I am wanting to turn a shaft down on a lathe, I have a lathe available to me but used to get someone to do it for me or set it up for me but he has retired now.
My question is once I have set the tool height what angle do I need to set the tool to the shaft/work.
When I have seen it done it was set at 90 to the work then angled into the work slightly I assume this was done with experience but I do not have this so is there a specified angle I need to set it out.

Thanks in advance.
Matty

It rather depends! It depends on the shape of the tool and the direction you are cutting (i.e. plain turning or facing etc). I assume it is a HSS tool rather than a tool with a carbide insert?

In the absence of any other info - If plain turning right to left (and assuming a knife tool of some sort) I would have the left hand edge (that does the cutting) at about 7 degrees anticlockwise.

This web site should help.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/cancelled%20account/techindx.htm

quote:

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Originally posted by chris-g
This web site should help.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/cancelled%20account/techindx.htm

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Yes, its got lots of very good information. I should have posted the link the the main homepage so here it is.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~chrish/cancelled%20account/homepge2.htm

Chris Heapy, the author must have spent quite some time on it so he deserves a big thank you.

Done a bit of turning today seems to be going ok but finish is a bit ruff, although I have now found the correct levers to select the auto feed.
Thanks for the advise and links.
Matty