Does your knurling look bad ?

[ksor]

I've made a program that can do all these calculation and choose the closest diameter smaller and greather than the wanted that's "fitting" the knurling wheel !

The program markes the CLOSEST diameter blinking - some people say "Just take the smaller diameter !" - but you are free to choose - I just programmed it this way !

The program is FREE and can be downloaded from my web site ...

BUT ...

1) Your security system must allow you to install programs (EXE/MSI-files)
2) You must have Micorsoft .NET FRAMEWORK installed (download free from Microsoft)
3) Notice where you install it on your machine - you must start it from there OR make a shortcut yourself on the desktop

You can download it here:

http://kelds.weebly.com/sjov.html


Hope you enjoy it !

 

[AR1911]

Thanks, I have been needing just such a utility.

:man:

 

[SE18]

I get double knurls all the time. i have a mac so I can't download. The formulas look very complex. I'll just keep double knurling as at least it provides a nice gripping surface

I don't even know if the lathe should be moving longitudinally on the x axis as it's knurling or if the carriage should be locked

 

[ksor]

Thanks, I have been needing just such a utility.

:man:

) There you have it !

- - - Updated - - -

I get double knurls all the time. i have a mac so I can't download. The formulas look very complex. I'll just keep double knurling as at least it provides a nice gripping surface

I don't even know if the lathe should be moving longitudinally on the x axis as it's knurling or if the carriage should be locked

I can't do it for a Mac - but can't you run a "Windows window" on a Mac and then in this window run it ?

 

[SE18]

Thanks. i don't have windows parallel and probably won't get it b/c over the years we've gotten so many bugs and worms and viruses on PCs that we switched to mac about 5 years ago and it's been smooth sailing since so I don't want to screw that up.

I'll try wading thru machinery's handbook again though

we do use PCs at work (DOD) but gov't computers don't allow installation of software that's required to run it (I tried)

 

[Ray C]

Hi Ksor...

Very nice program and I installed it for convenience on my workshop computer.

Here is a spreadsheet that does pretty-much the same thing. It prints a series of diameters and you pick the value closest to what you need. You can change the pitch values or, you can change the table size to cover a series of larger or smaller diameters. -Hope you don't mind if I post this here on your thread but, it's a spreadsheet program that hopefully anyone can use...

Ray

View attachment KnurlPitchDiameters.xlsx

 

[SE18]

Ray, why are 3 diameter columns shown and what does 14, 20 and 33 mean in the header. Also, how do you find the pitch value of the knurl wheel?

 

[Ray C]

Ray, why are 3 diameter columns shown and what does 14, 20 and 33 mean in the header. Also, how do you find the pitch value of the knurl wheel?

Most knurl wheels will have the pitch (TPI) stamped on the side. If not, roll it in ink and roll it on a piece of paper then, mark off about 20 lines and use a caliper to measure the distance. Most of the knurls sets I've seen have coarse, medium and fine wheels and are usually about 14-15, 20-21 and 30 or 33 TPI respectively. Those seem to be the most common sizes for coarse, medium and fine.

As for the spreadsheet, this information should be showing right above those columns. Let me know if you need additional help.

Optimal Shaft Diameters for Knurling. Formula is: N / (PitchValue * 3.14159) where N is a number such that the formula provides a value closest to the desired diameter.
Pitch Value is the pitch of the knurl wheel.
To see more diameter sizes, change 'N' from 0 to a bigger number.
To change Pitch, change the 14, 21 or 33 to a desired pitch number.

Ray

 

[SE18]

Thanks for info!

 

[xalky]

Hi Ksor...

Very nice program and I installed it for convenience on my workshop computer.

Here is a spreadsheet that does pretty-much the same thing. It prints a series of diameters and you pick the value closest to what you need. You can change the pitch values or, you can change the table size to cover a series of larger or smaller diameters. -Hope you don't mind if I post this here on your thread but, it's a spreadsheet program that hopefully anyone can use...

Ray

View attachment 68776

Love the spread sheet. I like the fact that you can change the knurl pitch values. I have a set that are 21tpi, counted it 4 times. Going a little cross-eyed from it.

To get a nice pattern , If I have a 21 tpi knurl, should I set the carriage feed on 21tpi also? OR is it strictly a function of the diameter of the work piece and it should track correctly, regardless of carriage feed speed, as long as the correct diameter of work is matched up with the knurl?