# Knurlcraft, repurposed turret knurling tool or make your own



## Headrc (Dec 28, 2018)

OK another thread on knurling here.  I am searching for possibly someone that has used all three of these approaches that I can learn from once again.  The question of course is as the title states ...which is the better approach?  The Eagle Rock/Knurlcraft scissor, acquire a turret lathe knurling tool and mount it in a tool holder or make your own knurling tool?    Of course please educate me if there is yet another better approach for my 12 inch Logan lathe.  It seems like a turret knurl tool can be had for less, is very stout and produces a good product.  Although it is limited in the diameter that it can accommodate.  That brings up the other question of how often are knurls larger that 1" in diameter actually needed?  Of course the most economic approach is make your own (not considering your time of course) ...and learn from doing it,  Thanks as always.  Richard


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## pstemari (Dec 28, 2018)

If you go the Eagle Rock route, be sure to get the "heavy-duty" version that uses set screws with the knurling pins. The other one uses pressed-in pins and is a real PITA to change knurls.

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## ddickey (Dec 28, 2018)

Doug Ross made a really nice looking knurler.


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## P. Waller (Dec 28, 2018)

I use Eagle Rock clamp tooling, they work a charm. Not fast but they work, this one will accommodate parts about 4" diameter, these particular parts are 3 1/8" D and the knurled portion is 22" long. I believe that it costs less then $500.00, this is a lot of tool for the money.


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## Mark Needham (Dec 28, 2018)

Me, used a dual wheel (Photo 1 knurl) for 10 years. Hard on your machine. 
Recently built a scissor type (Photo 2 Knurl)





I prefer the Scissor type, less pressure on your lathe, head stock and cross slide screws.




      The beast I built is not unlike this one. I bought the Knurl Wheels, cheap as chips. It is good fun and practice mucking around building it.
Have fun mate.
Mark Needham
PS, if need be, could photograph the one I made.


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## kd4gij (Dec 28, 2018)

There is always the hand knurler.  You can make one using a pipe cutter.
Some one on here made a knurling tool from a kant-twist clamp.
Here it is.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/kant-twist-clamp-knurler.38433/


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## Norseman C.B. (Dec 28, 2018)

ddickey said:


> Doug Ross made a really nice looking knurler.



This ones goin on the tadoo list fer sure !!!


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## ddickey (Dec 28, 2018)

Me too. That'll be my third one.


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## Headrc (Dec 28, 2018)

Really nice job done by Doug!  I hope I can get my skills up to that at some point.


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## mikey (Dec 29, 2018)

Richard, the size of the knurl diameter you need depends on your needs. Sometimes you'll need a large knob, or you may need to knurl the end of a large piece to press fit into a hole. Can't tell you how big you need but I have not had to do anything bigger than 2" yet.

That knurler in the video is way cool and would be a neat project to do, I think.

The turret knurler you're referring to is great if you're going to do a lot of pieces of one size or within a limited range of sizes. To do all the different knurls I do in my shop, it would require me to buy 4 or 5 knurlers and that will get expensive. Not for me.

Scissors knurlers can be bought or made. Of course, if you go with an Eagle Rock then it will work well from the moment you throw it on the lathe for not a lot of money. The K1-44 is the heavy duty model with the set screws holding the knurling pins and if you go for an Eagle Rock, go for that series as @pstemari said. This is the tool you will find in many pro shops, for good reason. The thing that makes this tool worthy is the solidity of the design. Unlike the knock offs of this tool, the Eagle Rock doesn't have a lot of lateral play in the arms once it is locked down and that makes a big difference in the quality of your knurls. 

A shop-made scissors knurler is potentially much cheaper and can be made either simply or very complicated, like Doug's one in the video. I tried several designs and the one I settled on has side plates to limit lateral movement of the arms. This matters to me because most of the knurls I make are wider than the knurl itself so I have to do some axial running down the work piece; I do not want the arms to be able to move around when I do this.




The fastest way to get going is to buy one. Knurling is a high pressure operation and I suggest you buy a good tool from the get go. If you can fabricate and wish to make your own then look at the many designs out there and go for it. I made mine from a single picture much like that above and figured out how to build it.


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## P. Waller (Dec 29, 2018)

The best way to approach a knurling operation is.
Do not do it at all, I realize that most do so for decorative reasons rather then practical use however.
Stop whinging about it and get on with it, bang the tool in and knurl away, the worst that can happen is an ugly knurled part for your own use.


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## Headrc (Dec 29, 2018)

Thanks again .....I am seeing that Doug and the Gadgets and Gizmos are both knurling in reverse?  So that is better to do?


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## pstemari (Dec 30, 2018)

Odd. I'm guessing it makes it easier to see the initial knurl and adjust the tool post if required. Did they provide any explanation?

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## Headrc (Dec 30, 2018)

No ...it was not even mentioned ...I just noticed this when watching the videos...but then watching them again I believe I am mistaken and they are not running in reverse.


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## savarin (Dec 30, 2018)

If making your own then make sure you use real hardened pins for the knurl wheels.
I used high tensile bolts for mine and they wore through withing a couple of months of hard usage.
Most of my knurling is in stainless and requires a lot of pressure to effectively work so that is probably why they wore out so fast.


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## Mark Needham (Dec 30, 2018)

Dougs' Knurling tool, has to be *set at horizontal center height.* Plus the tool requires some LH threads. Whereas the other one, is *self adjusting* to the center height., all right hand threads
Then all that has to be done, with both tools is to align the tool with the vertical center of the material being knurled., and in most cases an approximation, rule of thumb, she's close enough, will do.
Savarin, suggests harden pins, me, I just used bolts, but in the 12 or so months I have done about 10 knurling jobs in total., reckon hardened would be a goodly idea.


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## Headrc (Dec 30, 2018)

If I make my own I will use the hardened pins ....Doug's is really quite an exquisite looking tool ....but beyond my skills at this time I think.  But it sure would be a learning experience!


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## mikey (Dec 30, 2018)

You can use drill blanks for the pins. They are hardened to Rc 63-65, precision ground and accurately sized. One key reason pins wear is a sloppy fit. Drill blanks come in sizes that allow you to get very close to the actual center hole of the knurl wheel.


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## savarin (Dec 30, 2018)

mikey said:


> One key reason pins wear is a sloppy fit.


I believe that is also a reason mine wore so fast as they were not a free running fit but quite sloppy.
I will have to look for that drill blank material.


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## pstemari (Dec 31, 2018)

I would think standard dowel pins would work fine. They are accurately ground and hardened, and readily available at good hardware stores.

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## plunger (Dec 31, 2018)

ddickey said:


> Doug Ross made a really nice looking knurler.


Has anyone made one like this and are there perhaps plans for it. Looks real nice.


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## bill70j (Dec 31, 2018)

Headrc said:


> or make your own knurling tool?



Richard:

I looked for a long time for a used SPI BestYet clamp-type knurling tool.  But they were too expensive.

So instead I made my own, using the videos and drawings from Tom Griffin.   It was fun to build and has made good knurls every time.  You can design it to accept both 5/8 and 3/4" wheels.

Bill

*Here are two sizes of the SPI BestYet*

*

*

*Here is the DIY Model Made From Tom Grifffin's Drawings

*


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## ddickey (Dec 31, 2018)

plunger said:


> Has anyone made one like this and are there perhaps plans for it. Looks real nice.


I emailed Mr. Ross yesterday. Plans will be coming soon.


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## ddickey (Dec 31, 2018)

bill70j said:


> Richard:
> 
> I looked for a long time for a used SPI BestYet clamp-type knurling tool.  But they were too expensive.
> 
> ...


I made that one too. Really nice project. Super rigid knurler but has some limitations on the design. Big and bulky.


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## Headrc (Dec 31, 2018)

Looking forward to those plans ...although I better get a lot more experience under my belt I bet before I tackle that.


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## chips&more (Dec 31, 2018)

pstemari said:


> I would think standard dowel pins would work fine. They are accurately ground and hardened, and readily available at good hardware stores.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


YES, hardened steel dowel pins would be a very good choice.


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## magicniner (Dec 31, 2018)

I use a mix of clamp and cut knurling tools which are a mix of Quick and Integi brands.


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## Headrc (Dec 31, 2018)

What are the advantages of a Cut type knurling tool?


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## ddickey (Jan 1, 2019)

I think for thin walled material you can't use the pressure knurler.
https://www.gadgetbuilder.com/Cut_Knurler.html


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## rgray (Jan 1, 2019)

Headrc said:


> If I make my own I will use the hardened pins




I've made a few knurlers and used 1/4" HHS for the pins. Haven't worn one out yet. Buy the HSS in 6 or 8" lengths and cut to length you want.


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## P. Waller (Jan 5, 2019)

Headrc said:


> What are the advantages of a Cut type knurling tool?


Low load and sharper features, you can produce very sharp finishes by cutting rather then forming.


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