Good call on the SB manual, I've been looking at that.
Agree it's not that critical, but if I have the capability it makes sense to use it. I do want to make thread cutting and forming tools too. I like the idea of having a library of ends I can chose from and just press a button for.
I'd be using carbide cutters, unless there's a reason not to?
I'm definitely not as smart as I think I am, so when I have an idea that seems obvious but I can't find any info on anyone doing it my first thought is that there must be a reason. Grinding is obviously the quickest and easiest, but it also looks like folks can get pretty intricate with their setups and designs, chip breakers and the like. Figure if I have it why not use it?
INITIAL "to shape" grinding of HSS is anything BUT "quick".
It can stand up to a lot of heat in the cut, but wants to nano-crack its bleeding edge if one tries to grind it FAST. And one does NOT quench it in a water pot!.
What works better is to gather several blanks at once, have "a plan" for each, grind 'til hot, lay that one aside on a CI or steel plate to slow-cool, and work on the next. Repeat by cycling through the collection 'til done.
Fine touch up of any given shape thereafter is quicker.
Carbides used to suck, fifty-odd years ago, as most were "negative rake" and basically bulldozed the waste off, wanting lots of power and stiffness.
Time has passed. So have tens of thousands of insert type, shapes, and coatings (or NOT), and mega millions of actual inserts . Modern Carbides are stronger, enable some lovely-sharp positive rake and far better chip control is built-in. Improvements are still being made at a fast pace, so...
A) They no longer "must have" gobs of power, uber-stiff machines, nor a narrow range of SFM / RPM.
B) There is "more than one workable answer" for each alloy and heat, but specialized they can be, and very much so.
Result? It is a major challenge for smallholders who don't do thousands at a go of the same part in the same alloy to pick good all-around inserts AND the best holders for them for whatever it is they actually "do, do".
HSS, by contrast, I recommend a fair start is to pick up a "collection" or three of used ones that one or several prior Pilgrims had ground in a few dozen different ways.
Figuring out the "why" of each, shape ground, as-had, helps educate a body without having to make ALL OF the same successes - or mistakes - all at once!
Start there for HSS, HSS-Cobalt, Stellite, etc.
A few "virgin" full-length blanks can come later when you know more about what works, your lathe, your alloy, your size & shape, etc.
Selecting insert "systems" is more complex, 'coz one does NOT ordinarily grind them at all, and the tool holder is easily as important as the insert it holds.
PM has several threads on what inserts are all-around good, and/or alloy-specific-good as to value-for-money choices.
AVOID snapping-up boxes of inserts off eBay just because they are attractively priced.
Lybarger's Corollary applies, so they be may not fit holders readily had, may be there because a MUCH better insert replaced them, may be common size and holder but shite quality, may be best at only a narrow speciality as to alloy & speeds, etc.
Brazed Carbides on softer steel shanks? Yah.. everybody needs a few for odd stuff, 'co those one CAN grind.
Otherwise, I think I'd rather have a bad rash than have to mess with those.
2CW
