# What cut-off / parting tool do you use?



## wquiles (Apr 27, 2009)

I am subscribed to a couple of Yahoo Groups, and one of the members of the 12x36 group talks highly about an Iscar Do-Grip patting tool, which seems to produce a very interesting looking curl which ends up being smaller than the groove being cut, due to the unique geometry it uses:






I have to admit that I am intrigued since with both my HSS and Carbide parting tools I do have a little bit of a problem with the curl/chips being caught/pinched in the groove I am cutting 

Any of you using something like this? What do you guys use?

Will


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## gadget_lover (Apr 27, 2009)

As prevoiusly posted, I use a simple 1/16 inch wide , 1/2 inch tall HSS parting 'blade'. I've ground a bit of rake on top as well as side clearance. I did not manage to create that neat V shaped chip breaker but simply use a short bristle brush to clear chips. I use Tap Magic Gold when parting.

I hone the cutting edge with a diamond fingernail file.

I seldom have any problems parting steel or aluminum. It is NOT a white knuckle experience.

Daniel


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## precisionworks (Apr 27, 2009)

Iscar tooling is nice ... awesome might be more accurate ... but their toolholders & inserts are proprietary (meaning expensive), unlike the more generic parting tool inserts made to the (now expired) Iscar patent - GTN, GFN, GTR, etc.

http://www.carbidedepot.com/Dynamiclanding.aspx?CategoryID=4290

On smaller machines, .087" - .094" is about maximum width (listed as a 2 or 2.4). With the tool extended as little as possible, and the insert tip at dead center (or no more than .010" below center), parting should go well.

On the mini lathes, the smallest width inserts like a GFN1.2 or GFN1.6 work well. They are pretty tiny, and a little delicate, but make use of the limited hp available.


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## Anglepoise (Apr 27, 2009)

gadget_lover said:


> As prevoiusly posted, I use a simple 1/16 inch wide , 1/2 inch tall HSS parting 'blade'. Daniel



+1

I use the same thing. Perfectly happy with it.
That said, if I was doing allot of parting in steel, I would probably invest in an insert system, most probably Sandvik as I am 2 miles from a major Sandvik distributor and use their inserts and like them allot.


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## cmacclel (Apr 27, 2009)

I picked up a similar part-off took from Enco for like $60. It's made by Manchester and the inserts where $8 each. I have parted probably 20+ pieces of titanium and lots of aluminum. I'm still on the same first insert.

Mac


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## themayor (Aug 11, 2012)

just bumping this back to the top to see if the Iscar is still the go to for parting


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## wquiles (Aug 11, 2012)

themayor said:


> just bumping this back to the top to see if the Iscar is still the go to for parting



At least for me, YES. I have now 3x Iscar parting blades. Look at my thread on the parts catcher for a video of it on action:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?341488-Cut-off-parts-catcher

And a recent page on my own website with various videos, two of which show the narrower (I think it was like 1.5mm) cut-off blade from Iscar:
http://www.atdms.com/custom_parts_page2.html


Will


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## themayor (Aug 12, 2012)

thanks Will what size blade do you recommend i get lost when i search for them there are some many different ones


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## cmacclel (Aug 12, 2012)

themayor said:


> thanks Will what size blade do you recommend i get lost when i search for them there are some many different ones



3/32


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2012)

It is a little bit of a catch-22 since it depends on the holder you have, and the holder depends on the size of your tool post (A, B, or C series).

Generally speaking the more narrow the insert the better, but narrow inserts typically can't cut really deep (2-4" diameter). The narrower the insert the less force is needed, which is good for smaller, less rigid machines.

With what I know now, I would start with a narrow iscar insert, such as the 1.6mm series (0.063"). Do a search on ebay for "Iscar 1.6". Then you need an insert blade, and a blade holder, etc..........

Will


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## themayor (Aug 12, 2012)

not much picking on the 1.6 only 15 items on no long blades


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2012)

That is the "challenge" with Ebay if you "want" the cheap prices I pay - you have to wait until the right parts come up.

The other alternative (which given how cheap I am, I hate to do, but sometimes had to do to get "exactly" what I needed), is that you can go to Travers (and many more on-line vendors) to shop for the Iscar blades, and then buy the inserts cheap on ebay.

Will


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## themayor (Aug 12, 2012)

http://www.travers.com/skulist.asp?r=s&n=||UserSearch1%3Discar+1.6&q=block+id+63859+and+class+level3+id+28645 so that is what I'm looking for?


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2012)

Yup, the 26mm one. You then need a cut-off blade holder that fits your tool post size.

But you can get the smaller one (19mm, I think), such as this one that I use often:






Will


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## themayor (Aug 12, 2012)

and it will use gfn inserts


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2012)

I don't use the GFN inserts often. I most often use the GFR, so the part being cut-off (towards the tailstock) has no metal piece sticking out. Of course that means that the part in the chuck does have a little piece, which I must face off before using the part in the chuck:
http://www.iscar.com/Ecat/familyhdr.asp?fnum=158&app=51&mapp=TG&GFSTYP=M&lang=EN&type=1

The insert on the 19mm blade two posts up is a GFR 1.6 

Will


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## darkzero (Aug 12, 2012)

cmacclel said:


> 3/32



Same here & my Manchesters get used the most.


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## richnpc (Aug 27, 2012)

I have a Iscar parting blade SGIH 26-3, I would like to know if anybody could tell me if the GFN 3 and GFR 3 inserts will fit this blade. Thanks for any help.


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## wquiles (Aug 27, 2012)

richnpc said:


> I have a Iscar parting blade SGIH 26-3, I would like to know if anybody could tell me if the GFN 3 and GFR 3 inserts will fit this blade. Thanks for any help.



Have you tried Googling for it? 

A quick search on Google brought a page from Travers that states:
ISCAR Self-Grip Parting & Grooving Blades - MODEL: SGIH 26-3 
Overall Length : 4.33" 
Use Insert : GTN/R/L 3 
Blade Height : 0.842"

So based on that, the GFN or GFR will not work with this blade.

Will


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## richnpc (Aug 28, 2012)

I wasted way too much time stumbling around on the Enco site looking for, Insert Type GT\*-3, now I see. Seemed like some secret code I couldn't crack. That page on travers is much easier for me to decipher,even includes related items like, GTN 3 inserts, how about that. Thanks, it's crystal clear now.


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## themayor (Dec 16, 2012)

Got my cut off tool a couple months ago went to use it n remember I forgot to get a holder . Been searching this weekend n can find where to get one if you guys could tell me what the holder for the quick change is called I should be able to find it thanks


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## archer6817j (Dec 21, 2012)

I use a SECO parting blade that gets mounted in a regular blade holder, though they also have dedicated holders. I like the blade because I can adjust the stickout and can part up to 4" in diameter. 

For HSS I use the "T" type blades with a groove down the length of the top edge. This curls the chip in on itself and I find it cuts more freely than a flat top blade. I also have a flat top that I ground top rake into and it works well, but you need to use a pretty aggressive feed rate so it doesn't rub. Either top rake or a T type blade will cut with a lot less heat generated. The only reason to use a flat top HSS blade is if you live in the 1930's  

I prefer the carbide insert tool in circumstances where I'm parting something that is an inch or more. You can run at 800-1000 rpm and just blast through it without burning up the blade.


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## themayor (Dec 21, 2012)

Ten four thanks


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