Bogstandard's RCMT profile tool works great!

[BobWarfield]

Thanks John for making me aware of these. I just got mine from RDG in the UK--no problem shipping to California and very cheap since its just a small envelope.

Here's the little cutie:

Now just for fun I thought I'd do a little back-to-back surface finish comparison with one of my CCMT turning tools loaded with a fresh sharp CCGT insert:

The RCMT tool is on the left of the cut the CCGT insert is making. I have to say the RCMT leaves a much nicer surface finish. I suspect it's due to that big ole radius.

This one is a keeper!

Best,

BW

 

[Bogstandard]

Glad you like it Bob.

Now try a facing cut, I haven't found anything yet that will compare. Just make sure centre height is spot on. They don't like big 'pips'.

It's also nice for making nice profiled decorative blends.

The tips work out very cheap, if you turn them a very small amount you can get about a dozen good faces. Once they are blunt, just rub the top face down on a diamond lap to sharp again, and they are a good zero rake tool for brass, so again, another dozen faces.
So don't throw away the blunt ones, they can be brought back to life.

John

 

[John S]

If anyone is going to Harrogate you can get the tips from Jenny at JB Cutting tools for about £2 each.
Usually in Sandvick make.
That's if I leave any as I'm there from 9:00 am on the Thursday :

.

 

[d-m]

Bob what size did you buy 6mm or 8mm did you buy that on line or did you phone. Did you just buy the inserts or the holder also? I think I would like to try this setup I use some inserts and hand grind hhs this look like it would work good on my slower spindle speed Logan .
sorry for the barrage of questions
Thanks Dave
And just to clear things up I DID not roll that Cat I was part of the investigation team!! ;D

 

[BobWarfield]

Pretty sure I got the 8mm, though I would have to look. They were out of all the other sizes. ;D

I have since purchased 10 Sandvik RCMT inserts from a seller on eBay very cheaply. I liike to keep a little stock handy, although this design is much less fragile than my sharp CCGT inserts. As Bogstandard has suggested, it will be eacy to rotate the insert if it does chip.

I've really enjoyed that tool. I regret not having been more familiar with it when I started doing the Team Build connecting rods. It makes lurvely curves at either end when you cut a con rod with it. I had to scrap 2 rods and so made 2 in this way and they're just prettier than the design Elmer calls for.

I posted about this tool on the HSM board and was hooted out of town (typical, and the reason I don't post much there any more). The view was why not make one yourself, the tool produces too much chatter, yada, yada, yada.

Just out of curiousity, I had to make a quick part in steel and wanted to really crank up the depth of cut to see if it would chatter. Of course anything will chatter if pressed hard enough, but I must say I saw no evidence that this tool is particularly chatter prone. I was hitting that steel as hard as I hit it with my regular inserts and it was going great, except that the button tool gives a nicer finish!

The one thing about it is you have to give a bit more thought. You're not dealing with a straight shoulder, it's an arc. So you need to think about (and maybe do a little diagramming and math!) how exactly the line it up with the work to make the curved shoulder work out the way you want it to. But that's not really so bad.

I'm guessing the tool will be particularly handy once I'm ready to try CNC. The other thing is I am really tempted to look into making a flycutter or face mill that takes the same round inserts. Too many irons on the fire at the moment, but maybe sometime I'll give that a try.

Cheers,

BW

 

[Bogstandard]

Bob,

I am really glad you are happy with this cheap and cheerful tool. I have been extolling its virtues for many years now, but no one ever believed me how nice they really are.

I have a Little Hogger round nosed facing tool, that uses much larger and plainer tips, it is great for facing, and also for doing a bit of decorative edge work.

I always grind up a round nose on my fly cutters, it gives a mirror finish, plus I can hack off up to 100 thou in one hit in non ferrous. But I don't know if the small tips will stand up to large interrupted cuts. I will let you make one first, then go from your results. ;D ;D

With regards to HSM, let the anal sphincters chatter on in their own holier than thou ways, if you are happy with it, use it, don't let anyone sway you away from what you want to do. ;D ;D. Life is too short to argue over things like that.

John

 

[BobWarfield]

Bob,

I am really glad you are happy with this cheap and cheerful tool. I have been extolling its virtues for many years now, but no one ever believed me how nice they really are.

I have a Little Hogger round nosed facing tool, that uses much larger and plainer tips, it is great for facing, and also for doing a bit of decorative edge work.

I always grind up a round nose on my fly cutters, it gives a mirror finish, plus I can hack off up to 100 thou in one hit in non ferrous. But I don't know if the small tips will stand up to large interrupted cuts. I will let you make one first, then go from your results. ;D ;D

With regards to HSM, let the anal sphincters chatter on in their own holier than thou ways, if you are happy with it, use it, don't let anyone sway you away from what you want to do. ;D ;D. Life is too short to argue over things like that.

John

LOL, not to worry, plenty pig headed enough to ignore fashion!

BW

 

[tmuir]

Thanks for that.
I liked that tool when I saw it in Bogstandards post a little while back but didn't know where I could buy it.
I've got RDG's website boommarked now and will be ordering one tonight.
Anything that is going to give me a better finish and make my life easier I'm all for. ;D

 

[bretk]

Hey Guys,

I saw I am Salivating :'(, Where do I get one?????????

Yhanks, Bret

 

[BobWarfield]

I got mine from RDG:

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/INDEXABLE_LATHE_TOOLS.html

Note that it wouldn't be very hard to make one either. Given that the insert is round, precisely matching the pocket to the insert shouldn't matter. You just need to get yourself a Torx or other little bolt of the right size and maching a little shank. Probably a few hours work if you enjoy that sort of thing.

Eventually I'm going to make a flycutter and perhaps even a face mill out of the RCMT inserts the thing uses. For now I have too many irons burning in the proverbial fires, so I just took the easy way out and ordered.

Cheers,

BW

 

[Bogstandard]

I posted a bit about these a while back, there are a couple of vids about making them.

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=654.0

John

 

[Tin Falcon]

I picked up one of those with a half dozen inserts from a used tool dealer @ Cabin fever a couple years back 3/8 inserts I think. the holder may be shop made no markings on it and the relief appears hand ground. for the HHS fans out there it would not be hard to make inserts from drill rod for cutting brass and add a little rake for aluminum.
tin

 

[DickDastardly40]

Further to the other comments, I have been using one over the last couple of days and found that it is very tolerant of a shallow cut, continuing to give a good finish whereas to get a similar finish with a tipped tool ie CNMG seems to require a much more substantial chip load.

Also the round shape does not allow chips to get stuck in the clearance behind the cut, scratching the surface.

It didn't seem to like an interupted cut when reducing diameter causing some 'harmonic knurling', but that was maybe my set up.

 

[tmuir]

Ordered mine last night so hopefully will have it in a week or so.
Had a good look around RDGTool's website and I nearly fell of my chair at how cheap their tooling was compared to what I have to pay in Australia.
My wife is going on holiday to see her mum in the UK later this year and I've already told her if I'm not coming she will be bringing back a few kilos of tools for me. :big:

 

[BobWarfield]

Now that takes the cake. I've known of the wonders of carbide tooling for a long time, even been dubbed a "Carbide King." But who woulda thunk they are so powerful as to get a fellow to go see his mother-in-law thousands of miles away? This is truly green kryptonite level material! :big:

I have also known for a long time that those marks on my workpiece had nothing to do with chatter, in fact, I wanted those marks there. Yeah, that's it, I planned it that way. I just never knew to call them "harmonic knurling." Now that sounds like something people would pay extra for!

Cheers,

BW

 

[DickDastardly40]

I always charge extra to my paying customers for the harmonic knurling. (Well maybe I would if I had any).

 

[bretk]

John,


Just ordered my tool from your side of the pond tonight!

I alreadyhave a project in mind : ;D

Thanks! -Bret

 

[bretk]

Got my tool from RDG today, shipping to the states was really quick (order to my door in less than a week) and really inexpensive. Showed it to a friend of mine, now he wants one too, so I guess I will be ordering more : Any other small suggestions or gotta haves from RDG?

Thanks, Bret

 

[Bogstandard]

Bret,

If you can afford the postage, a Keats angle plate is a must.

If you are doing more than one of the same part, once you have set up the first, it is just a matter of dropping in the next blank. If you used a four jaw, you would have to start from scratch each time. It can also be used on the miller to hold bits truly vertical. It is used with your faceplate on the lathe.

http://rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MYFORD_LATHE_USERS_NEW1.html

Go 2/3rds down this page and you will see one.

Don't forget spare tips for your profile tool, a lot cheaper if you buy in 10's. But you can rework your old blunt tips by flatting down on a diamond lap, only takes a few seconds, but then can only be used on materials that can handle zero top rake. Also a couple of spare screws come in handy, they are a pig to find if you drop one.

Rather than ordering direct from the site, send an email quoting the number of the parts required and qty, and ask for a quote for the whole lot including shipping costs. You might save a few pennies. The reason I say this, on the Myford listing the Keats plate is £4 cheaper than anywhere else on the site.

John