# using an old axe file for a lathe tool



## woodman12 (Feb 12, 2012)

I wanted to use some old axe files for parting tools or scrappers on the wood lathe and I needed to make 
wood handles and I wanted to sandwich the axe file handle between 2 wood pieces and make a comfortable
handle out of red oak
I wanted the cnc machining accurate to hold these axe files tight, a reverse mould was created by pocketing out the cut
and the handle was a tight fit
Turned out well

making a lathe tool from an old axe file - YouTube


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks for posting, Stan.

Was there a long learning curve to use the software and CNC machine?


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## BCK (Feb 23, 2014)

thx for sharing


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## rwbaker (Feb 25, 2010)

The video does not say if he annealed the files before grinding the profile. Trying to grind a file is not an easy task as they were made to be as hard and tough as the grinding wheel. A file in it's un-annealed state will break in half, not bend.

Before Fibromyalgia took over my body I made chisels and plane irons from files and leaf springs from a model A Ford. Great metal and it will destroy a normal grinding wheel if not annealed. Suggestion try grinding a file (very slow and cool every 10~15 seconds in cold water) and when that takes forever go get a small bag of self lighting charcoal (not a wood fire), after this is going then lay the files on top and leave till the fire is out (slow heat-slow cool), the files will now be annealed and much easier to work. *Hardening *then *Tempering *the steel is the reverse of annealing except you have to watch the color of the new cutting tools and oil-quench at the proper moment. See A Woodworker's Guide to Tool Steel and Heat Treating for the proper colors and quenching fluid.

And, yes it is worth the trouble - Good luck Baker


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## woodman12 (Feb 12, 2012)

the learning is on going ,but because I am retired I make the time to try all sorts of projects.
I really am not sure how one could run a business in this line and learn at the same time.
There are a lot of interesting things the cnc machines will do but they do need to be programmed by us.I am on my own and have had my first machine 2007 and i am still learning but there are tools (software) that can help and make things easier.
And i love computers


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## woodman12 (Feb 12, 2012)

*back on grinding and the caution*

I hear what you are saying about the grinding,i already have one as a scraper and one i want as a parting tool.
I grind them slowly,and i am not a lathe person ,I picked up a small bench top just for clock shafts out of wood and some simple dowels .So i needed some basic tools for real simple jobs and the files will help.
I normally use the indexer i built uisng my old rockwell lathe,but for simple jobs it too much effort to run the indexer


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Good information Richard, Files are just too brittle so even cheap lathe tools are better than all the effort that has to happen to be able to use a file as a lathe tool, for any beginner then I say go out and buy the cheap lathe tools and learn to grind them, grind them down to the handle then buy some more cheap lathe tools and then grind them down, when you can do a proper grind on your tools then buy the best lathe tools that you can buy, Sorby, P&N, there are many of them and when you can grind them then you don't need to grind them that much, learn how to hone the edge, cheap tools are only good to use a 'filler', that's 'rubbish bin filler', by the way, you know when your rubbish bin is not full and you don't want to walk it out half full then fill it up with 'bin filler'. N


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## woodman12 (Feb 12, 2012)

I wonder if there are different file quailty as i have used axe files years ago ,in fact there was a guy in my shop and thats all he ever used ,axe file ground to his taste
So i started to use them to


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