# New Radius Turner



## GarageGuy (May 27, 2015)

I finished my radius turner project today, and got video of my first try using it.  I saw the design on-line and liked it, so I decided to make my own.  I made it to mount in a AXA, BXA, or CXA QCTP so it can be used on different machines simply by adjusting the center height on the tool post.  

I used .500 steel plate for the frame.  I know... massive overkill... but I had a piece laying around.  I welded the frame instead of bolting it like the one I saw on-line.  No particular reason, just to be different.  My original design used ball shoulder bearings for the swivel, but to my disappointment, there was too much play.  Maybe a preload issue?  I took them out and turned a bronze bushing that worked much better and held a tighter tolerance.  The cutter is a VCMT carbide insert that seemed to cut very smoothly.

GG







Here is a video of the first radius:


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## Mark_f (May 27, 2015)

Really nice!


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## brino (May 27, 2015)

Beautifully functional tool.
-brino


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## GarageGuy (May 29, 2015)

I'm not good at build photos, but here is what I got:


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## roadie33 (May 29, 2015)

Awesome.
Where did you see this design originally?


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## T Bredehoft (May 29, 2015)

I gotta admire your courage for taping (and sharing) your first attempt.  I'd have tried it several times, to make sure it didn't screw up.


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## GarageGuy (May 29, 2015)

roadie33 said:


> Awesome.  Where did you see this design originally?



There is a company that sells them on eBay.  Too pricey for me, but an excellent project.  I had looked at several different designs, and decided this one was the most practical one for me.

GG


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## GarageGuy (May 29, 2015)

T Bredehoft said:


> I gotta admire your courage for taping (and sharing) your first attempt.  I'd have tried it several times, to make sure it didn't screw up.



I put the camera up just in case it did work.  If it had screwed up badly, that video would never have seen the light of day  

GG


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## Silverbullet (May 29, 2015)

Well add another tool to build . I like this one from all the others I've seen on YouTube. This will be an easier build over the yoke styles . Pluses the way this works looks like making oblong balls or tapered ones will be quickly learned to do.


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## brightonmike (May 31, 2015)

I like the design. Do you have a link to the original plan?


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## GarageGuy (May 31, 2015)

Here is what I worked from:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Repton-Lath...170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4618d8a212

GG


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## brightonmike (May 31, 2015)

Thanks!


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## roadie33 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thanks GG.
By the way, what type of Bearing did you use?


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## GarageGuy (Jun 1, 2015)

First I tried two ball shoulder bearings, but there was too much runout.  Maybe it was a preload issue... I don't know.  By the time I got the shaft tight enough to be rigid, the bearings were "cogging".  I switched to a bronze bushing, and it is much more secure and stable.

GG


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## roadie33 (Jun 1, 2015)

I have some 1" Bronze rod. I'll have to give that a try.
Thanks.


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## GarageGuy (Jun 1, 2015)

That's exactly what I used.  1"  660 bronze rod.  I left a full 1" shoulder on the top to give as much support as possible to the swivel.  There is a 1/4" bolt running through it for the pivot.

GG


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## brav65 (Jun 1, 2015)

Nice simple tool, I have a ball turner on my list of to do projects.  Why does that pesky job have to interrupt my weekends?


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## kvt (Jun 1, 2015)

Question,  do you think a good Needle bearing would be good in it,   I don't have any bronze right now but I do have some nice needle bearings.


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## GarageGuy (Jun 1, 2015)

Depending on the size and whether you can get them tight enough, they could work.  It's hard to say.  I thought my shoulder bearings would work, but they didn't.  

GG


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## kevin (Jun 3, 2015)

That's an interesting design; now I wondering how I can scale it down to work with my 7x12.

Foe some reason radius turning has always fascinated me, and I have collected many links on the topic - click on the link below and scroll down to "Ball turning tools" if interested:

https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/useful-links#lathetools


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## brino (Jun 3, 2015)

brav65 said:


> Why does that pesky job have to interrupt my weekends?



If mine wasn't funding my tool habit, I'd be outta there sooo fast....
-brino


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## GarageGuy (Jun 3, 2015)

> "That's an interesting design; now I wondering how I can scale it down to work with my 7x12."



This design can easily be scaled up or down in size.  Using a QCTP, you can adjust the center height and it can be used on machines that are close in size with no other changes.  For bigger changes, all you need to do is make another cutting tool post that will put the carbide cutting tool at center height for your machine.  The little post that holds the cutting tool is fastened to the turntable with a 1/4 - 20 screw, and only takes a minute to change.

GG


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## Rick Leslie (Jun 6, 2015)

Here's an economical source for bronze flange bearings: http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-sleeve-bearings/=xi9tpx

You may have to play around with the ID/OD a little, but it looks like they should work.


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## brav65 (Jun 6, 2015)

kevin said:


> That's an interesting design; now I wondering how I can scale it down to work with my 7x12.
> 
> Foe some reason radius turning has always fascinated me, and I have collected many links on the topic - click on the link below and scroll down to "Ball turning tools" if interested:
> 
> https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/useful-links#lathetools



Kevin I have a 7x12 and am fascinated by ball turners as well. I have collected 5 or 6 different designs, but this is the simplest one I have encountered so far plus I have all the materials to make it.  Now I just need the time to do all this stuff.


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