# Homemade turning tools



## Finial (17 Feb 2011)

In case anyone is interested, I have put up a page on my web site with information about making your own turning tools, including gouges, bead forming tools, hollowing tools, centre finders, ball cutter and more. Also some information about metal turning on the wood lathe. Hope it will be helpful to someone. Comments welcome!

Terry

http://www.turnedwoodenbowls.com/forotherturners.html


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## Silverbirch (17 Feb 2011)

Very interesting, Terry.
I`ve made a few turning tools myself, with varying degrees of success, although haven`t tried forging or heat treating. I`ve bookmarked the page for future reference.
One tool I have made is a thin parting tool from a machine hacksaw blade. This works well enough, with a single bevel. Can you explain the advantage of a double bevel as in your example?
I would try it if I thought it would improve the tool`s performance.

Ian


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## Dodge (17 Feb 2011)

I have several skew chisels and odd scrapers made out of old engineering files which I ground the teeth off on a belt sander - The steel is already hardened and holds a remarkably good edge.

Obviously you mustnt over extend the tool rest by a long way though as the steel can be brittle.


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## Finial (17 Feb 2011)

One tool I have made is a thin parting tool from a machine hacksaw blade. This works well enough, with a single bevel. Can you explain the advantage of a double bevel as in your example?

Hmm. Good question Ian. I was really copying the shape of commercial parting tools. Most people probably push parting tools straight in, including me most of the time, so they are scrapers when used that way. The ultra narrow one on my page works well if pushed straight in. I use a 10mm wide one a lot, also as a scraper, and that has a single bevel and I use it bevel down. So presumably the narrow one would work with a single bevel too.

If you angle the tool upward, one with a single bevel underneath would have positive rake and might be more inclined to dig in.

The main reason in my mind was that having the edge low down on a flexible blade ought to reduce the chance of it twisting if presented at a tilt.

You could easily grind a very short second bevel on yours and see if there is a difference. I'd like to know the outcome.


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## stevebuk (17 Feb 2011)

hi 
i'm interested in how you made the mice really, they look lovely..


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## Silverbirch (17 Feb 2011)

> You could easily grind a very short second bevel on yours and see if there is a difference. I'd like to know the outcome.



Good idea. I`ll give it a try tomorrow.

Thanks.

Ian


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## Finial (17 Feb 2011)

stevebuk":1g83y1xy said:


> hi
> i'm interested in how you made the mice really, they look lovely..



Thanks, I think they're cute, but they don't fool our cat.

There is no secret method, just a straightforward bit of spindle turning, sand a flat on the bottom, drill holes for ears and tail, insert little leather discs for ears (cut with a homemade punch) and a bit of leather cord for a tail. The fiddly bits are the ears and getting them on the web page.


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## Sportique (18 Feb 2011)

Terry

thanks for the advice very useful info.
   

Dave


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## Silverbirch (18 Feb 2011)

Hi Terry
Re bevels on a thin parting tool:
The first pic is the tool I made with an old machine hacksaw blade, with single bevel.
The second pic shows it after I added a smaller bevel on the bottom edge.
I`ve tried it briefly since regrinding and it does seem to cut a bit better, with a better cutting action rather than a scraping action.
I`ll need to experiment a bit further and perhaps tinker with the bevel to see if I can improve it further.

One advantage of making your own tools is that you can afford to experiment, and hopefully, learn about how tools behave using varoius angles and bevels etc, without ruining expensive commercially produced tools.

Ian


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## Jonzjob (18 Feb 2011)

That is really interesting and I have bookmarked the tool making page Finial. Thank you!

I did a weekend course with Ian Wlikie, well worth it! And he recomended a thin parting tool from Axminster and to grind the secondary bevel on it. This I have and have the said bevel. It works a treat and the bevel provides the bevel for the cutting adge to sit on and control the depth of the cut.

This is the tool http://www.axminster.co.uk/crown-crown- ... prod29650/ and I just ground about a 1/4" bevel off of the point, after trying it as shown, and it really does work well. When I'm parting off something a few " diameter I make a double or so width cut so as not to let the blade bind on the wood. Works a treat, gets bloody hot and doesn't effect the cutting one little bit. To sharpen, just touch it, at the correct angle, on the grind stone. Job done!!


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## Finial (19 Feb 2011)

Ian, I'd be tempted to grind back the top bevel a bit more, you have a very obtuse bevel angle there, over 90 degrees. 

John, how does yours compare to what Ian has done?


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## Jonzjob (19 Feb 2011)

It's about the same and I find it to be good to use. Gets a bit warm, hence the colour, but it's HSS.






The bevel is longer because I've had it for a long time now.. Sorry about the photo quality.


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## nev (21 Feb 2011)

finial, would you have any suggestions on how to identify one steel from another to ascertain whether its suitable for tool making?
today i changed the drop links on my van and thought i might have a go at a small hollowing tool with the old ones. (round bar approx 10mm x 300mm once i've cut the ends off)
ta
nev


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## mike s (21 Feb 2011)

you could make a thin parting tool from an old crosscut saw.
use an angle grinder to cut to the rough shape and use the bench grinder to finish it up.
epoxy wooden handles on to each side (you would have trouble drilling steel that tough)
i like using springy steel because it wont snap if you get a bad catch


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## Finial (22 Feb 2011)

nev":3w2uorp3 said:


> finial, would you have any suggestions on how to identify one steel from another to ascertain whether its suitable for tool making?
> today i changed the drop links on my van and thought i might have a go at a small hollowing tool with the old ones. (round bar approx 10mm x 300mm once i've cut the ends off)
> ta
> nev



Not for certain, but if it is taking much strain in the van it could well be high carbon steel, for strength. Sorry to say I don't know what a drop link is!
One fairly good way to tell is to touch it on the grinder. If you get lots of sparks it is likely to be carbon steel. Compare it with a bit of mild steel such as a large nail (not a masonry nail) on the grinder and see the difference. That rod sounds good for a hollowing tool. Try heating and quenching the end to see if it will harden. Have fun and let us know how it goes.


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## Finial (22 Feb 2011)

mike s":2akuhnhu said:


> you could make a thin parting tool from an old crosscut saw.
> use an angle grinder to cut to the rough shape and use the bench grinder to finish it up.
> epoxy wooden handles on to each side (you would have trouble drilling steel that tough)
> i like using springy steel because it wont snap if you get a bad catch



You would have to be careful in the cutting and grinding not to overheat the steel, but saw blades are useful. There are drill bits that will go through a saw blade if you use a bench drill, or you can anneal the part you want to drill. But if epoxy holds securely that might be less trouble. Do you have to roughen the metal?

One problem with using a saw blade for this is that it will get very hot in use and that could easily draw the temper. But a thin parting tool cuts freely so it might well work even if blued. What did you find?


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## nev (22 Feb 2011)

Finial":2sprhgod said:


> nev":2sprhgod said:
> 
> 
> > finial, would you have any suggestions on how to identify one steel from another to ascertain whether its suitable for tool making?
> ...



oh yes, plenty of sparks, took about 50 strokes of the hacksaw to saw the ends off (10-12mm)




the drop link is part of the suspension that joins the anti roll bar to the shock mounting, so takes a fair bit of punishment.
i shall venture back into the shed tomorrow and see if i can do anything with it! (hammer)


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## graduate_owner (19 Jan 2015)

I read on a metalworking site someone's idea of cutting sections out of an old TCT saw blade for use as a parting tool. Perhaps the idea could be used in wood turning. A 10" blade could yield a number of useful TCT tipped sections ready for mounting in a handle. I have not tried this myself but it sounds plausible.

K


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## woodpig (19 Jan 2015)

I made a detail scraper but haven't had chance to use it for a while.


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## chipmunk (21 Jan 2015)

graduate_owner":3tugs9uo said:


> I read on a metalworking site someone's idea of cutting sections out of an old TCT saw blade for use as a parting tool. Perhaps the idea could be used in wood turning. A 10" blade could yield a number of useful TCT tipped sections ready for mounting in a handle. I have not tried this myself but it sounds plausible.



I'm not sure I'd bother with TCT for parting tools for woodturning. You really need a sharp edge to peel off the wood fibres at relatively slow speeds and TCT doesn't get anywhere near sharp enough IMHO even if you can diamond lap it. 

TCT saw blade teeth are intended to go very fast and metalworking TCT tools are intended to be worked very hard (blue steel chips). 

Hope this helps.
Jon


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## finneyb (21 Jan 2015)

nev":3ngl9bgy said:


> finial, would you have any suggestions on how to identify one steel from another to ascertain whether its suitable for tool making?
> today i changed the drop links on my van and thought i might have a go at a small hollowing tool with the old ones. (round bar approx 10mm x 300mm once i've cut the ends off)
> ta
> nev



Nev,

Get HHS tool steel bar 1/4" sq or less. Drill the end of carbon steel. Shape the HHS steel on grinder to fit hole and superglue in.
To cut HHS bar to length, score with file etc and snap it - watch your eyes. To remove HHS cutter apply heat - it breaks the superglue bond.

Having said that 300mm carbon steel may be a little short.






Brian


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## chipmunk (21 Jan 2015)

You might find this thread interesting...

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/making-hollowing-tools-t81753.html?hilit=tools

HTH
Jon


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## Woodcrafts_UK (6 Feb 2015)

Dodge":37dcwoaa said:


> I have several skew chisels and odd scrapers made out of old engineering files which I ground the teeth off on a belt sander - The steel is already hardened and holds a remarkably good edge.
> 
> Obviously you mustnt over extend the tool rest by a long way though as the steel can be brittle.



PLEASE do NOT use old files for turning. They can be lethal!

I have done talks on this at a few clubs and have shown how a file shatters into a myriad of razor sharp splinters. Not only would you need to be wearing a full face visor, I would want full body armour. What many of the old books, which show files being used for turning, do not mention is that these old files were tempered to reduce their brittleness. In those days, many workshops had a forge nearby so that was easily done. Not so nowadays. In my opinion, the money saved using files is not worth the risk of a very serious injury.


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## Peter Sefton (6 Feb 2015)

Woodcrafts_UK":3aak9nwy said:


> Dodge":3aak9nwy said:
> 
> 
> > I have several skew chisels and odd scrapers made out of old engineering files which I ground the teeth off on a belt sander - The steel is already hardened and holds a remarkably good edge.
> ...



I remember this debate in the woodworking mags 30 years ago, is it still going on?


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## CHJ (6 Feb 2015)

I'm personally not in favour to contributing to 4 year old threads, rather start a new one with a back reference, but I suspect the poor practice of using old files without the appropriate heat treatment may be because of the confusion between:-

1. *Metal Working Scrapers* which are used in the hand for fine surface conformity adjustments and were and are regularly made in the workshop from old files and can be used without heat treatment, the loads being less than when hand filing in most instances.

2.* Wood Turning Scrapers *that can be used for heavy cutting as well as finish scraping, and never should be attempted unless correctly heat treated because of the loads applied by the machine.


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## woodfarmer (6 Feb 2015)

CHJ":ej6f6f6t said:


> I'm personally not in favour to contributing to 4 year old threads, rather start a new one with a back reference, but I suspect the poor practice of using old files without the appropriate heat treatment may be because of the confusion between:-
> 
> 1. *Metal Working Scrapers* which are used in the hand for fine surface conformity adjustments and were and are regularly made in the workshop from old files and can be used without heat treatment, the loads being less than when hand filing in most instances.
> 
> 2.* Wood Turning Scrapers *that can be used for heavy cutting as well as finish scraping, and never should be attempted unless correctly heat treated because of the loads applied by the machine.



Yes, when I first saw posting in theis forum decrying the use of files for scrapers I nearly jumped feet first .. then I realised this is a wood turning forum 

I have made and used scrapers made from files for may years.. a long time ago in another life I rebuilt machine tools and designed and made new special purpose machine tools. My days of hand scraping beds ended when I saw my first tape controlled Pederson mill which noone knew how to program. It was then That I realised computers were the way to go so I joined an American computer company with the idea that I could become the whizz kid programmer in the machine tool industry. Sadly by the time I had become proficient at programming the UK machine tool industry had all but died.


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