"Prometheus" wrote in message
news
Hello all,

Well, I finally got around to tooling up to do some metal spinning-
after a long delay and some hemming and hawing.

So far, the tools are turning out really nice- the tool post is
machined from 1.75" x 1" aluminum bar stock 11" long, with a pin hole
1" deep every inch, and 1/2" diameter removable pins made from
polished 1018 cold-rolled steel. I intentionally left about 1/64"
slop in the holes, so that the pins would still fit, even if there was
a little galling or rusting over time- no need for a machined fit on
something that is just a pivot point.

That was the easy part, because I could do it at work and conscript a
top-notch welder to attach it to the post for me- and it turned out
really pretty and shiny. I know the aluminum is weaker than steel,
but that's what there was to work with, and it's a lot beefier than
the commerically available ones at any rate.

The interesting bit came when looking for the turning tools- Sorby
sells a set for about $180- which is about $175 more than I had
available to spend on them. So, I did a little checking around
online, and decided to engage in a little Haephestion fun. Got the
duck-bill forged using a 3' length of 1/2" hot rolled steel, a propane
torch, and a ball-peen hammer. Heated the 1" at the end of the bar to
cherry red, hammered a few times, then put it back in the torch flame.
Took about 10 re-heatings to get it formed.

======Haephestian fun, eh? Sure you are on the right newsgroup?? I would
have thought it might be Promethean fun!*G*

Leif