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Thread: Recomended Tooling for a Model A
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18th May 2017, 11:27 PM #1Intermediate Member
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Recomended Tooling for a Model A
I am finally trying to get my Hercus Model A Rebuild finished after 4 or so years waiting to get finished, joys of moving and building a house
As it had no cutting tools at all when I got it, I am after some advise on what I should be getting, will not be used a lot, mainly aluminium and plastic and some odd bits of steel et nothing commercial.
What type use and size is recommended, I have the original square tool block.
Thanks
Michael
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19th May 2017, 10:21 AM #2New Member
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Hi Michael,
I would just start with a piece of 3/8" square tool steel and some shim material i.e. scrap bits of metal sheet ~0.5 mm thick(to get the cutting edge on centre)
Put a rough grind on it (with some clearance grinds) and have some fun! You will soon get to refine your grinding. But I think it is a good way to learn!
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19th May 2017, 11:14 AM #3Member
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Hi Michael, it's a difficult question. I'm no expert, just a novice at best. A lot would depend on your experience I guess,tool steel comes in many sizes and is fairly cheap, but having said that it will depend on your grinding and tool shaping skills and of course the other thing is your eyes being good enough to see your finished product because the cutting edge needs to be sharp. I use a combination of tools, some tool steel some carbide inserts depending on the job and finish wanted. I've tried several tool holders and found the Lloris type (quick change tool post) to be best,they're strong ridged and easily adjusted. I guess one of the best tools available to novice uses is youtube, in short, so much out there from people who know who can give you a crash course.
cheers
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19th May 2017, 11:36 AM #4Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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To start with some 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" square HSS pieces and some 1/8 x 1/2" or similar as parting tools.
As SG says a quick change tool post and tool holders are extremely useful.
One of the most useful types of tool holders are known as diamond tool holders - these are brilliant and I use these for almost everything
Diamond Tool Holder
The Crobalt tool bits and the stepped parting blades from the same website are also extremely good. i.e. can tackle hard stuff and don't go blunt as quickly
If you are going to do hard stuff then carbide tipped tool holders and tips are useful.
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19th May 2017, 12:28 PM #5
I knew QCTP's would come up. Ask about tooling and you get advised to buy one.
I am not opposed to them, but they can add up to quite a bit of expense. I suggest you learn about tooling first and decide whether or not you want a QCTP later. The cost of a QCTP and holders can buy a lot of tooling. You will learn that a lot of things are required as you progress. Remember that unless you have holders for all of your generally used cutting tools etc the convnience of a QCTP is lost, and you will need more holders than you think. Buy your lathe tooling first then decide whether you have enough money left. You will have a better idea of the eventual cost. I don't have one and I doubt I ever will because the cost of the tool post and the holders I would need is way more than I would consider paying for what is just a convenience in my opinion, but I have a large lathe and a QCTP for that size is very expensive. I mark the shim height required, on every lathe tool so it is a quick task to grab the right shims and put them in. I have also made a centre height tool that sits on the compound next to the 4 way tool post. It has a sliding bar that rests on the cutting tool tip and gives an exact centre height reading via an indicator mounted on top.
I don't know much about Hercus lathes as I have never used one. I am more familiar with larger heavier machines, but if you are a beginner then the usual advice is to get some HSS and teach yourself to grind it into the shapes required. The Diamond Toolholder is quite a good tool with simple sharpening requirements, but unfortunately it is quite expensive.
YouTube is a great resource. One set of videos I remember is by Tubalcain. Start here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrDr4rYLiAk
He shows the process using a large piece of wood as a model so it is very easy to see the angles.
Dean
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20th May 2017, 03:52 PM #6Intermediate Member
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Thanks to all that replied,
The HSS looks like the best option, am happy to have a go at grinding the tools, I will not be doing a lot of work with the lathe so a quick change tool holder not required.
Don't expect to do much if any hard stuff either.
Now as for the Parting tool is it worth having a holder for the tool blade?
Thanks
Michael
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20th May 2017, 05:15 PM #7Most Valued Member
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Yes.
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20th May 2017, 08:46 PM #8New Member
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Or gind a parting off tool from a bit of square HSS...
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23rd May 2017, 05:51 PM #9Novice
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23rd May 2017, 07:35 PM #10Senior Member
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Mal has a couple of parting tool holders on AMH, the biggest thing with parting tools is that they need to be square to the job and your gib needs to be adjusted correctly with minimal back play as that is what will normally give you problems and cause the tool to move in and grab and that's when the job comes flying out and your toolsteel breaks, also parting still needs to be run at a reasonable speed, too slow and that can cause grabbing as well and a good amount of steady pressure when cutting and coolant always helps.
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24th May 2017, 07:21 PM #11Novice
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24th May 2017, 09:41 PM #12
Have a look on EBay. This will show you what is available. Most are insert type, but there are a few HSS versions shown. Not sure if insert type would be suitable.
Dean
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25th May 2017, 06:34 PM #13Senior Member
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I'm also a novice Hercus owner, and although I have a full set of Armstrong tool holders for use in the lantern post I ended up buying a chinese knock-off AXA quick change tool set and haven't looked back. Very rarely does it come off, not so much for its quick change ability but because I can set the tool height so rapidly and it allows me to get very close to the chuck. And its rock solid. I also use indexable carbide cutters mostly. I'm lazy so I don't grind HSS very often But in answer to the OP I reckon get some Armstrong tool holders, cheap and very functional.
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26th May 2017, 06:48 PM #14Most Valued Member
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I also fitted a AXA size QCTP to my Hercus 260. Best thing I ever did. The quick change parting tool holders set the parting blade at 7 degrees to horizontal making for much smoother parting. The blades are also thinner than the blades that fit in the Armstrong style holders which I reckon is better for the smallish Hercus lathe.
Chris
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16th Jun 2017, 10:42 PM #15Intermediate Member
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Thank you all for your comments and ideas.
For now I have got some HSS tools which I have started to grind, not that hard when you know what to do and there is some good sites on the net that have helped,
I especially liked the Tubalcain videos and have been slowly working my way through the list.
I have also purchased a cheap parting tool holder with HSS from Ebay that will get me started.
Longer term I may look at the quick change tool holder, more for the ability to set the hight easily than anything, just need to learn a lot more about the sizes and start using the lathe.
Tanks again
Michael
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