Thanks for the videos. My Dad passed away 8 months ago and was a tool maker by trade for 37 years. We had 43 good years together and I always wanted to learn from him. I now have a lathe and a Bridgeport and am determined to learn. Its cool using my Dads mics and calipers when working out in the shop. Your videos are great. Keep up the good work.
The thing i like most about Abom is aside from the lifetime worth of knowledge and wisdom he is willing to share, you can just tell he loves what he does. Dude gets genuinely excited talking about tools and machining. That enthusiasm and humble love of the work is, imho, what separates those who are good from those who are great at what they do.
Adam what has taken 10 years to learn by trial and error, you have shared in minutes... then you moved me ahead another 10 years just explaining the feel and sound and color. I don't comment much, but I do make production parts from brass that are part of how I make a living. Thank you, you and Mr. Pete have taught me so much about machining.
Thanks for the video, the basic informational ones may not be a favorite of every viewer, but for someone trying to learn I have to say I appreciate the effort.
I love the projects, dont get me wrong, but shop talk where all your knowledge about stuff comes out directly = gems of knowledge. I love hearing the wisdom of someone whos been at it forever, because you hear about the common pitfalls and the fixes, that one might only learn if they were lucky enough to work in a shop. On another note, hope your contractor problems got sorted, I'd do it for you at cost if I were in the area. Anyways, love the vids. Thanks Adam !!!!
Thanks Adam, this is a really useful video for we hobbyists with petite machines. I've read lots on parting theory and learned to work within the limitations of my small machines, but to have one of your long-form videos is really handy, because there's something really informative about the way you say whatever's on your mind about a machining topic that's really informative, and provides a whole lot of subtle details I haven't found anywhere else. Love your work, good sir.
Hi Adam, You have shown that, while you can learn a great deal from a book, there is a great deal more that only comes from experience. Knowing your machine, the tool and the material and how it performs varies so much. The old rule of reduce the speed and increase the feed and vice versa is spot on and applies not only to parting but any cutting operation and it's a matter of finding that sweet spot. Aluminium is a material that I find needs lubricant particularly in parting or milling slots because of the rapid heat build up that can occur running dry and potential to weld to the tool, sometimes with devastating results. I've seem some disasters from CNC milling centres where quite large tooling has been shattered and welded into the workpiece - an expensive outcome. Keep up the great work.
Hi Adam. I seem to recall many years ago at school the parting tool was run upside down at the back. Presume to try to keep the chips from jamming up and stop them flying. Had to use shims to center the tools as well !!!!
Thanks for all of your good advice. I've recently begun hobby machine work with an old Atlas 10 inch lathe and a small Benchmaster mill (made back in the 50/60's in Los Angeles of all places) and I really benefit from your videos. Thank you for your time and effort.
Great video. I had some bad luck so I punched in high speed steel parting and my dude popped up. By the end of watching your video I was already at my lathe with the couple adjustments like stick out and lathe speed. World of difference and another piece of the machinist puzzle. Thanks
Thanks Adam. When I started out, I found that I was over cautious (having broken several parting tools), the problem was a combination of not squaring up accurately enough, not using enough tool pressure and lubrication when making the cut. The best advice I received on this was to be confident in the operation - check the tooling is square, always use a firm positive cutting pressure (or it chatters) and lots of oil. Using the auto-feed was also helpful in building confidence as it maintained constant pressure when I would otherwise chicken out !.
Stopped in middle of your video to order the tool height gage as that has been one of my biggest challenges, hopefully it will become routine. Thank you for the time you spend passing on your knowledge.
Thank you for this video. I was dreading to try parting because of past experiences. I followed your advice and parted 3 inch aluminum tube with no problem. I ended up with the thinnest band of aluminum you could imagine . I keep it as a trophy.
Many thanks for doing this video Adam. I remember always struggling with chatter when parting in the lathe when I started out in tool and die way back in the late 1970's. I left the trade to go into tool design and then machine design. Finally, I now have my own 9 inch Southbend lathe at home and once again am struggling with parting tool chatter.
Nicely done on the product placement. Too many times it's way too obvious and canned but that was a great use of an advertiser product. You showed it perfectly and now I gotta have one. I'm always dicking around with the center or using a scale, that height setter works sweet.
If your chuck is not true. With the setting gauge on the tool tip, rotate the chuck by hand until the bubble is between the high and low spot. This is the rotary position where the tool should be set as the rod is now on the vertical centreline. Now adjust the tool height until the bubble is on zero.
Thanks for your great introduction Adam. I've had good success with 3/32 x 5/8 high speed blades in my Aloris tool holder using a generous flow of oil from the sump. Lubrication is critical on steel and speed can be too slow as well as too fast. This type of tool holder clamps the blade at a slight positive tilt so no need to grind back rake on the top. Generally the thinner the blade the easier it is to control chatter.
Good video Adam. I used to have the chatter problems long ago until I wised up and started buying big hoss lathe's like you and I have now. Nothing like a big heavy lathe!
As always, thanks for the humble, quality teaching. I'm using T-style parting tools on my small 9x20 lathe and I love it--so much better than the way we used to have to do, hand grinding HSS blanks. I often end up using more stick-out than you recommend simply because the small steam engine model parts I make are so close to the chuck that the tool holder would hit the chuck. Fortunately, with small parts the forces involved are much smaller.
Liked the video Adam, very nicely done. Parting is one of those jobs that most seem to struggle with from time to time. I know I do If you were trying to not get chatter it would have happened. Thanks for the great video. Steve Summers
Good one, Adam, and an extra show during the week! Those dovetail type HSS blades really help on the older machines with plain bearings. Sure makes a difference when you can get them really sharp. Good advice on the cutting oil for the HSS parting tools, too. Between getting them sharp and keeping oil on them they make a difference for smaller or older machines. Thanks for another show!
A very informative tutorial, I really liked the centre height gauge, better than using a 6" rule in front of the tool to get centre.Thanks for posting!
Thanks Adom, You are a excelent teacher. I love doing lathe work but always dread parting. To me it's like the game of golf some times things go wrong and I don't understand why. Mark
Thanks Adam. This very subject is one I was unsure of. I am usually successful in parting on the lathe, but it's not without its issues. I think you have answered a lot of the things I was unsure about, such as knowing when to use what type of parting blade and at what speeds. As always, you da man. LOL
Hey Adam. Thank you for the videos. Lots of wisdom and knowledge. Farmer at heart, machinist/fabricator to make ends meet. Keep these videos going. For my sake and the rest of the guys like me. Keep up the content man. Maybe see ya at SMW.
Ideas for content: 4 jaw alignment with a single chuck key ( I know you have covered this in a previous video), knee mill work hacks. Just a couple of ideas I'm sure neighbor Kennedy would appreciate
Great video for those who arent familiar with parting and the tooling used... i wanted to mention i sometimes use carbide on plastics and softer material but ill use an old insert and grind the end sharp on my diamond wheel... it reacts similiar to hs and stays sharper longer... btw never saw that height gage... im gettibg one... thanks
Related, is cutting o-ring grooves and snap ring grooves. External never seemed to be too bad if the insert or HS tool was sharp, but internal grooves always seemed to chatter. A tool and die guy I worked with had a set of ball bearings on a short 90 degree holder. One set he would tap some abrasive like diamond dust from the tool grinder the other he'd just force in and trust the ball to be harder than the work piece. This was many years ago, and maybe there's some tricks on cutting these grooves you could share.
Hi Adam, I seem to remember all of these tips in many of your videos so it great to have them combined in one session. Also I am sure your friend Mr. Pete has mentioned on many occasions how parting off is not his favourite procedure. I have carbide with the small inserts but they tend to move with the slightest lateral pressure. I would like to acquire one of the blades with the longer insert to 'spread' the tool pressure load. Many thanks for sharing. Kindest regards. Joe.
My number one word of advice is be at or below center. I have found all the other variables are 1-2% where as tool height is easily 80% of any problems that occur. I had a job one time where I broke carbide cutting blades one after another when I finally figured out it was just .005 above centerline, lowered the tool .010 and parted 4130 for 3 whole days with one single tool bit.
This was very helpful. I don't know exactly what I did, but the cutter just exploded all over. I used lots of oil, but I might have had it running to fast or too much tool pressure. I just finished it off with a band saw, and resurfaced the end. It was long enough to re chuck, or it would have just been tossed out. I still have a LOT to learn!!! Thanks for the examples.
I have an older logan lathe that has a flat belt drive that I'm purchasing tooling for. Thanks for the tip on flat belt drive lathes. Will help me in my purchase of the right tooling.
Yet another very interesting and informative video Adam. Thank you for making it look so simple, I would have got the thing chattering like a pair of old women! But doubt the tip on mine would have been set too high! Keep them coming! I would like to see a video on the various methods of knurling, if you haven't already covered it. If you have I'll look for it.
Adam, great stuff, thanks for sharing. I would add on for the new guys, that "rigidity is everything!!!!" I like that phrase, I stress it with my new programmers and setup guys. During chatter problems pulling that blade into the holder even .100 can change things. 10% and 20% reductions in tool hangout, chuck hangout, stubby tool holders, etc can solve headaches fast. Tool pressure is of course very important as well. Very sharp carbide inserts are available for insert tooling parting tools for materials like ALM and brass. Funny to see you take a brass shower :)
Thanks Adam! I have my best luck too when I use my indicator to square the blade/tool post in machine. Nice Pro Lathe gage. I need to get one of those.
Timely - I spent the afternoon snapping HSS parting tips today on some 1/2 dia Stainless rods.. By the time I had the RPM about right, I had reground the tip umpteen times and switched to a narrow carbide tipped tool - the tool pressure was very high and caused other problems - so back to the HSS blade tmw and more lube & check through what you listed Adam. Thanks All the best Mat
Excellent video. I think a lot of folks' biggest issues with parting is using the cheaper HSS blades that have no or little relief - or they don't have the right holder, etc.. That's where inserted tools have a big advantage, the relief is right there and easy! Surprised you don't use auto-feed, Adam. Obviously it works great for ya. I usually use autofeed on a manual lathe, most tools I have used like around .003 IPR for steels. CNC lathes you can obviously push a little harder, because you aren't having to catch the chips with your face... hahaha.
the HUGE thing I finally figured out, was my taper attachment allowed slop in cross slide, and THAT allowed tool to be pulled INTO cut, and bad things happened... just like slop on a milling machine when climb cutting!! fixed that, all is happy now and much less exciting!!
As usual, great job Adam. YOU are a class act! I think the guys using light lathes have problems for several reasons. First thing is worn sprung or bellmouth chuck jaws. Causes hogging in when the part wiggles and snatches the bit then binds. Stalls the machine. Check your Jaws! Another big problem is tool posts that hang way to the left side . Oh yes, it's rigid but that lefty hang torques the slide over too much. Now it's springy. Try a lantern post centered over the middle of the slide so the load goes straight down into the saddle. Not hanging off to the left field. If someone wants to say lanterns aren't rigid enough for a light lathe I have 1 word for you, Shut the heck up! I'M talking. Just do it! Works when using wide radius profile tools too. Why aren't you using power feed when parting? That's the best way! Smoooother. The bronze is chattering because of incorrect rake. My two cents ain't worth a dime. Thanks for sharing with everybody.
I use the carbide insert parting blade that has the angle to clean the nub off the piece you parted off. The drawback to it is it tries to cut straight so it tends to part off on a taper from tool deflection. it isn't a big deal but definitely something to be aware of.
While I have a light 13 x 40 Chinese lathe that is about 20 years old. I find the insert blades to work the best for me when going deep.. I can part 2 inch washers with 3/8 holes out if 316 stainless. I use mostly 3/32 parting tools. High speed steel tools are only 5/8 tall to fit the BXA style Aloris parting holders. I find that if I try to use high speed steel that the straight sides can grab the work and snap off the blade if not careful.. This occurs when running much deeper than the height of the blade. Shallow parting, I can use high speed steel. Steels and aluminum seem to like cutting oil. I usually cut at 1/2 the normal high speed steel RPM for the diameter. I copied you idea of the rounded parting for doing radii. Works real well as you say for making tool clearances when cutting threads and shoulders. I really enjoy seeing a journeyman machinist work. Thanks.
Great video! Rule #1 that applies to new users (esp on hobby sized machines): don't feed too slowly and let the tool rub! Commit to the cut and keep it going, especially on stainless steel. Adam didn't mention it since light/hesitant cuts aren't even in his dictionary anymore, but it's probably the number one mistake new hobby users make when parting...
Lots of great tips. I especially got a kick with your comment about chatter not occurring during the video but on actual parts you are working on. Ain't that the truth :-0
Nice job Adam. I've found with the lathes I have at the shop (low powered & not very rigid) that being on center, sharp, and square all are critical. Also I think with the Aloris style blade holders they have the tool at an angle already so you don't need to grind a back rake. But yours as you pointed out need some back rake ground in.
Thank you for sharing the video. I have broken my carbide insert of the parting tool. Part and tool setup were fine. I used low handfeed and speed(~240rpm). I think problem could be on the compound rest. It may lost its rigidity!
Hi Adam. Thanks for another informative video on how to make flat washers out of brass and steel (just kidding) :) Interesting to know that one CAN use a carbide tool on softer materials; you'll just have a clean-up job, afterwards! Keep making videos; I always look forward to SNS, especially if there's some machining involved. Too bad RUclips doesn't have smell-o-vision when you do your smoking/barbecuing content!
I remember setting up lantern-style cutoff blades back in highschool. I would rather unchuck, and saw cut! We only had one lathe with a quick change setup: I quickly found out to always call dibs on it. We would also grind all tools from blanks (HSS) With a week of school just dedicated to cutter geometry. It's a shame none of this is in schools anymore. I'm glad that there is some great channels on here to learn this (or, re-learn in my case) I've flung more than one insert out of the press-in type. Can be quite sketchy on an old clapped-out lathe.
Yep I think most of that is older tech to where classes don't teach it anymore. I know there are some out there because I have seen pictures of my viewers there.
I cut out a block for my tool post to hold the Armstrong tools. So many HHS cut parts are now useful. I have old and new. HHS and Carbide and even Sapphire which is used in rubber and some plastic. I have Sapphire in sheet parts (shattered flats) and a round or two. Also a nice window glass.
The only limit I have found is the machine capacity Chuck. if your talking about solids, that depends on the size of the blade being used. I've seen many times people parting off 3" solids.
Excellent video, definitely have some issues with chatter when parting, in fact I break the carbide insert everytime. I will try some of your tips and order the Edge tool height setting and i just order a HSS blade
You suck at parting! Let me at it, I'll show you how to make it chatter every single time :P But seriously, great job Adam. Clearly you're so used to doing it right you can't do it wrong if you try. That's called expertise...
I noticed the carbide tip you used was a straight on not a right or left flush cut off. So the part in the chuck can be clean cut or the cutoff is clean. Less pressure to cut with. Good Tool company will show the shapes and discuss the function. I myself use MSCdirect.
I have a brick hammer with a carbide tip on it. I have used it for many years and it still has a good edge on it. I know this is completely different from your use but it works great to cut harder brick or to cut special shape in masonry units. Also, the fellow who silver soldered it in for me said that the best way to sharpen carbide tips is to use an old water lubed stone wheel (I'm not sure of the stone type but they used to use it to sharpen steel tools like axes, etc.) Think about what I told you about letting the workers chisel the door opening to keep down dust. If they saw the block it will make very fine dust which may not be very good for your machines. Greg
Adam, thanks for the great info! How do you handle parting solid stock greater than 2" diameter? I got ambitious and blew up a HSS tool on 3" aluminum bar.
+Ipschnug Honestly I don't like it, and try to avoid it if all possible. One of my coworkers always does deep part off ops and the blade is always sticking way out of the holder and tips burned up. One of my peeves! If I do I make sure he blade is only it as far as I need it, use lubrication, and hand feed in case of chip build up.
great video Adam as a hobbyist lathe user I struggled for years to part off with out snapping blades . Wish I would have seen your video then . would have saved a lot of money on replacement blades .don't seem to have 'T' section cut off H.S.S in England so side grind relief on mine . Which works very well also found gib screws need to be adjusted just right and lock carriage . If I get chatting slowing spindle speed down is the answer as you explained . Maybe showing grinding of cutting blade with relief angles could be useful for amuters like me . Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge your videos are always a pleasure to watch
General tip on RPM chatter, don't drop the speed by half, use oddball fractions, primes if possible like 3/7 or 5/7, 3/11. This helps avoid hitting multiples of the resonant frequency. With 1/2 (or easy dividing numbers like 6,8,12) you just hit the same frequency but on every second ( or 3rd or 4th) bounce, sure it is a little better as the system has had one cycle to dampen and often each hit adds less energy due to it being slower but it is still constructively adding energy to the oscillation. Primed based fractions keep the system from lining up nearly as often
7:40 The black one is a spring clamp while the other one is a spring blade. A spring clamp takes two sided inserts to perform medium grooving and parting (up to 40mm or 8xInsertWidth) while the other takes single sided inserts in order to achieve a relieved back and achieve deep grooving and parting for as deep as you can overhang the blade. The catch is that only a spring clamp can do be fed axially (to produce a very fine surface finish of about 0.5μm Rz due to the wiper effect) and even entering a tapered portion with a spring blade can be challenging if not impossible. In general you want to use a spring clamp tool unless you have to groove deeper or part of a larger diameter part.
I have a small 12x28 lathe...not the most rigid. Always had trouble parting until I purchased an inverted parting tool holder. The blade is upside down with the cutting edge on the bottom and for that set-up you run the chuck in reverse. Wow, what difference. Parting is pretty simple now - even stainless parts nicely without chatter. Robrenz and Stefan Gotteswinter (RUclips machinists) have used a different approach on small lathes. They've gotten rid of their compounds and solidly mounted their tool posts to their cross slides. Of course this greatly improves their rigidity for everything. Allows for deeper cuts, smoother finishes and I would think better accuracy. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my compound just yet but they both say they don't really miss theirs.
I have a 28x70 (280mm/700mm) Chinese lathe, and I get really heavy chatter only on plain high carbon steels, titanium, any stainless so far, no problem, even high alloy steels are ok, but this plain carbon steel will just not cut at all, chatter is so heavy it is simply impossible to do, I tried 2mm wide carbide, even 1,5mm, really low rpm to a point where there is a risk of stalling (high rpm won't work at all), that steel is annealed, I had couple different sizes of that stock, and both chatter like crazy, saddle is scraped to the ways, so is the cross slide and the top slide is gibs are were tightened, saddle lock engaged, everything like it should be, but that carbon steel just won't cut, all the other operations - no problem, but parting off was impossible so I got my 0,002mm indicator out, base on the flat of the ways, tip against the tool, try to push on the tool holder, basically no movement on the indicator, then I put the tip on the part in the chuck, and apply horizontal pressure to the spindle housing perpendicular to the spindle axis and it moves... and moves a lot (+0.020/-0.015 if I remember correct), checked the screws on the spindle housing that bolt it down to the bed, everything tight, but the thing still rocks like crazy... so I guess the spindle housing will need to come off and have some scraping done to it... here are few pictures of the "before" saddle ways, imgur.com/a/6cL38 , sadly I don't have any "after" pictures, but it took quite some time to get them to make full contact, so I guess the spindle has something similar on the bottom of it, and that lathe new will be around 2500 euros here, list price
You should make a video showing the strength difference between a radius and sharp edge like you were talking about in the last roller video. Maybe use that scrap piece from the broaching plug to make a couple turned down sections of the same diameter and length and mill a head onto it to see how much ABOM torque it takes to shear each of them from the piece. I have never seen a video like that and think it would be interesting to see what happens. Good video again as always though.
If I understand your test, I don't think there will be a lot of (if any) difference? The small diameter is the same on both (and the weak link) and it should twist off on the small diameter (not in the radius).
Great info Adam! Parting is my weakness. I can't get it done, always give me hard time. The only thing missing I think is how to grind the HSS blades. Thanks!
Hi I enjoy your vids here is a tip I use try parting using the tool upside down with the lathe in reverse making sure your lathe Chuck is not the type that will unscrew in reverse, I had to modify my Dickson tool holder to mount it to the tool post upside down. I have never had the tool dig in since and no chatter it's the same as using a rear parting tool. Have a go and humour me.
Thanks for the videos. My Dad passed away 8 months ago and was a tool maker by trade for 37 years. We had 43 good years together and I always wanted to learn from him. I now have a lathe and a Bridgeport and am determined to learn. Its cool using my Dads mics and calipers when working out in the shop. Your videos are great. Keep up the good work.
+fonzzy08 That's awesome you have your dads tools. I love having both my Dads and Grandads and use them all the time.
@@Abom79 don't you find it annoying when tool go missing all the time .
The thing i like most about Abom is aside from the lifetime worth of knowledge and wisdom he is willing to share, you can just tell he loves what he does. Dude gets genuinely excited talking about tools and machining. That enthusiasm and humble love of the work is, imho, what separates those who are good from those who are great at what they do.
Adam what has taken 10 years to learn by trial and error, you have shared in minutes... then you moved me ahead another 10 years just explaining the feel and sound and color. I don't comment much, but I do make production parts from brass that are part of how I make a living. Thank you, you and Mr. Pete have taught me so much about machining.
Thanks for the video, the basic informational ones may not be a favorite of every viewer, but for someone trying to learn I have to say I appreciate the effort.
I love the projects, dont get me wrong, but shop talk where all your knowledge about stuff comes out directly = gems of knowledge. I love hearing the wisdom of someone whos been at it forever, because you hear about the common pitfalls and the fixes, that one might only learn if they were lucky enough to work in a shop. On another note, hope your contractor problems got sorted, I'd do it for you at cost if I were in the area. Anyways, love the vids. Thanks Adam !!!!
Thanks Adam, great video. Good tips for us home shop guys. Thank you so much for all the great content you put out for us.
Thanks Adam, this is a really useful video for we hobbyists with petite machines. I've read lots on parting theory and learned to work within the limitations of my small machines, but to have one of your long-form videos is really handy, because there's something really informative about the way you say whatever's on your mind about a machining topic that's really informative, and provides a whole lot of subtle details I haven't found anywhere else.
Love your work, good sir.
Hi Adam, You have shown that, while you can learn a great deal from a book, there is a great deal more that only comes from experience. Knowing your machine, the tool and the material and how it performs varies so much. The old rule of reduce the speed and increase the feed and vice versa is spot on and applies not only to parting but any cutting operation and it's a matter of finding that sweet spot.
Aluminium is a material that I find needs lubricant particularly in parting or milling slots because of the rapid heat build up that can occur running dry and potential to weld to the tool, sometimes with devastating results. I've seem some disasters from CNC milling centres where quite large tooling has been shattered and welded into the workpiece - an expensive outcome.
Keep up the great work.
What a chunk of great information in that video! I'm just getting started in machining and that was invaluable. Thanks!
Dan
Hi Adam.
I seem to recall many years ago at school the parting tool was run upside down at the back. Presume to try to keep the chips from jamming up and stop them flying. Had to use shims to center the tools as well !!!!
Thanks for all of your good advice. I've recently begun hobby machine work with an old Atlas 10 inch lathe and a small Benchmaster mill (made back in the 50/60's in Los Angeles of all places) and I really benefit from your videos. Thank you for your time and effort.
Great video. I had some bad luck so I punched in high speed steel parting and my dude popped up. By the end of watching your video I was already at my lathe with the couple adjustments like stick out and lathe speed. World of difference and another piece of the machinist puzzle. Thanks
Thanks Adam.
When I started out, I found that I was over cautious (having broken several parting tools), the problem was a combination of not squaring up accurately enough, not using enough tool pressure and lubrication when making the cut.
The best advice I received on this was to be confident in the operation - check the tooling is square, always use a firm positive cutting pressure (or it chatters) and lots of oil.
Using the auto-feed was also helpful in building confidence as it maintained constant pressure when I would otherwise chicken out !.
Stopped in middle of your video to order the tool height gage as that has been one of my biggest challenges, hopefully it will become routine. Thank you for the time you spend passing on your knowledge.
Thank you for this video. I was dreading to try parting because of past experiences. I followed your advice and parted 3 inch aluminum tube with no problem. I ended up with the thinnest band of aluminum you could imagine . I keep it as a trophy.
Many thanks for doing this video Adam. I remember always struggling with chatter when parting in the lathe when I started out in tool and die way back in the late 1970's. I left the trade to go into tool design and then machine design. Finally, I now have my own 9 inch Southbend lathe at home and once again am struggling with parting tool chatter.
Nicely done on the product placement. Too many times it's way too obvious and canned but that was a great use of an advertiser product. You showed it perfectly and now I gotta have one. I'm always dicking around with the center or using a scale, that height setter works sweet.
Thanks Peter! That tool gauge from Edge is pretty cool!
Just ordered mine!
If your chuck is not true. With the setting gauge on the tool tip, rotate the chuck by hand until the bubble is between the high and low spot. This is the rotary position where the tool should be set as the rod is now on the vertical centreline. Now adjust the tool height until the bubble is on zero.
Thanks for your great introduction Adam. I've had good success with 3/32 x 5/8 high speed blades in my Aloris tool holder using a generous flow of oil from the sump. Lubrication is critical on steel and speed can be too slow as well as too fast. This type of tool holder clamps the blade at a slight positive tilt so no need to grind back rake on the top. Generally the thinner the blade the easier it is to control chatter.
Good video Adam. I used to have the chatter problems long ago until I wised up and started buying big hoss lathe's like you and I have now. Nothing like a big heavy lathe!
The big heavy lathes do a much better job at parting that's for sure.
As always, thanks for the humble, quality teaching. I'm using T-style parting tools on my small 9x20 lathe and I love it--so much better than the way we used to have to do, hand grinding HSS blanks.
I often end up using more stick-out than you recommend simply because the small steam engine model parts I make are so close to the chuck that the tool holder would hit the chuck. Fortunately, with small parts the forces involved are much smaller.
+Tad Harrison sometimes we all have to blow past the rule of thumb but it can be achieved with success. I use the t style blades as well.
Liked the video Adam, very nicely done. Parting is one of those jobs that most seem to struggle with from time to time. I know I do
If you were trying to not get chatter it would have happened. Thanks for the great video. Steve Summers
Good one, Adam, and an extra show during the week!
Those dovetail type HSS blades really help on the older machines with plain bearings. Sure makes a difference when you can get them really sharp. Good advice on the cutting oil for the HSS parting tools, too. Between getting them sharp and keeping oil on them they make a difference for smaller or older machines.
Thanks for another show!
Hi Adam !
That's the kind of videos I like !
Instructional and very usefull !
Thx for sharing !
Just rewatched this years later. Really helped me with some basics
A very informative tutorial, I really liked the centre height gauge, better than using a 6" rule in front of the tool to get centre.Thanks for posting!
chrisOtube: Maybe you are right, I just tried to order one and was refused delivery ? Chris B.
Thanks Adam. You've answered a number of questions that I've been unsure about. As always ... terrific content!
Thanks Adom, You are a excelent teacher. I love doing lathe work but always dread parting. To me it's like the game of golf some times things go wrong and I don't understand why. Mark
realy useful tips Adam :) Even my teacher I had in CNC school didn´t teach me those differense between high speed vs carbide.
Great information. Thanks for sharing. I always learn something from your videos. Great job Adam.
Thanks Adam. This very subject is one I was unsure of. I am usually successful in parting on the lathe, but it's not without its issues. I think you have answered a lot of the things I was unsure about, such as knowing when to use what type of parting blade and at what speeds. As always, you da man. LOL
I didn't know Adam was a comedian as well as a machinist! I couldn't help but laugh when those chips were all over his shirt! Lol Great job my man!
Good stuff Adam, super helpful to us rookies. Thanks
Hey Adam. Thank you for the videos. Lots of wisdom and knowledge. Farmer at heart, machinist/fabricator to make ends meet. Keep these videos going. For my sake and the rest of the guys like me. Keep up the content man. Maybe see ya at SMW.
Ideas for content: 4 jaw alignment with a single chuck key ( I know you have covered this in a previous video), knee mill work hacks. Just a couple of ideas I'm sure neighbor Kennedy would appreciate
Great video for those who arent familiar with parting and the tooling used... i wanted to mention i sometimes use carbide on plastics and softer material but ill use an old insert and grind the end sharp on my diamond wheel... it reacts similiar to hs and stays sharper longer... btw never saw that height gage... im gettibg one... thanks
Hey Adam, all those brass chips on your shirt... a buddy of mine calls that "man glitter!" Thanks for another informative video!
That's machinist bling
Funny but these sort of expressions aren't helpful for making women feel welcome in the trade.
Thanks Adam, now I understand the difference. I'm a newbie and learning this has been alot of fun. BTW, Always enjoy the videos.
Thanks very much.
This explained a lot of what I needed to know as a beginner hobbyist machinist.
Good video Adam, it answers a few questions I had. Keep 'em coming :)
Related, is cutting o-ring grooves and snap ring grooves. External never seemed to be too bad if the insert or HS tool was sharp, but internal grooves always seemed to chatter. A tool and die guy I worked with had a set of ball bearings on a short 90 degree holder. One set he would tap some abrasive like diamond dust from the tool grinder the other he'd just force in and trust the ball to be harder than the work piece. This was many years ago, and maybe there's some tricks on cutting these grooves you could share.
John Mills may need one of these to improve his pineapple slicing.haha. Thanks to you Adam for your very informative videos.
Hi Adam, I seem to remember all of these tips in many of your videos so it great to have them combined in one session. Also I am sure your friend Mr. Pete has mentioned on many occasions how parting off is not his favourite procedure. I have carbide with the small inserts but they tend to move with the slightest lateral pressure. I would like to acquire one of the blades with the longer insert to 'spread' the tool pressure load.
Many thanks for sharing. Kindest regards. Joe.
My number one word of advice is be at or below center. I have found all the other variables are 1-2% where as tool height is easily 80% of any problems that occur. I had a job one time where I broke carbide cutting blades one after another when I finally figured out it was just .005 above centerline, lowered the tool .010 and parted 4130 for 3 whole days with one single tool bit.
Seriously? 🤣
I have always struggled with parting off. Thanks for the tips Adam.
VERY INFORMATIVE. I AM A WANNA-BEE MACHINIST AND THIS VIDEO WAS VERY HELPFUL. I AM DOING A LOT OF ALUMINUM AND I THANK YOU FOR THE TIPS.
Thanks, Adam! I've been struggling with parting for a while and this is all really good advice!
Adam that was Great Im just getting ready to get a lathe and these basics vids are great thanks man keep it up
This was very helpful. I don't know exactly what I did, but the cutter just exploded all over. I used lots of oil, but I might have had it running to fast or too much tool pressure. I just finished it off with a band saw, and resurfaced the end. It was long enough to re chuck, or it would have just been tossed out.
I still have a LOT to learn!!!
Thanks for the examples.
Excellent instructional video Adam. Please do some more, perhaps one on speeds and feeds and one on insert selection.
I have an older logan lathe that has a flat belt drive that I'm purchasing tooling for. Thanks for the tip on flat belt drive lathes. Will help me in my purchase of the right tooling.
Yet another very interesting and informative video Adam. Thank you for making it look so simple, I would have got the thing chattering like a pair of old women! But doubt the tip on mine would have been set too high! Keep them coming! I would like to see a video on the various methods of knurling, if you haven't already covered it. If you have I'll look for it.
I would bet Mr Pete is impressed !
Adam, great stuff, thanks for sharing. I would add on for the new guys, that "rigidity is everything!!!!" I like that phrase, I stress it with my new programmers and setup guys. During chatter problems pulling that blade into the holder even .100 can change things. 10% and 20% reductions in tool hangout, chuck hangout, stubby tool holders, etc can solve headaches fast. Tool pressure is of course very important as well. Very sharp carbide inserts are available for insert tooling parting tools for materials like ALM and brass. Funny to see you take a brass shower :)
I've been waiting for this topic. Thanks buddy. This has been a sore thing for me to do. My ears are always ringing.
seconded... lol
walter makes INCREDIBLE parting tools.
Thanks Adam! I have my best luck too when I use my indicator to square the blade/tool post in machine. Nice Pro Lathe gage. I need to get one of those.
Timely - I spent the afternoon snapping HSS parting tips today on some 1/2 dia Stainless rods.. By the time I had the RPM about right, I had reground the tip umpteen times and switched to a narrow carbide tipped tool - the tool pressure was very high and caused other problems - so back to the HSS blade tmw and more lube & check through what you listed Adam. Thanks All the best Mat
Another great video Adam learning lots suggestion as to when to use cutting oil over flood coolant
Excellent video. I think a lot of folks' biggest issues with parting is using the cheaper HSS blades that have no or little relief - or they don't have the right holder, etc.. That's where inserted tools have a big advantage, the relief is right there and easy!
Surprised you don't use auto-feed, Adam. Obviously it works great for ya. I usually use autofeed on a manual lathe, most tools I have used like around .003 IPR for steels. CNC lathes you can obviously push a little harder, because you aren't having to catch the chips with your face... hahaha.
the HUGE thing I finally figured out, was my taper attachment allowed slop in cross slide, and THAT allowed tool to be pulled INTO cut, and bad things happened... just like slop on a milling machine when climb cutting!! fixed that, all is happy now and much less exciting!!
Thanks for your videos. Very helpful to us home shop guys.
Fred in Pensacola
That's a cool little gauge. I'll have to buy one of those Adam thanks for sharing
I get that spray on Carbide to Adam , Great info ! Going get some HHS now .. thanks man ! Thumbs up ..
As usual, great job Adam. YOU are a class act! I think the guys using light lathes have problems for several reasons. First thing is worn sprung or bellmouth chuck jaws. Causes hogging in when the part wiggles and snatches the bit then binds. Stalls the machine. Check your Jaws! Another big problem is tool posts that hang way to the left side . Oh yes, it's rigid but that lefty hang torques the slide over too much. Now it's springy. Try a lantern post centered over the middle of the slide so the load goes straight down into the saddle. Not hanging off to the left field. If someone wants to say lanterns aren't rigid enough for a light lathe I have 1 word for you, Shut the heck up! I'M talking. Just do it! Works when using wide radius profile tools too. Why aren't you using power feed when parting? That's the best way! Smoooother. The bronze is chattering because of incorrect rake. My two cents ain't worth a dime. Thanks for sharing with everybody.
Great video! Thanks for passing your knowledge on!
Great video. Many greetings from Austria.
I use the carbide insert parting blade that has the angle to clean the nub off the piece you parted off. The drawback to it is it tries to cut straight so it tends to part off on a taper from tool deflection. it isn't a big deal but definitely something to be aware of.
While I have a light 13 x 40 Chinese lathe that is about 20 years old. I find the insert blades to work the best for me when going deep.. I can part 2 inch washers with 3/8 holes out if 316 stainless. I use mostly 3/32 parting tools. High speed steel tools are only 5/8 tall to fit the BXA style Aloris parting holders. I find that if I try to use high speed steel that the straight sides can grab the work and snap off the blade if not careful.. This occurs when running much deeper than the height of the blade. Shallow parting, I can use high speed steel. Steels and aluminum seem to like cutting oil. I usually cut at 1/2 the normal high speed steel RPM for the diameter. I copied you idea of the rounded parting for doing radii. Works real well as you say for making tool clearances when cutting threads and shoulders.
I really enjoy seeing a journeyman machinist work. Thanks.
finally i found someone i can understand. learned alot
Really good as usual, This info is very very helpful.
cheers mate. colin. UK.
Great video! Rule #1 that applies to new users (esp on hobby sized machines): don't feed too slowly and let the tool rub! Commit to the cut and keep it going, especially on stainless steel. Adam didn't mention it since light/hesitant cuts aren't even in his dictionary anymore, but it's probably the number one mistake new hobby users make when parting...
This video is well-structured. Nice job.
Lots of great tips. I especially got a kick with your comment about chatter not occurring during the video but on actual parts you are working on. Ain't that the truth :-0
Nice job Adam. I've found with the lathes I have at the shop (low powered & not very rigid) that being on center, sharp, and square all are critical. Also I think with the Aloris style blade holders they have the tool at an angle already so you don't need to grind a back rake. But yours as you pointed out need some back rake ground in.
Thanks for the info bud.. I'm getting into machining and your video answered my question. Love your channel....!
Thank you for sharing the video. I have broken my carbide insert of the parting tool. Part and tool setup were fine.
I used low handfeed and speed(~240rpm). I think problem could be on the compound rest. It may lost its rigidity!
Great lesson Sensei Adam.
Hi Adam. Thanks for another informative video on how to make flat washers out of brass and steel (just kidding) :) Interesting to know that one CAN use a carbide tool on softer materials; you'll just have a clean-up job, afterwards! Keep making videos; I always look forward to SNS, especially if there's some machining involved. Too bad RUclips doesn't have smell-o-vision when you do your smoking/barbecuing content!
I remember setting up lantern-style cutoff blades back in highschool. I would rather unchuck, and saw cut! We only had one lathe with a quick change setup: I quickly found out to always call dibs on it.
We would also grind all tools from blanks (HSS) With a week of school just dedicated to cutter geometry. It's a shame none of this is in schools anymore. I'm glad that there is some great channels on here to learn this (or, re-learn in my case)
I've flung more than one insert out of the press-in type. Can be quite sketchy on an old clapped-out lathe.
Yep I think most of that is older tech to where classes don't teach it anymore. I know there are some out there because I have seen pictures of my viewers there.
I cut out a block for my tool post to hold the Armstrong tools. So many HHS cut parts are now useful. I have old and new. HHS and Carbide and even Sapphire which is used in rubber and some plastic. I have Sapphire in sheet parts (shattered flats) and a round or two. Also a nice window glass.
Thanks Adam!!! parting is a nightmare for me....this will help!
What is the limit diameter you can part? As you mentioned stick out to blade heights.....good video!
The only limit I have found is the machine capacity Chuck. if your talking about solids, that depends on the size of the blade being used. I've seen many times people parting off 3" solids.
I remember a chapter heading on a lathe instruction book I read - "Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow!"
Excellent video, definitely have some issues with chatter when parting, in fact I break the carbide insert everytime. I will try some of your tips and order the Edge tool height setting and i just order a HSS blade
Thanks Gary! I know parting can be tough, but with things set right it can be done. The tool gauge from Edge is nifty little guy and easy to use.
You suck at parting! Let me at it, I'll show you how to make it chatter every single time :P
But seriously, great job Adam. Clearly you're so used to doing it right you can't do it wrong if you try. That's called expertise...
Gotta love your vids Adam! Keep up the great work
very help full as always adam
I noticed the carbide tip you used was a straight on not a right or left flush cut off. So the part in the chuck can be clean cut or the cutoff is clean.
Less pressure to cut with. Good Tool company will show the shapes and discuss the function. I myself use MSCdirect.
I have a brick hammer with a carbide tip on it. I have used it for many years and it still has a good edge on it. I know this is completely different from your use but it works great to cut harder brick or to cut special shape in masonry units. Also, the fellow who silver soldered it in for me said that the best way to sharpen carbide tips is to use an old water lubed stone wheel (I'm not sure of the stone type but they used to use it to sharpen steel tools like axes, etc.) Think about what I told you about letting the workers chisel the door opening to keep down dust. If they saw the block it will make very fine dust which may not be very good for your machines. Greg
Adam, thanks for the great info! How do you handle parting solid stock greater than 2" diameter? I got ambitious and blew up a HSS tool on 3" aluminum bar.
+Ipschnug Honestly I don't like it, and try to avoid it if all possible. One of my coworkers always does deep part off ops and the blade is always sticking way out of the holder and tips burned up. One of my peeves! If I do I make sure he blade is only it as far as I need it, use lubrication, and hand feed in case of chip build up.
great video Adam as a hobbyist lathe user I struggled for years to part off with out snapping blades . Wish I would have seen your video then . would have saved a lot of money on replacement blades .don't seem to have 'T' section cut off H.S.S in England so side grind relief on mine . Which works very well also found gib screws need to be adjusted just right and lock carriage . If I get chatting slowing spindle speed down is the answer as you explained . Maybe showing grinding of cutting blade with relief angles could be useful for amuters like me . Thanks for taking time to share your knowledge your videos are always a pleasure to watch
Shaun Adams
Shaun
Those blades are easy to get hold of in the UK try Chronos they have them in a lot of sizes
Stuart Hardy Thanks Stuart I will try them regards Shaun
Adam...If you are looking to generate chatter, drop in my shop and try out my Atlas 12 LOL
Nice video...us small shop guys like these 👍🏼 Thanks
General tip on RPM chatter, don't drop the speed by half, use oddball fractions, primes if possible like 3/7 or 5/7, 3/11. This helps avoid hitting multiples of the resonant frequency.
With 1/2 (or easy dividing numbers like 6,8,12) you just hit the same frequency but on every second ( or 3rd or 4th) bounce, sure it is a little better as the system has had one cycle to dampen and often each hit adds less energy due to it being slower but it is still constructively adding energy to the oscillation. Primed based fractions keep the system from lining up nearly as often
Interesting..math always comes to the rescue.
7:40 The black one is a spring clamp while the other one is a spring blade. A spring clamp takes two sided inserts to perform medium grooving and parting (up to 40mm or 8xInsertWidth) while the other takes single sided inserts in order to achieve a relieved back and achieve deep grooving and parting for as deep as you can overhang the blade. The catch is that only a spring clamp can do be fed axially (to produce a very fine surface finish of about 0.5μm Rz due to the wiper effect) and even entering a tapered portion with a spring blade can be challenging if not impossible. In general you want to use a spring clamp tool unless you have to groove deeper or part of a larger diameter part.
Another super helpful video.. Thanks!!
Enjoyed it Adam!
Abom79, this ws quite useful to me - you're a great educator!
I have a small 12x28 lathe...not the most rigid. Always had trouble parting until I purchased an inverted parting tool holder. The blade is upside down with the cutting edge on the bottom and for that set-up you run the chuck in reverse. Wow, what difference. Parting is pretty simple now - even stainless parts nicely without chatter. Robrenz and Stefan Gotteswinter (RUclips machinists) have used a different approach on small lathes. They've gotten rid of their compounds and solidly mounted their tool posts to their cross slides. Of course this greatly improves their rigidity for everything. Allows for deeper cuts, smoother finishes and I would think better accuracy. I'm not sure I'm ready to give up my compound just yet but they both say they don't really miss theirs.
I have a 28x70 (280mm/700mm) Chinese lathe, and I get really heavy chatter only on plain high carbon steels, titanium, any stainless so far, no problem, even high alloy steels are ok, but this plain carbon steel will just not cut at all, chatter is so heavy it is simply impossible to do, I tried 2mm wide carbide, even 1,5mm, really low rpm to a point where there is a risk of stalling (high rpm won't work at all), that steel is annealed, I had couple different sizes of that stock, and both chatter like crazy, saddle is scraped to the ways, so is the cross slide and the top slide is gibs are were tightened, saddle lock engaged, everything like it should be, but that carbon steel just won't cut, all the other operations - no problem, but parting off was impossible
so I got my 0,002mm indicator out, base on the flat of the ways, tip against the tool, try to push on the tool holder, basically no movement on the indicator, then I put the tip on the part in the chuck, and apply horizontal pressure to the spindle housing perpendicular to the spindle axis and it moves... and moves a lot (+0.020/-0.015 if I remember correct), checked the screws on the spindle housing that bolt it down to the bed, everything tight, but the thing still rocks like crazy...
so I guess the spindle housing will need to come off and have some scraping done to it... here are few pictures of the "before" saddle ways, imgur.com/a/6cL38 , sadly I don't have any "after" pictures, but it took quite some time to get them to make full contact, so I guess the spindle has something similar on the bottom of it, and that lathe new will be around 2500 euros here, list price
Some machines have bad chatter problems. The Acra-Turn lathe at work is the same way. I feel like it's in the bearings of the headstock.
You should make a video showing the strength difference between a radius and sharp edge like you were talking about in the last roller video. Maybe use that scrap piece from the broaching plug to make a couple turned down sections of the same diameter and length and mill a head onto it to see how much ABOM torque it takes to shear each of them from the piece. I have never seen a video like that and think it would be interesting to see what happens. Good video again as always though.
If I understand your test, I don't think there will be a lot of (if any) difference? The small diameter is the same on both (and the weak link) and it should twist off on the small diameter (not in the radius).
Great info Adam! Parting is my weakness. I can't get it done, always give me hard time.
The only thing missing I think is how to grind the HSS blades.
Thanks!
Seriously?
Hi I enjoy your vids here is a tip I use try parting using the tool upside down with the lathe in reverse making sure your lathe Chuck is not the type that will unscrew in reverse, I had to modify my Dickson tool holder to mount it to the tool post upside down. I have never had the tool dig in since and no chatter it's the same as using a rear parting tool. Have a go and humour me.