lathe bits

[naughtyboy]

now im getting more into/confident using lathe am looking at what accesories i will need for it.
swmbo as said make birthday list so decided i want quick change tool post.
some decent indexable holders and tips.

what other bits should i be looking at?
its the clarke cl430 but am taking advice you good people have already given and am treating it as learning tool before getting better one.

on that not anyone got experience of the sieg super c6 from arceurotrade?

cheers

 

[FranV8]

I've got some cheap (and small) indexable bits I think from RDG tools, set of 5 or 6 for under £30. You stepup quite quickly in cost after this.

What sort of things have you made? How do you get on wwith the Clarke, look like a reasonable size machine for the money. People seem to not rate the mill version but it sounds like that is all down to the milling side.

On the subject of which, if the lathe is mostly okay, how about a mill on the wishlist. But kiss goodbye to another entry into a four figure investment once both the machine and tooling are bought...

 

[naughtyboy]

im not getting on to bad made few bits inc some bushes for my bike frame building jig. cant seem to get finish as good as id like few people have said some good quality cutters will help with that.
below is couple of pics of bits ive made
first is the bushes one of them as bit of damage on but leaving to remind me to be more careful and make sure chuck is tight
other is drilling jig for bike axles
third is chuck arbour i turned taper off to hold smaller chuck in my big drill press

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

Another good thing you can do is to make some brazed tip tooling. Go to any machine shop and ask for a handful of used carbide inserts. You can make some nice tooling from them, we have a tin bucket that is well over half full of carbide inserts. Cant have been emptied for 20 years. I can sort you some out if required.

My grandad bought a boring bar from RDG and it is flimsy as hell, squeals and chatters like a pig.

 

[FranV8]

If the point you're trying to make is that all their stuff is rubbish then go ahead. I've had plenty of good small tooling items, I can't remember but my boring head may have come from them, and it took plenty of abuse.

I've only just broken my first 12mm end mill from them, after I hadn't secured the work well enough, not bothered as I'd had my money's worth.

 

[T0rnado69]

hi all.

i also have the cl430 and i got all the accesories you can get for it from clarke.

well best too when its a vat free day

i got a Clamp Type Knurling Tool with fine, med and course Knurls and
parting tool complete with three HSS parting blades kit

got that either from RDG or chronos.

found that comes in handly... and the quick change toolpost.
trouble is the spare holders are £11 each.
works out expensive if you want a fair few of them.

though wouldnt be too much to make a few of them on a mill.

 

[aametalmaster]

I have found in my 40 years of lathe running that there is not just one turning tool. I have pound boxes full of carbide and hundreds of HSS ground to shape tools plus a box of broken HSS threading taps to be cut as needed for grooving tools. Seems like every job i get in is special so i need to fab a bit for it.
Some projects i have done...Bob

First pic lathe inside threading tool from an HSS bit.
Second pic HSS bit for OD threading.
Third pic boring a face with a carbide boring bar.
Forth pic home built boring bar with HSS bit.
Fifth pic the same boring bar with an inside threading bit.
Sixth pic carbide insert turning tool used as a boring bar.
Seventh pic HSS grooving tool.
Eight pic carbide boring bar.

 

[Lawnmowerboy]

If the point you're trying to make is that all their stuff is rubbish then go ahead. I've had plenty of good small tooling items, I can't remember but my boring head may have come from them, and it took plenty of abuse.

I've only just broken my first 12mm end mill from them, after I hadn't secured the work well enough, not bothered as I'd had my money's worth.

I'm not saying it's all crap, Just giving my personal experience on something we've had from them, same as revewing a car or laptop.

 

[FranV8]

Fair enough, I was probably being a bit over sensitive when I replied, so apologies for that.

Bob, my boring head looks identical to yours. Those jobs look interesting, I was enjoying trying to guess what all the parts being made were! Is one of them a faceplate?

**********, looking good! How did you index the holes for the drilling template?

 

[hareng]

Your generally ok if buying tools that are made in china where any company can put their name on, ie the boring head and rotary tables etc.

Their own brand cutting tools I wouldn't waste my money. If anyone wants some pm me have a boxed interchangeable tip set useless. Same with many other places inc machine mart, even J&L dear own brand flex like no tomorrow.

Turning tools you will be better off waiting for them to crop up s/h on ebay along the lines of Sandvic, Kennametal, Arno, Manchester, Iscar, Seco, Ceratizit.
Or best grade HSS cobalt.

 

[naughtyboy]

fran v8 just used old bike hub, transfer punched through then drilled it.

 

[aametalmaster]

Bob, my boring head looks identical to yours. Those jobs look interesting, I was enjoying trying to guess what all the parts being made were! Is one of them a faceplate?

Yes pics 4 and 5 are a faceplate being made. 1, 2 & 3 are for repair of an old tractor carb. 6 is a bearing seperator used in my shop press. 7 is a pulley. 8 is a part for a Kubota backhoe...Bob