Off Topic Chisel making

[Black Fox Knife Works]

Has anybody tried to make lathe tools or chisels for woodworking?

I do a bit of woodworking when I get a chance and the principles from knife making could translate really well into making woodworking tools.

I have always wanted to experiment but don't have any experience with making tools with ferrules. It seem pretty straight forward but looking to see if anybody has any advice.

Thanks!

 

[DanF]

There's a blacksmith located near Afton VA that has a tutorial on it (chisels) online. Probably others also, I liked his process so used it.

Edited to add: Gerald Boggs

 

[skillgannon]

Walter Sorrells did a series about lathe chisels that was one of his best projects.

 

[Randy3000]

I worked a wood lathe professionally for 4 years. Had a big ship steering wheel looking thing that turned and moved the chisel side to side (i felt like Skipper on the SS Minnow in a sea of wood chips). I could change those bits out. Also had a rest that swung into place and could use hand held chisels. I have had my hand slapped a time or two from run away sanding belts. Man i dont miss that job.

As long as the chisel cuts, it wont beat you up too bad. If a chisel breaks, the broke off piece can blow a hole through a plywood wall. I would take the heat treating part pretty serious if i were making a lathe chisel.

 

[Lieblad]

We made or repaired several slicks, chisels, barkspuds, drawknives for a local timberframer.
As far as sockets, its alot faster making the socket & blade separately, welding them together. A tang & ferrule is easy to simply forge a shouldered taper. Surface grinding is a nice touch and probably requirement if its an ordinary carpenter chisel, our client only wanted chisel bottoms flat, tops & sides were ok just belt smoothed.
Made other stuff too, logdogs & parts for scribing tools etc.

 

[joedhiggins]

I have made a ton of chisels, lathe, carving, carpentry, some carving knives and some planes too. You don't need a surface grinder, just a granite block, some abrasive and a bit of patience, and if you flatten the bottoms on the belt first, getting them dead flat doesn't take much work.

I prefer tanged chisels with a ferrule for carving and lathe work. Sockets or tangs are fine for carpentry. I tend to prefer tanged chisels, but if you want to sell them, you will get more for a socketed chisel.

Ferrules - I have never bought a dedicated ferrule, but at that price, why not. I just turn the handle, drill (undersize) for the tang, cut a length of tube for the ferrule, turn the end of the handle down to just barely proud of the tube's ID, and tap the ferrule on (I like to use an adhesive too). Remount the handle, either in a 4 jaw or between centers, either way, registering the tang hole for the live center in the tailstock. If I am using copper or brass for the ferrule instead of steel, I cut the tube a bit longer than my tennon and use hardened, polished steel rod to roll the lip of the ferrule. If I use a steel ferrule, I don't do this, rather I just trim the steel ferrule to be flush with the end of the handle. If you are going to turn metal of any kind on a wood lathe, I prefer carbide to HSS. If you are turning steel, carbide is basically required (as is a very light cut and precise tool control). If you don't have a variable speed lathe that can drop down to 100-200 RPM, I would avoid trying to turn steel.

While I like sorrels videos on the subject, I won't forge most lathe chisels. HSS is a bit of a pain to forge and heat treat, and you can buy it cheap (prehard) in the sizes you need for lathe chisel blanks. The only lathe tools I will make from HCS are either low use specialty chisels or sometimes thin parting tools. I also have made a ton of carbide tipped chisels.

For carpentry chisels, I prefer laminated construction. Makes the post HT grinding much easier.