Introduction to Indexable Tooling for the Metal Lathe: A User Guide

This handbook is a guide to indexable or “insert” tooling for use on medium-sized (10"–14") metal lathes. It pulls together the relevant information every metal lathe user should know and understand about indexable tooling and carbide inserts. The material is presented in a logical and tutorial manner and includes extensive field-tested recommendations for indexable tools, carbide inserts, and best practices for their use. For newcomers to the world of carbide inserts and toolholders, this handbook offers practical suggestions on what tools to buy to get started and how to expand your tool collection over time. And if you already own indexable tooling, this handbook will take help you decipher insert characteristics, and eliminate confusion when buying the correct insert for the job at hand. For less than the cost of a package of carbide inserts or a single indexable tool, this handbook can be your guide to selecting indexable tooling and inserts with confidence. The field of indexable tooling is complex, murky, and poorly explained for someone who is not a professional tooling engineer. Much of the available printed and online information is steeped in seemingly endless code-words, acronyms, and secret recipes. This handbook cuts through all this complexity and distills the information for novice and experienced machinists alike. There are four main sections to this handbook: The basics of indexable tooling terminology are covered, with specific suggestions on what tools to buy if just getting started, along with extensive lists of tools to round out your collection based on your experience level, types of projects you tackle, and your budget. The section on carbide inserts draws on many sources of information and helps the small shop user make informed and confident decisions when choosing or buying an insert for a particular project. Each lathe tool category is covered in-depth, along with specific recommendations for tools and inserts for turning/facing, threading, parting/cut-off, and boring. The final section demystifies the alphabet soup used to distinguish and specify carbide inserts and toolholders. Also included is information on feeds and speeds, quick-change tool post and tool holder selection, sources of supply, and a glossary of terms.