On Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:48:25 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Nov 21, 2:40 pm, NoOne N Particular wrote:
Hi all,
Hi Wayne
Yes you can make some of your own tools, I have made some, but if you
want HSS gouges you will have to buy them really.

Not necessarily- but you have to be willing to modify what you mean
when you talk about a "gouge." We're all used to seeing full-flute
gouges, which is probably out of reach for a guy goofing off out in
the shed or garage- but if you're willing to have a short gouge on a
round shaft, it's entirely possible to grind the flute with a little
persistance. I've done that for a few lathe tools, and they work the
same as any other gouge.

It'd be possible to get annealed M2 and machine or forge it (I assume-
I haven't done it) and then take it to a place that does professional
heat treating. The main problem with the stuff is that the heat
treatment is rediculous from a hobbyist perspective, and would require
a really fancy oven. IIRC, it needs to be raised to a very precise
temperature, and then cooled a certain number of degrees per hour over
a period of a couple of days.

Yes Darrell Feltmate's site aroundthewoods.com is a site you should
visit for all kinds of reasons and not just tool making, I recommend
that site highly.
But I have a link here to a place that I have gotten 3 sets of tools
from, 2 for myself and one for my son, these are HSS tools and pretty
good quality to, and at the cost of one name-brand gouge, just have a
look.
http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/produ...g%20tool%20set
Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo
http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum4.html

I have been wanting to make a few of my own lathe tools for a while.
The prices of what I see seem to be very high. At least I thought so
before I started looking for raw materials. I priced 18" pieces of 1/4
x 1 1/2 M2 and M4 tool steel for $110+ and $170+. DANG!!!

So the questions are, what do you use for raw materials (I would assume
plain carbon steel), where do you get it, and what kind of tools do you
make?

TIA,

Wayne