First off, I hate abrasives for this. Makes it a three step job. Cut, grind, turn. If I don't grind the burr damages the turning tool. Maybe not every one, but often enough. Yes HSS is more tolerant, but I also have to resharpen it.
I still think a shear tool of some kind might work best for the smaller pieces, but I also make inserts from 1-1/2 inch stainless. I would just pre-order them cut to length (with some tolerance maybe), but of my three best suppliers for stainless:
- charges to much to cut.
- Seems to have quit offering cut to length.
- I never know when I will receive a cut length order. Last time I canceled after 2 months.
Currently I bandsaw on the horizontal one piece at a time slightly over length, and then face both ends to length. Since this part is used in batches of 9 or 11 the hands on time adds up. Particularly if I sell more than a couple of the part they go in. Its a profitable part, but I still begrudge the time.