Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe tools
that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some beat
screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of any of
those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this? Shaping,
tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed

In article ,
"Ed Edelenbos" wrote:

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

On the low but effective for mini-tools end of the spectrum, concrete
nails - nice, if small, hardened steel. Cheap.

Moving up to the good stuff, metalworking lathe tool bit stock -
anywhere form 3/16 to 3/4 square, some non-square shapes (including
parting tool style), nice high speed steel, fairly inexpensive.

From the same suppliers, (MSC, Enco, McMaster-carr etc.) drill rod and
flat stock in various grades of tool steel, either pre-hardened or
annealed (and then you need to do heat treating - stick to W1 or O1 or
O2 for that at home).

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:42:58 -0500, "Ed Edelenbos" wrote:

Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe tools
that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some beat
screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of any of
those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this? Shaping,
tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed
I make a lot of my tools, but only out of HSS...
IMO, screwdrivers are way too soft to cut well or safely..
Files are too brittle..

I've reshaped several HSS lathe chisels into scrapers or other "because I needed
it at the time" tools, though..
Especially things like 5/8" bowl gouges that eventually get too short for my
sharpening jig to hold well.. Great short, think scrapers or side cutters.. YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 8:42:58 -0600, Ed Edelenbos wrote
(in message ):

Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe tools
that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some beat
screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of any of
those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this? Shaping,
tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed


some screwdrivers will be too soft to keep an edge, and may not be
hardenable. If the screwdriver *is* hardenable, though, you can get some nice
small tool from it.

Generally, if the metal is soft enough to cut it with a file and not dull the
file... it is too soft. Hardenability in steel is a whole 'nother field of
knowledge... analyzing the spark pattern when grinding the metal in question,
or simply trial and error are two "tells" for a piece of mystery metal.

I've had good results with old files. Anneal, grind smooth, reshape, braze to
a suitable tool shaft, and re-harden.

tom koehler

--
I will find a way or make one.

Ed Edelenbos wrote:
Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe tools
that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some beat
screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of any of
those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this? Shaping,
tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed

I sometimes burn a decorative groove around an object with a wire held
between two knobs. In order to start the wire straight I made a very
sharp pointed tool from an old screwdriver to cut a shallow v-groove
in the wood. It works well for it's intended purpose.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Social Security: World's biggest Ponzi Scheme.

Ed Edelenbos wrote:
Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch
of tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe
tools that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up
some beat screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the
suitability of any of those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had
luck doing this? Shaping, tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed
Here you go. http://aroundthewoods.com/tools.shtml There are some ideas
anyway.

--
Darrell Feltmate
http://aroundthewoods.com
http://roundopinions.blogspot.com

"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:Zw6cl.5192$Db2.623@edtnps83...
Ed Edelenbos wrote:
Being a little bit of a packrat, over the years I've collected a bunch of
tools. I have several old and mistreated (but not over heated) lathe
tools that I can reshape into some custom profiles. I was eyeing up some
beat screwdrivers in my junk box and wondering about the suitability of
any of those for some mini tools. Has anyone here had luck doing this?
Shaping, tempering (if necessary), and using?

What sort of stock is good to use for homemade tools?

Ed
Here you go. http://aroundthewoods.com/tools.shtml There are some ideas
anyway.

--
Darrell Feltmate
http://aroundthewoods.com
http://roundopinions.blogspot.com

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies.

Ed