FoR Inverted Parting Tools
These unconventional parting tool holders clamp the T type cuttoff blade upside down which significantly reduces the chance of a crash or blade breakage whilst parting off. When used in a front tool post the lathe should be run in reverse direction, when used in a rear tool post the lathe should be run in the normal direction.
DO Not run your lathe in a reverse direction if you have a screw on chuck (unless it has a locking feature and can be safely run in reverse). Some FoR parting tool sizes are available with the blade held in the normal orientation for lathes with a screw on chuck.
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8mm (5/16″) Tool Height
10mm (3/8″) Tool Height
12mm (1/2″) Tool Height
16mm (5/8″) Tool Height
Parting Blades and Accessories
20mm (3/4″) Tool Height
Why choose an FoR Parting Tool Holder?
The FoR (Front or Rear) holders have a number of features that reduce the chances of crashes/blade breakage and increase their versatility. This makes them ideal to use on smaller less rigid lathes.
- The inverted blade design helps chip ejection due to the chips falling out of the cut rather than piling up on top of the blade. This avoids chips jamming down the sides of the blade and aids coolant getting to the cutting edge where it’s needed.
- If a dig-in is encountered, a conventional parting tool will tend to be pulled down and further in to the cut which will worsen the problem. Due to the different geometry, an inverted blade will tend to lift up and away from the cut, reducing the pressure and helping relieve the problem from causing significant damage or blade breakage.
- The blade is held horizontally in the holder so it is a simple matter to extend or retract the blade just far enough to reach the centre of the part and complete the cutoff operation. This maximises the blade’s rigidity for the task in hand. Other makes of holders that have a built in rake angle for the blade need the tool height to be reset every time the blade is extended or retracted.
- The T type blades used in the FoR parting tool holders are simple to resharpen on a bench grinder as they only require the front edge to be ground. Unlike bevel type blades there is no need to grind any material off the top edge, so only a tiny amount has to be removed from the front of the blade to refresh the cutting edge and return it to its former sharpness.
- The zero rake angle on top of the blade also helps avoid the blade pulling itself into the cut and potentially causing catastrophic damage. This is particularly relevant on grabby materials such as brass and bronze.
- There are five different widths of blades available and these fit every FoR holder. As well as cut-off tasks, the thinner blades can also be used for grooving operations for circlips and “O” rings. The widest blades are capable of light cuts from side to side to clean up a recessed section of shaft. It is recommended to widen the recess in a series of plunge cuts and then take a light sideways cut for the final cleanup.
- Unlike an indexable type parting blade where one mistake will scrap the tool bit, the T type blades can be resharpened multiple times and if used with care one blade will outlast many packets of indexable tips.