[TheForge] shapers

[James Binnion]

For mild steel or low carbon/low alloy  stuff The A2 may work ok, use  
the absolute minimum temper, you want the stuff hard as you can safely  
get it but you will get longer tool life out of the M or T series tool  
steels. D2 would probably work ok too but much harder to properly heat  
treat, I think the H13 will be too soft though. For tougher stock M2  
or M42 or T15 will last much longer than A or D series.


On Jan 4, 2008, at 6:44 PM, Steve howell wrote:

> Bill W. - I sent two interested parties your way on your line-shaft  
> Hendey. I recently purchased a 14" Varnamo (Swedish) shaper after  
> hearing for too long how useful they were for dovetails, etc. It's  
> my first machine tool and I am absolutely in love with it. Worked  
> some stock to make a set of T-nuts for the table today and am eyeing  
> some 4340 chunks for a new set of flat dies for the kuhn. If only I  
> had this thing when I made my first Kinyon in '98. It almost makes  
> me want to build one all over again.
>
> Anyway- a question for the group: Right now I'm using standard 3/8"  
> sq. HSS bits and am wanting to explore the use of different tool  
> shapes for creating radii, etc. I have some A2, D2 and H13 and while  
> these seem like great air hardening steels are they as tough as HSS?  
> I know M2 is a given for cutting tools, just not sure about the  
> others.
> Thx,
> Steve Howell
> Seattle
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James Binnion
jbin at well.com