Lathe Tools

[Chaz]

The basics are to have HSS tools and learn to grind them, sharpen them and use them. That will save you a lot of money on the long run.

That's what a friend told me, and i am where you are,just learning the lathe on a small model makers one.

My lathe came with a lot of tools. I have a set like the first one you show and use it for all, especially when i am in doubt about the which HSS tool to use. Though i have one favourite HSS and tend to use it for all and regrind it to my liking for the case.


I think you should first concentrate on the tool post, the commodity of it and eventual upgrade, if needed, cause it will decide what size and type of tools would fit in, especially the boring bars.

Thanks. Agreed. A cheapish toolpost for my setup is around £105 and comes with 4 holders. This should get me started.

There are then some requirements for me to bore out. In the bunch of tools I got a few boring bars, mostly hand made. One is actually nicer looking but its too wide to fit into the toolpost, so not sure how / where it was used before.

So that set of tools, £55ish, worth going for to get started?

[Boyan Silyavski]

So that set of tools, £55ish, worth going for to get started?

I think so. Though i can not get a good look at the parting tool. Though i believe parting tool like boring bars, should be chosen separately and worth the extra investment. Buy some extra inserts and you are ready. You can sharpen the inserts also, you know.

[Chaz]

I think so. Though i can not get a good look at the parting tool. Though i believe parting tool like boring bars, should be chosen separately and worth the extra investment. Buy some extra inserts and you are ready. You can sharpen the inserts also, you know.

Agreed. What I found is that many of the inserts for parting tools tend to say ok for steel etc but not for alu. So not sure. Certainly for boring and parting, I agree, look at specific more expensive tools.

[Chaz]

I think so. Though i can not get a good look at the parting tool. Though i believe parting tool like boring bars, should be chosen separately and worth the extra investment. Buy some extra inserts and you are ready. You can sharpen the inserts also, you know.

The other option is to buy 2nd hand good quality stuff on fleabay. Loads of Sandvik stuff for sale. The toolpost Ill get has a 16mm holder capacity, so would like to maximise and use that.

[Chaz]

The other thing that worries me about the cheap import stuff, what inserts does it use? Will they be any good?