Brass Tubing Into a Cone - Die Metal Type?

Hello all,

I'd like to turn thin-wall brass tubing on a lathe and form the original, cylindrical tubing into a slight conical shape for fishing rod ferrules.

I am new to metal working (and this forum) and just recently purchased a 1946 South Bend 9" x 4.5' lathe.

I'd like to make dies for spinning brass tubing into cones. What type of metal should I use to make the dies (if they are even called dies... forgive my ignorance). Basically I want to make a cone shape to form the brass over the die, spinning it very fast to elongate the tubing and make the diameter smaller at one end.

What type of metal should I use to make these dies/forms? I was looking at tool steel but it seems like tool steel is very hard to turn and I think it may be overkill for forming a softer metal such as brass. Is there some other metal I could use that would hold up to higher temperatures, and that will also be easier to turn that tool steel?

Thanks in advance!

Jesse

I haven't done any metal spinning since high school, about 50 years ago. But I think the proper term for metal spinning is mandrel, but die works for me. :)

High temperatures? If things get really hot then you are doing something wrong :) In the annealed state, most tools steels turn pretty nice, but I think 1018 would work fine for a mandrel, many times wood is used for the mandrels. Going from a tube to a cone should be pretty easy, you are really not moving that much material.

You might do a YouTube search for metal spinning. Some pretty good videos to give you some ideas.

Here's one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7QB0-AlwtI

Hi Jim!

Thanks so much for your reply. This technique looks like it will work for what I am trying to do. And thanks for correcting my terminology!

This video you posted is seriously awesome... Thanks again for your prompt reply.

Jesse