Oak sewing box

[Paul Engle]

Oak box is 5'' x7'' ( or there abouts) from glued up scrap. It was all end grain but turned ok. I used a 1/8'' x 7/16 x 7/16 carbide bit , comes from the factory with a #5 hole in it and a cup depression for the tool holder. The box was totally done except for the angle on the recess. I dont know if I will try on the lid or not. The bit mounting and other pics are on my personnal web site.I used the factory edge, there is no chip breaker on these so they shot off the bit willy nilly for sure, also is a still pic of it in action , hard to see but you will get the idea. I just plunged with the corner to start the cut and kept it square to the blank till it was all round then used as a shear scraper to clean up. No tear out was encountered except for the inside where the grain got crazy ... er . If anyone is intrested in carbide , give me a shout.
oh yea, the bit is mounted on a piece of 1/2 mild steel I found in a rusty pile of junk . I inserted it in pipe collet handle and carried on. I used a 4-40 filister machine ss screw to hold to the shank where I ground a flat spot.( lady ordered 7 of em for her family of ... get this .. 7 girls... all married with children, and I thought 4 girls and a boy was tough goin )
http://mysite.verizon.net/respwkup/stuff/

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[Bernie Weishapl]

Looking good Paul. Looks like you will be busy a day or two.

[Richard Madison]

All Right Paul! That's what I'm talking about (in a home made tool thread somewhere). Am interested in the 3/8" and/or 1/2" dia. round inserts. The Hunter tool folks apparently have them for about $22, but wonder if some "ordinary" pieces are out there for less $$. Perhaps you could liberate a few from your source? Just a thought.

[Wayne Bitting]

Rich - McMaster Carr has the carbide tips. I'm going to be using them to make some tools for when I do soap stone.

[Paul Engle]

Any machine tool supply company will have these bits Mcmaster Carr , Enco, OXARC , MEL BRAND, not sure about east coast but there has to be a ton of em out there. try googling " carbide" . the factories will give you the retailers names for those in your area.The round ones that I have tried need a better edge as they are cast powder. One may need to hand hone with a diamond stone to bring up the edge as a " purpose" power grinding setup is spendy...or design your own using silicon carbide points ( minature grinding wheels on 1/4'' shafts for grinding/touchup carbide bits)

[Richard Madison]

Thanks Wayne and Paul. Have a "fine" diamond hone, so should be easy to freshen the edges a bit. Maybe stick in a little jam chuck on the lathe and hone a "micro bevel".

[Jeffrey Fusaro]

end grain? and oak?

you must have a masochistic side. :p

i admire your effort.

i like the tool idea, too.

maybe you should try an industrial diamond insert/cutter...:p