[pike3e]

I am a knife maker and make pattern welded/ damascus steel. I recently picked up a mini lathe and am trying to make some stainless damascus rings and am currently practicing on stainless bolts from the hardware store. I am able to turn down fine but boring is not working well. I only have a harbor freight boring bar. I am interested in any and all help that can be provided regarding techniques, speeds, appropriate equipment ect regarding how to bore the ring hole to the correct size after drilling a 1/2 inch hole in the stock first.

Thanks

John

[LeeWay]

You will need better tools. Start with a good drill bit. It will cut much better and not work harder the material. Take as big a cut as you can. Back it out often.
Honestly it will still be difficult to do manually. I don't think there is any way around it heating up the part. You do not want heat with SS.
The HF boring bars may be okay. I think they are brazed carbide.
You will want to do plunge cuts with them rather than skim cuts. The minilathe may not be up to the task of skim cutting. Have you tuned the lathe up?
That is a must and you will have to do it often cutting SS.

[pike3e]

Thanks for the reply. I will look up skim vs plunge cutting. I have no idea how to tune up a lathe, got any links?

[LeeWay]

Just read some of the theads right here in this forum.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/mini-lathe/