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yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166
Posted: 03:02pm 27 Nov 2011
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Hi bob
No, they wont be cheap and probably will snap the blades off like carrots.
The best tool I ever had was a large piece of tungsten shaped like a half moon or a woodruff key. I brazed it to a large hex boring bar, used it for removing bulk material inside and out. just sweat it off with the oxy to sharpen it then stick it back on with a piece of sandwich braze sheet. Like rastus says for general machining you cant beat the higher grade of HSS and a quality shaping wheel. Some homemade angle templates for the grinding wheel are handy, a tool with good clean angles will do a lot of work before it needs resharpening.
yahoo I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...
Rastus Guru Joined: 29/10/2010 Location: AustraliaPosts: 301
Posted: 10:46am 28 Nov 2011
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Hi Bob,
The toolpost grinder sounds ideal for the job and yes,you read my mind with the cross slide.I'm getting to the stage I don't say what I mean,and don't mean what I say Fortunately I have a younger brother who is a fitter & turner,the only snag is he lives 240 miles away.It seems Yahoo can easily justify the cost of tooling.Youch!$1000 for the shaft assembly.I don't have a lathe ect.because of the outlay and consumables.You've probably become more resourcefull out of neccessity and experience.Cheers Rastus see Rastus graduate advise generously
Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406
Posted: 02:31am 02 Dec 2011
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I have a lathe and now have a tool post grinder for it as well.
Any sort of sharp edged tool is not going to work on a hardened shaft, grinding is the only way.
You can get very narrow cutting wheels (made for angle grinders), some of those are only 1mm thick.
A small diameter abrasive cutting wheel worn down to minimum diameter mounted in a tool post grinder would cut a very clean groove with a pit of patience so the shaft is not overheated.
This is a 5" cutting wheel 3/32" thick (2.38mm) I just happen to have here, but they are available much thinner.
Cheers, Tony.
Chinese brand 3 phase. I have the luxury of using an industrial lathe at work but it's not very rigid really. I turn mostly stainless steel on it but on occasion we need to modify bearings slightly to get us out of trouble quickly.
VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539
Posted: 01:46pm 10 Jan 2012
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Hi Curiosity
Must be a good machinist then, a dying breed these days as most are machine watchers and are called machinists.
When I had my workshop going commercially I to did a lot of stainless work in the farm and wine growing industry and also rebuilding paper mill machinery, it is a pleasure to work with the right tooling but I must admit I was never to keen on machining bearing cases, I would set them up and grind them mainly.
Still have most of the machinery but retired now so it gets hobby use only.
thanks for the kind words Bob. I wouldn't say i'm a good machinist but i do prefer a challenge. With the introduction of CNC, which I've done very little of, I guess machine watchers are the best you can expect these days
Oscar4u Regular Member Joined: 23/02/2011 Location: New ZealandPosts: 42
Posted: 08:28am 12 Jan 2012
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Am enjoying your grinding thread.
I made a bracket that clamps in my toolpost which holds a 115mm grinder. Not as good as a proper toolpost grinder, but I am dutch and have a reputation to uphold! Cheers
OscarOscar4u - for all your rotary cowshed repairs
Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406
Posted: 08:47am 12 Jan 2012
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I have had my lathe for about forty years, but would still class myself as a beginner.
I just don't use it often enough to be a serious lathe addict.
But by golly it really comes in handy sometimes.
It seems to me, a very big part of lathe work is coming up with really cunning and devious ways to do rather unusual things with very limited resources.Edited by Warpspeed 2012-01-13Cheers, Tony.
VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539
Posted: 10:01am 12 Jan 2012
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It is all good fun and really satisfying when you make something that works.
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
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Fortunately I have a younger brother who is a fitter & turner,the only snag is he lives 240 miles away.It seems Yahoo can easily justify the cost of tooling.Youch!$1000 for the shaft assembly.I don't have a lathe ect.because of the outlay and consumables.You've probably become more resourcefull out of neccessity and experience.Cheers Rastus 
I've done it many times. you do need a decent brand tip (sandvik or similar)and spin very SLOW 
thanks for the kind words Bob. I wouldn't say i'm a good machinist but i do prefer a challenge. With the introduction of CNC, which I've done very little of, I guess machine watchers are the best you can expect these days 
