Coffee In My Sugar: A Scissor Knurler / Lathe Question

LooseNut

LooseNut

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I'm currently one of the lost souls endlessly searching for answers concerning my first lathe purchase. I've always believed in buying the best tool I can afford.... or buying the cheapest one. Neither approach has ever really let me down. That being said, I am on the fence about making a major purchase at the present.

Instead of tormenting myself over buying the best lathe I can afford, I've decided to buy a piece of quality tooling that I absolutely need for my intended use for said lathe:

THE EAGLE ROCK HEAVY DUTY SCISSOR TYPE KNURLING TOOL No. K1-44

My question for all those experienced in scissor knurling is: What is the smallest machine that will hack it (or should I say... turn it) with a good result? I ask knowing that the scissor type knurlers put the least amount of stress on the lathe itself. But how far does that stress free lemonade drinking lifestyle actually get me?

I should mention that I plan to specifically knurl 6061 at max diameter of 37mm give or take.

Can I buy something in the ballpark of the Grizzly G4000 and get the job done (deep sexy knurls) while I'm stacking chips for the hot rod I really want?

(I do know the spindle bore size of the above mentioned lathe.)

Thanks in advance!
 
That type of tool does not rely on pressure from tool post as it is like a pair of pliers.

The lathe just holds and turns the work while the tool squeezes the work.

We have somewhere a hand held version that works anywhere.

Lathe model not relevant as long as work fits between the wheels.

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I have a 12x lathe, I have that same exact scissor knurler & knurl mostly titanium with it. One thing to consider is that the smallest shank the K1-44 comes in is 5/8". Need to check if you can get 5/8" shank tools on spindle center line with that lathe.

With a scissor knurler being off center line a tad wouldn't matter much but if it is way off I'm not sure what happens, I have never tried personally. If that lathe can use an AXA tool post, oversized AXA holders will accept 5/8" shanks but still have to check if there is enough clearance to reach centerline. Another option is to mill down the shank on the scissor knurler. I'd hate to do that on such an expensive tool though if purchased new.

The K1-44 is their heavy duty knurler, don’t need that for knurling aluminum. The K1-201 is their standard model. I love the K1-44 but it's a pretty expensive tool if purchased new, luckily I got mine second hand.
 
Choosing a lathe based on a knurling tool is a novel approach, I must say. Might I ask what else you might want to do with it because that is the real criteria that determines the size of the lathe you buy. Will knurls with his 12" lathe and I use the same knurler on my 11" lathe. Different guys, different lathes, same knurler, see?
 
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darkzero said:
I have a 12x lathe, I have that same exact scissor knurler & knurl mostly titanium with it. One thing to consider is that the smallest shank the K1-44 comes in is 5/8". Need to check if you can get 5/8" shank tools on spindle center line with that lathe.

With a scissor knurler being off center line a tad wouldn't matter much but if it is way off I'm not sure what happens, I have never tried personally. If that lathe can use an AXA tool post, oversized AXA holders will accept 5/8" shanks but still have to check if there is enough clearance to reach centerline. Another option is to mill down the shank on the scissor knurler. I'd hate to do that on such an expensive tool though if purchased new.

The K1-44 is their heavy duty knurler, don’t need that for knurling aluminum. The K1-201 is their standard model. I love the K1-44 but it's a pretty expensive tool if purchased new, luckily I got mine second hand.
Click to expand...

I'll do some more research into fitting a 5/8 tool / AXA Post on the G4000... did a quick search and didn't find anything definitive. I'll have to figure out how to figure this out HA!

I didn't see the K1-201 in Eagle Rock's tool lineup because it doesn't pop up when you go to Knurling Tools. I did find it with a search of that specific tool. Thanks for the tip!
 
mikey said:
Choosing a lathe based on a knurling tool is a novel approach, I must say. Might I ask what else you might want to do with it because that is the real criteria that determines the size of the lathe you buy. Will knurls with his 12" lathe and I use the same knurler on my 11" lathe. Different guys, different lathes, same knurler, see?
Click to expand...

I'll be using the lathe for prototypes / small runs of 6061 BMX pegs 31mm-37mm give or take. Obviously, I'd like to buy the "forever lathe" now. However, for budgetary reasons, I'd rather save money and/or hunt for a used large lathe (New PM or Vintage American).

Basically, I just want the bare minimum tool to get the job done so I can take more time on the major purchase. That being said, investing in good tooling from the start seems like a sound investment (knowing I'll be upgrading the lathe down the line).
 
@LooseNut ahhh BMX pegs! I remember your thread on another forum. Glad to see you made it here.


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With those clamp-style knurlers the only force on the lathe is laterally (Z axis) when moving left to right, and sufficient HP to spin the material under the (admittedly minor) resistence of the knurl. Both of those forces are controlled by the clamping force, which is adjustable. Any lathe that can get that tool on center should be able to use that tool.

However, if you go too small (like a 7x24 or so), the amount you'd be able to tighten the knurl is extremely small, thus making this a REALLY time consuming activity. IMO, the 10" lathes are always a sweet spot for cost vs capability, so I'd suggest not wasting money on something smaller.
 
Do a search on this forum for knurling, knurlers.
There is quite a lot of info regarding the matter. There's home-brewed and purchased, the whole spectrum.
 
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