02-19-2012, 08:12 AM
Jerry,
With that much speed you can run either HSS or carbide, whichever makes the most sense for the application and your budget. Id the toolholder on your lathe one of the 4-way turret posts, a "lantern" (rocker style) post or a Quick Change Tool Post (QCTP)?
The single phase motors can sometimes restrict one from getting the very best finishes with the turning tools, but that can be overcome with a bit of emery cloth. For reasons that I suck at explaining, the phase does seem to impart wavy finishes, some sort of frequency resonance going on. I'm sure that someone more electrically knowledgeable than me can queue up that that one. It's cutting tools I best know.
Willie,
Materials from the metals suppliers' scrap bin is commonly referred to as "scrapbinium".
HSS tooling can usually take care of it at slower speeds and it's a really tough tool that can take some abuse and costs "fractions of pennies" per edge because you can resharpen them so many times. Carbide insert tooling can also take care of the material easily if you find a tougher grade that can take some abuse. Your machine would do well with screw-down positive rake inserts such as CCMT/CCGT or the less-common (read:often more expensive) WCMT/WCGT styles. The advantage to using those inserts is that once you get a holder with a couple of inserts and establish what works for you, it's such a pleasure to use. The right carbide (not $1.50 apiece Chinese "gold coated) inserts can last months per edge. When you do have to change them, the tool center height doesn't change and you can go right back to work.
Often the total time required to use and maintain HSS tooling is dismissed in favor of its extremely low cost. I can't argue that and won't. I'll just say unabashedly that I have a higher value on my limited time in the shop (and on this earth) to be spending much of it grinding tools as I did in the 1970's when I was in school for this trade. I have more FUN finding inserts that peel metal off at incredible rates and look no worse for the wear. Do what's right for your own shop, you own situation.
With that much speed you can run either HSS or carbide, whichever makes the most sense for the application and your budget. Id the toolholder on your lathe one of the 4-way turret posts, a "lantern" (rocker style) post or a Quick Change Tool Post (QCTP)?
The single phase motors can sometimes restrict one from getting the very best finishes with the turning tools, but that can be overcome with a bit of emery cloth. For reasons that I suck at explaining, the phase does seem to impart wavy finishes, some sort of frequency resonance going on. I'm sure that someone more electrically knowledgeable than me can queue up that that one. It's cutting tools I best know.
Willie,
Materials from the metals suppliers' scrap bin is commonly referred to as "scrapbinium".
HSS tooling can usually take care of it at slower speeds and it's a really tough tool that can take some abuse and costs "fractions of pennies" per edge because you can resharpen them so many times. Carbide insert tooling can also take care of the material easily if you find a tougher grade that can take some abuse. Your machine would do well with screw-down positive rake inserts such as CCMT/CCGT or the less-common (read:often more expensive) WCMT/WCGT styles. The advantage to using those inserts is that once you get a holder with a couple of inserts and establish what works for you, it's such a pleasure to use. The right carbide (not $1.50 apiece Chinese "gold coated) inserts can last months per edge. When you do have to change them, the tool center height doesn't change and you can go right back to work.
Often the total time required to use and maintain HSS tooling is dismissed in favor of its extremely low cost. I can't argue that and won't. I'll just say unabashedly that I have a higher value on my limited time in the shop (and on this earth) to be spending much of it grinding tools as I did in the 1970's when I was in school for this trade. I have more FUN finding inserts that peel metal off at incredible rates and look no worse for the wear. Do what's right for your own shop, you own situation.