Shop-made carbide tools

I have been experimenting with the use of carbide tools for some time now.
As a traditional turner, I use conventional bowl gouges for most everything I turn. 
I don't do much spindle work so the bowl gouge is my go-to tool.
That said, I have a set of carbide tools that I keep trying in different situations. 
Last time I tried my carbide set while on my small Jet lathe I realized that the tools were just too big!
So I decided to fabricate smaller versions of the carbide tools that I use on my stubby.

Short tool

Materials

1x 1/2 square stock: McMaster https://www.mcmaster.com/9143K17/

1x 1" round alum tube with 1/2" ID: https://www.mcmaster.com/9056K28/

4x 1/4-20 set screws

Carbide cutters*: https://amzn.to/3pzTKiD

* Caution: I have ordered these cutters twice and have gotten two different sizes of cutters and screws. Check your cutter order before you start this build.

Design

The tool consists of a 1/2 x 1/2 bar with a cutter recess and a milled tang which is fit into a handle insert. The 3.5-inch handle insert is epoxied into a turned wood handle.

Cutter mounting 

A cutter recess is milled into the cutting end of the bar stock. The recess is made slightly longer than the cutter that will be mounted. The recess depth is less than the thickness of the cutter. The cutter will be mounted touching the edge of the recess but the recess must not be so deep that the cutters cutting edge touch the bar. Meaning, when mounted the cutters cutting edge must be proud of the bar's top surface.

For square cutters, the recess is milled perpendicular to the bar

For round cutters, the mounting recess is milled from the tip of the bar toward the tool's tang leaving a half-round surface for the cutter to index against. The end mill's diameter should match the diameter of the cutter. 

The cutter is then positioned in the recess and the mounting hole is marked and subsequently drilled and tapped to match the size of the mounting screws. Mine was a 4mm-.7 screw.

The tool that mounts the round cutter is subsequently modified to mount the pointed V cutter. This is done by milling down the center of the tool so the back of the V cutter is relieved. The end mills diameter depends on the size of your V cutter. I lay the cutter on the tool and mark where the Vcutter intersects with the 1/2 moon recess. Then using that size end mill cut a recess along the tool's length and through the 1/2 moon long enough for the V cutter to mount flat on the tool.

The cutter, slightly proud of the bar top surface

Modified bar to fit point carbide

Shaping the bevel

The face of the tool is then ground to a shape to match the cutter's bevel angle and shape.

Handle Insert

The handle insert is made from the 1" aluminum stock. A 3-inch piece is mounted in the lathe and the center hole is drilled out to 1/2inch. The raw tube stock had a slightly undersized 1/2 inch ID.

A 1 1/2 inch long tang which is 3/4 inch in diameter is turned on one end.

The part is then turned around and the front of the handle insert is finish turned to create a smooth surface.

Four holes for the set screws are drilled and tapped to 1/4-20. The holes are positioned 1/2inch back from both ends of the main body of the insert.

Tool

The toolbar is made from a 1/2inch x 1/2inch steel bar. The cutter recess is at one end and a tang is milled in the other. The tang on the tool is milled to a square such that it fits into the 1/2" hole in the insert.

The tang is milled to the largest square that is inscribed in the inserts 1/2 inch hole.

Calculate the Tang Size:

The problem is to calculate the size square that will fit snuggly into the 1/2 hole in the handles insert. We will mill a tang on the 1/2 x 1/2 inch toolbar the size of this inscribed square. The tang is inserted into the handle insert and set screw'd in place.

What we know:

Tool bar crossection = .5 x .5

Insert hole r = .5 / 2 = .25 = hypotnuse

angle theta = 45 degrees

Calculate the size of the inscribed square

We need to find the side opposite the angle theta (see sketch above) . 

Once found 2x that value is the length of one side of the inscribed square.

Using this trig function: sin theta = Opposite/Hypotnuse

Then transposing to find the Opposite: Opposite = sin Theta x Hypotenuse

Since: 

sin 45 = .707 and Hypotnuse = .25

    Opposite = .707 x .25

    Opposite = .1768

Therefore:

    One side of the inscribed square = 2x opposite = (.1768 x 2) = .3535

    The inscribed square i.e. the tang needs to be milled to .355 square.

How much must be milled off each side of the toolbar to create the insert tang?

Bar = .5" square

Tang = .3535" square

Mill off each side = .5 - (.3535/2) = .07"

Mill .070 off each side of the toolbar to make a tang that fits the 1/2 inch hole in the handle insert.

Handle

The handle is turned from the appropriate wood blank in the shape and length that matches your turning style. I used maple and since this was for my small lathe the handle was turned just long enough to fit my hand.

A 3/4 x 1 1/2 hole is first drilled into the blank with one end in a chuck and Jacob's chuck in the other. The blank is then held between centers with a cone in the tailstock live center. This cone is inserted into the drilled end of the stock for turning.

The handle is then turned to shape making sure that the insert end of the handle is the same diameter as the insert's tang.

The adapter is then epoxied into the handle.

Long tools

A long set of tool bars was made for another turner at the same time. I did not make handles for those tools.

Bar Length: 12 inches (includes the tang)

Short tool

Bar Length: 7 inches (includes the tang)

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Enjoy and please comment

Don

Woodturning Light

I got tired of not being able to control the position of my lathes lighting.

I had a set of Zenon lamps mounted on the ceiling which was not adjustable and generated a lot of heat.

They also burned out more often than I would have liked.

I set out to make a lighting system that had multiple degrees of freedom and this is the result.

I am assuming the pictures are mostly self-explanatory.

I have been using this lighting for a few months now and it is awesome!

The finished lighting mounted on the ceiling

1" linear bearings allow movement on the rail along the bed axis

Bearing Housing

Articulating ball turned from stock

Spring-loaded socket plates

Knob making jig

Enjoy and please comment,

Don

Gnome Infestatation

Gnomes Invade the Shop

Gnome Infestation

Source of Inspiration

This video inspired me to make a few cute little gnomes, after all, it is Christmas time.

Hats

The hats were turned from various 2x2 blocks of wood I had on the shelf. The hat is turned with a concave bottom and then center drilled to 1/4" so that it can sit atop the modified egg body.

Body

The bodies started off as wooden eggs. Certainly, you can use any kind of hardwood and turn your own shape. Since I figured these would be popular I aspired to cut down the turning time. The body is really not that visible.

I put the eggs between centers and turned the large end slightly concave so that it would sit flat on the table. I turned the small end down to a 1/4 " tenon.

I fit the hat to the body and using the nose as a position gauge I hand drilled a 1/8 hole in the body to accept the nose's tenon.

You can get these eggs from most hobby stores or from here:  https://amzn.to/2Kekrde

Nose

The nose was the ball end of a small wooden figure which I bought at Michaels. This end of the figure provided an oblong shape that looked like a nose. I turned a 1/8" tenon as I parted off the oval section.

Beard

The beard is White faux fur. You can get it in different colors, white for an old guy and brown for a younger one :). You don't need much!

Assembly

I cut the beard in a triangle shape and then with a punch made a hole where the nose would penetrate the beard. Place the nose hole so that the top edge of the beard will fit up under the concave surface of the hat and the tenon of the nose will fit through the beard and seat in the hole in the body. 

Ideally, you want the hat to hide the beard's upper glue line. You want the nose to fit through the beard and into the body.

I used CA glue and accelerator as needed to attach the beard to the body, the nose to the hole through the beard, and finally the hat to the body.

Match-fit Clamping System

I recently discovered the Micro-jig Match-fit clamping system.
Matchfit Jig System

Purchase the MatchFit Products: Matchfit Kit

I liked the concept but not the price of the components (clamps and hardware).

I decided to make the 360 sled to test out the system
Sled Plans
I bought the dovetail bit as I figured it would be a good investment over the long haul... and the sled kit:
Dovetail Bit
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I also decided to try and build cheaper clamps from 1/2 x 1/8 bar stock welded to a Lowes $5 F clamp. I also did a larger one with a clamp from HF.

The sled build:

Following the instructions that came with the sled kit, it was straightforward to build. The miter bar was a dream to install and adjust resulting in a perfect fit. If every you need a miter bar its worth it to just get this guy:
https://amzn.to/39TVfke
It adjusts in the track before you install it on the sled.... way easy.

Shop made clamps:

I was pretty happy with the shop made clamps. That is aside from my lousy welding skills.

I ground the angle on the first one too steep. There is not much grinding needed for 14 deg chamfer. I set up the angle on the grinders rest and that made the process much faster.

I fashioned a jig from a 10lb magnet placed under the blade which held the clamp upright and aligned for welding. This made it easier to keep the clamp straight for welding.

I was concerned that the 1/8" blade would not be strong enough and bend when clamped. Turns out the blade is supported from bending by its full length in the track and most of the pressure ends up under the clamps screw. The clamps held fine and did not bend ... yet.

I would say that each clamp took about 1/2hr to fabricate. So that's $5-6 vs +$20 each + fab time.

Next steps:

Dovetail hardware

I want to find a way to make the dovetail inserts also. They are +2.50 each, that's ridiculous.
I think these approaches would work:
* 3D print with threaded inserts
* 1/4 acrylic or wood, cut then tapered on a belt sander with thread or threaded inserts
* 3D printed, shop-made or purchased knobs.

Clamping table:

* Going to add a large matrix version of the sled to my assy table.
* Going to try to make add-on clamping board with these dovetail groves for my CNC

Enjoy and comment
Don