Home made Turning Tools help

[ps.harris80]

Hi all

I hope this is in the correct section, perhaps a mod could move it if it is.

I am making a couple of turning tools out of High Speed Steel. Mainly negative rake scrapers.

The question is do I have to harden an temper them once they are ground or is HSS hard enough to use as supplied.

I know tool steel needs heat treatment but unsure if HSS is the same as tool steel or if its hard enough as supplied.

Thanks for any help with this.

Paul

 

[John Brown]

It's an enigma to me.

Mod edit:
Good joke until I fixed the spelling mistake in the thread title in the interests of clarity

 

[okeydokey]

I think that unless the metal is overheated/blue when grinding to shape that HSS as is will be ok

 

[Phil Pascoe]

As far as I know HSS can't be tempered and heating to blue makes no difference to it.

 

[clogs]

just use as is.......
I sometimes grind HSS to cut steel on my lathe....thats off the grinder and back in the lathe.....the odd time a little fine stone to polish the edge ...
also think about a couple of carbide tipped tools.....people love and hate em.....

 

[Sachakins]

HSS, ground correctly is OK as it is.

 

[ps.harris80]

Thanks for all the replies, nice to know I can use them without the faff of heat treating.

Now to find out just how good HSS bought from China on eBay actually is

 

[Sachakins]

Used a few pieces off flea Bay, all good. It's quality of your grind that's more important.
A fine grit wheel for finish grind, leaves a smoother edge and longer life.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Likewise. I've made some good scrapers and round skews.

 

[Vulcan]

The eBay and Amazon HSS I’ve bought has been fine for home made tools. If you fancy venturing into carbide, inserts are very reasonably priced on those places as well.