Thread: Insert recommendations for turning down Lowthar Walther barrels

One of the items that carbide bob mentioned above, but did no elaborate on fully, was the idea that
small carbide inserts are often purchased with some sort of coating. TiN or whatever.

And that the edges of the cutting tool are given a rounded edge ("hone") to permit the coating to adhere
better at the edge, to prevent breakdown OF THE COATING at the very edge.

Now the fact of the matter is that for small depths of cut, inserts like this give what amounts to negative
rake tooling geometery. When one is unaware the tool is negative rake, one is suprised when the
depth of cut is uncertain at low depths, one is suprised at the poor surface finish, one is suprised at the
amount of push-back from the workpiece.

This single fact more than any other accounts for the frustration that users of small machines encounter.

It accounts for the "carbide cannot be run on small machines at low SFPM numbers" especially.

If you are going to run brazed carbide tools one MUST have a diamond wheel to sharpen them.

If one is going to use insert carbide tooling on smaller lathes, it is advised to purchase UNcoated
inserts that have no honed edge.

Thanks Bob, see you at Connaught

High Speed Steel Lathe tooling.AVI - YouTube

Above is a Youtube link that shows you how to sharpen the A. R. Warner HSS inserts. If you click on the numbered tab above the youtube screen, you can locate a video showing all 26 kits with discription and pricing for each kit.

I just ordered your new internal threading kit and will have it with me.

Bob

Has anybody tried the diamond tool holder for turning barrels?

Well I will be as soon as I meet up with Bob at the Connaught Ranges on the 16th. I'm hoping it helps in keeping the force going into the spindle rather than out towards the follow rest

Not the arthur warner one, an australian company makes them.eccentric engineering makes them. They hold a square piece of hss vertical. They come with a jig to sharpen.

Yes, and it's a joy to work with but instead of leaving a pointed corner on it, you are better off grinding a radius on the cutting point. Without the radius the finish isn't very good. You should also only use T-15 HSS blanks or you will be sharpening it a lot.

I just looked at the Warner tooling but it would cost me over $1,000.00 a year. Right now I can grind the same thing for $60.00 for material a year plus labor, which right now is free, out of cobalt material which in my mind is better. Perhaps in the future.....................

I looked on there website and they are selling there tooling with a different grade of hss. Crobolt it was called. There is a video there showing how it cuts over standard hss. I read somewhere else arthur warner may be doing hss blanks with a radius on one edge for the diamond holder.

Originally Posted by speerchucker30x3

I just looked at the Warner tooling but it would cost me over $1,000.00 a year. Right now I can grind the same thing for $60.00 for material a year plus labor, which right now is free, out of cobalt material which in my mind is better. Perhaps in the future.....................

Hi Speerchucker,

How did you come up with 1,000.00 per year for inserts from Warner Tool? I've been using the same insert for 22 months in one of my tools and can't kill it. When all three sides are losing their edge, I just run the insert over a wet stone.

Originally Posted by Swarfboy71

I looked on there website and they are selling there tooling with a different grade of hss. Crobolt it was called. There is a video there showing how it cuts over standard hss. I read somewhere else arthur warner may be doing hss blanks with a radius on one edge for the diamond holder.

Hi Swarfboy,

They sell inserts in T-15 HSS, Carbide and just about anything you can imagine. All the inserts are ground in their factory. I'll have to look into the Crobolt.

Originally Posted by Bob Pastor II

Hi Swarfboy,

They sell inserts in T-15 HSS, Carbide and just about anything you can imagine. All the inserts are ground in their factory. I'll have to look into the Crobolt.

Hi bob. Sorry I was not very clear in my post. Diamond tool holder from Eccentric engineering now comes with crobolt hss as part of kit. I have read somewhere that Arthur warner is making square hss with a radiused edge for that particular tool holder.

Originally Posted by Bob Pastor II

Hi Speerchucker,

How did you come up with 1,000.00 per year for inserts from Warner Tool? I've been using the same insert for 22 months in one of my tools and can't kill it. When all three sides are losing their edge, I just run the insert over a wet stone.

Well I made about 200 breaks last year. Don't know where they got to. And I probably installed another 20 or 40 freaks brought in by customers. Probably thirty or forty barrels and god knows how many oddball screws got made. Plus machine work that came in off the street. I do cut the odd screw and I tend to treat disposable inserts as sort of disposable. I know for a fact I went through about 50 of the diamond style turning inserts because I bought 5 of the 10 packs last spring and I just bought more. I think they were $14.00 a piece. I don't know how many of the triangular style. I can buy them any time so I don't have to order them bulk so I don't keep track. I'm either pretty hard on tooling or I have a Gremlin problem. Also, 50% of the time gunsmiths are working on crap that is already finished and pre-hardened from the manufactures made of everything from air soluble unobtainium to zimbabwee death steel and it tends to be hard on tooling. In a machine shop you have the luxury of working with annealed material or destroying one cutter getting everything set up and then making the next 200 parts with the next insert.

In truth I probably realistically regrind threading tools only 3 times a week. So that would work out to 52 inserts a year and at $14 each I guess it would be $728.00 per year plus tax and shipping.

working on crap that is already finished and pre-hardened from the manufactures made of everything from air soluble unobtainium to zimbabwee death steel and it tends to be hard on tooling.

OOh ya. I've seen enough of it too. I'm especially fond of the Chinese stuff with extra crunchy bits.

Originally Posted by speerchucker30x3

Well I made about 200 breaks last year.

Breaks !? Seriously? Your'e fired again

Originally Posted by keydiverfla

Breaks !? Seriously? Your'e fired again

⎝ᄽ‿ᄿ⎠ OH MY did I say breaks again ? B R A K E S DAMMIT !

Originally Posted by speerchucker30x3

⎝ᄽ‿ᄿ⎠ OH MY did I say breaks again ? B R A K E S DAMMIT !

SEAMS you did. WTF??!
Do push ups.

Originally Posted by kendog

SEAMS you did. WTF??!
Do push ups.

Better still, I'll scratch B R A K E S in the concrete 100 times with the tip of my widdle pointed haid ! But you, are gonna be right next to me writing S E E M S. You see, seams are for sewing ! he he he

All this damn spelling has made me thirsty.

NO adult beverages until the push ups are done!