what you are looking for...

http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-2989-7868-38-x-1-12-a-2-de-carb-free-tool-steel.aspx

Fred

[Mike Vickery]

Chris
Most of the rectangular hss bits I have seen are only 6 or 7 inches long.
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INLMK3?PMK0NO=845729
This is as close as I can find.

[Dick Strauss]

Chris,
FYI-The big 1.5" round nose scraper from Penn State (Benjamin's Best brand) is also 3/8" thick (if they are still making them to the same spec) and cost about $25.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/lx130.html

Another thing you can do is to silver braze a piece of HSS (like a planer/jointer knife) to the top or end of a piece of steel. A local machine shop should be able to help.

[Paul Engle]

Welcome Chris, yep try a machine shop supply company or even a machine shop , in your area, most have very large catalogs you can get and surf thru them, most online tool steel suppliers will have " Location near you " also. Planner blades make fair scrapers altho light as they are thin , easily sharpened and readly avail at tool stores . I use a 16" planner blade for a cut off tool as it is 3/32 thick works quite well .I think it is a Diston for a commerical planner. There is a lot of tool steel out there on the web also and shipping is not too bad for most of this stuff. If you have problems locating it PM me and I will be happy to help you out.