I've just bought myself a lathe and need to turn and face some stainless steel tubing to a specific length.

I have been told that stainless steel is quite difficult to machine, so I am looking for a bit of advice on it.

Do I need to use a special kind of cutting tool? Most state they are fine for mild steel, but very few state they are suitable for stainless steel.

Any other general advice, or links to suitable cutting tools?

Diffrerent grades of stainless are easier to machine than others

a few carbide tiped tools wouldn't hurt fleabay linky

also have you got some proper cutting fluid ?

I've got some info somewhere but can't find anything at the moment (my houes is a bit of a building site just now)

[Edited on 6/7/2010 by mcerd1]

About 2/3rds the speeds for machining steel.

Some grades are difficult to machine, but 314 and 303 are nice and free cutting.

Make sure your tools are sharp too, stainless workhardens quickly and if your tool rubs it will make the stainless hard and very difficult to machine.

HSS will machine stainless easily as long as cuts are small and speeds/feeds low. But if you have a small lathe then this will be the case anyway.

There are many different grades of carbide tools depending on what you are turning as well. Its easier, for small jobs, to just use a HSS tool and sharpen regularly.

I agree with the other comments, that grades 303 and 304 will cut nearly as easily as mild steel.
I would suggest you buy some tooling that uses indexable disposable inserts so that you have optimum cutting angles.
If you go to
http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/
you will find their range of Glanze tool tip holders and inserts. For most jobs what is called a RH tool (but looks like a LH one to me) will do.
They are available in 8, 10, 12 and 16mm
square sizes. Buy the largest one that will not exceed the centre line height of your lathe when fitted in the tool post.


Mal