[jesset]

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

[Jim Dawson]

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:

[jesset]

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