# DIY ball turner



## th62 (Sep 11, 2014)

Another project I finished some time ago, a ball turner.   This was actually made for my last lathe so it won't fit my current one - shows how often I use it I suppose.   Very time consuming project, works well.


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## zmotorsports (Sep 11, 2014)

This is another item on my "to build" list.  Nice job.


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## churchjw (Sep 11, 2014)

Does yours have a bearing under it?  If so how does it go together.  I have read a bunch of postings on these and haven't landed on the design I want to use yet.

Jeff


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## zmotorsports (Sep 11, 2014)

I have a tapered bearing and race I am going to use on mine.  Don't have the bearing number off the top of my head but outer diameter of the race is approx. 2.5" and ID of the bearing approx. 1.5" "ish".


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## Fabrickator (Sep 11, 2014)

They really don't need a bearing.  I thought that there would be all kinds of stress on it too and come to find out it handles whatever you can cut with no problem.  I made mine based on the Steve Bedair model/specs.  Unlless you were making 100 balls a day/CNC production, you'll never need anymore than a good fit an o-ring and some grease.  More important is to build it with a double-ended bit for inside and outside radius.


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## th62 (Sep 11, 2014)

Fabrickator is correct, they cut amazingly well, I really don't see a need for bearings - why complicate.  

I like your ball turner Fabrickator, that's how I was going to make mine, but milling on my lathe is not precise enough with the one and only vertical slide available here.  The ways on the slide I had were hopeless, going from tight to loose in a matter of mm.   Might have to do some experimental work with an angle plate I think.

I intend to make another for this lathe, so I'll have to experiment with methods of cutting the slot.   Have not real use for it, but it's a good project.   But first, another knurler with a bit of a tidy up on the slot for the adjuster screw.


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## KenS (Sep 17, 2014)

Fabrickator said:


> More important is to build it with a double-ended bit for inside and outside radius.



What kind of double-ended insert are you using?

Also, are enough forces generated to require steel construction, or do you think would aluminum work?


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## Snag_one (Sep 17, 2014)

I made mine based on the Holes Creek plans available at this url : http://lepton.com/metal/ball_turner.html You MUST have a milling machine or access to one to build this project , but it boasts micrometer adjustment and several other nice features , like dovetail with gibs  , nice locking setup , etc . I like it a lot , it was worth the work . I did change the cutting tool mount to accommodate a 1/4 square lathe cutter , I'm not much on carbide tooling . You may need to modify the base plate to fit your lathe .


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## goboughner (Sep 19, 2014)

_I made mine similar to one I saw somewhere on the internet. I have no bearing but a Delrin disk on the bottom that aligns it with the cross slide and rotates with the turner. Works great on my CM 12X 36.




Jerry_


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## Fabrickator (Oct 2, 2014)

Double-ended insert is just a homemade tool machined to mount two of the triangle carbides readily available.

Some people do run a HSS tool bit, but I've found that it's best to keep the cutter and tool holder as small/compact as possible because it's really hard to finish the inside of a small ball without damaging the holding shaft due to clearance problems.  The outside end of the ball is no problem at all.

Also, it's not good to make the fixture too tall.  It limits the size of the ball that you can make if you have to advance the fixture under the part.  I just completed a very large ball that was nearly 4" with my set up that also required that I move the whole assembly forward on my 4-bolt design to the back two bolts only.  It had no problem with chatter, cut smooth as glass.


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## churchjw (Oct 2, 2014)

That is a great design.  Where is the delrin disk at?  This may be the design I have been looking for. thank you



goboughner said:


> _I made mine similar to one I saw somewhere on the internet. I have no bearing but a Delrin disk on the bottom that aligns it with the cross slide and rotates with the turner. Works great on my CM 12X 36.
> View attachment 84023
> View attachment 84022
> View attachment 84024
> ...


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## goboughner (Oct 3, 2014)

The Delran is the black disk on the bottom in the picture that shows the cross slide on the carriage. It acts as the pivot for the ball turner. It's bolted to the upper section that holds the cutting tool. I hope this description is clear.:holdphone:


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## goboughner (Oct 3, 2014)

Here is a picture of the components of my ball turner.


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## NEL957 (Oct 4, 2014)

The only thing I would do differently is rotate the insert CCW about 30°. That way the cutter will be in front of the cut and not putting hands so close to the chuck on that side. 
Just my 2 cents
Nelson Collar


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## Fabrickator (Oct 7, 2014)

A very nice ball turner, but there again, why complicate it.  If your using your lathe you've already got a micrometer on the cross slide.


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## rrdstarr (Oct 9, 2014)

zmotorsports said:


> This is another item on my "to build" list.  Nice job.



Same here!  I think it will be my first project!


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## george wilson (Oct 9, 2014)

Having a micrometer adjustment on advancing the ball turning tool's cutter will enable the user to more accurately control the diameter of the ball. The cross slide alone cannot do this.


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## Fabrickator (Oct 9, 2014)

Very true George, just never been a problem for me because I control the size of the ball by the size of the blank to be turned.  When it comes together, your on size.


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## darkzero (Oct 10, 2014)

Very nice examples here!

This reminds me that I want to make another one. Here's the one I have now that I semi-made before I had a mill. Since I did not have a mill at the time I started off with a unit made for a Myford. I did not use bearings either, just a tight smooth fit is all that's needed, & it cuts without any chatter at all. More on the making of it posted here (post #9). 

The knob handle for it is the very first thing I made on it. Sadly the only other major project I have used it for was to make a few runs of Titanium Tippe Tops (posts #2 & 5)


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## churchjw (Oct 14, 2014)

I have my ball turner mostly done.  The problem I have is that my lathe (whole sale tools WT 13" x 40" Gap Bed Geared Head Lathe) has a stub sticking up when you take off the compound rest. All of the designs I have seen the lathe has a hole in the cross slide and the stub is on the compound rest.  Everything I had come up with made the thing to tall.  After I saw goboughner's design "I was wrong on how it worked" I came up with this design.  It uses the existing stud on the lathe as the pivot point and the compound rest hold down bolts to keep it in place.  I still need to take some of the height off the front area so that it can get closer to the chuck without hitting the jaws. Also need to add a scale so I know the size.  George is right a micrometer adjustment would be so much better.  I need to add a handle.  I did this first test just holding the base.  Not the safest way but it was just a test.  I also meant to offset the insert 30 degrees like NEL957 suggested but forgot.  I will redo the tool holder after I get the rest of it done.  After seeing it cut I think the tool offset would be worth it.


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## nuturner (Oct 14, 2014)

Got to study this subject a bit more but I do intend to build a ball turner as one of my early projects.  I observed that there is some discussion about selecting cutting tools and wonder if any of you who are more experienced then myself have tried using ceramic tools for this application.


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## Holescreek (Oct 16, 2014)

Having a method of adjusting the cutter independently from the cross slide allows you to set your concave and convex cutters up for blending the radii. There are two different concave and 3 different convex radii on this knob.




The Hardinge Cataract lathe handle on the left was replicated from the  one on the right and the three "balls" (the one in the middle is oblong)  are turned on a single shaft.

Here's my argument for an adjuster on the ball cutter itself.  To dial in a specific radius I use the on-board adjustment knob to set the tip of my cutter to zero (meaning that the tip spins around the center of the bearing axis as I rotate the body) then touch the cutter tip on either a known OD (using the cross slide) or the end of the stock (using the apron) and set zero on my lathe dial, then move either the cross slide or carriage the distance of the radii I want to cut then move the on-board adjuster to touch the part again. This gives me control over size.


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## markknx (Oct 16, 2014)

Mine is of the Steve Bedair style also. The two things I would change are to make it for HSS and off set the tool bit in the holder to alow more room at the spindle side. Mark


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## chuckorlando (Oct 17, 2014)

All you need to do is know where center is as thats the pivot. A hand scale is easy to set the Dia if you know center. Or if you need a 1in ball just mark the stock for 1in then rotate the turner 180 and adjust the cutter till it reaches both marks and your at 1in.


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## GarageGuy (Oct 18, 2014)

churchjw said:


> I have my ball turner mostly done.  The problem I have is that my lathe (whole sale tools WT 13" x 40" Gap Bed Geared Head Lathe) has a stub sticking up when you take off the compound rest. All of the designs I have seen the lathe has a hole in the cross slide and the stub is on the compound rest.  Everything I had come up with made the thing to tall.  After I saw goboughner's design "I was wrong on how it worked" I came up with this design.  It uses the existing stud on the lathe as the pivot point and the compound rest hold down bolts to keep it in place.  I still need to take some of the height off the front area so that it can get closer to the chuck without hitting the jaws. Also need to add a scale so I know the size.  George is right a micrometer adjustment would be so much better.  I need to add a handle.  I did this first test just holding the base.  Not the safest way but it was just a test.  I also meant to offset the insert 30 degrees like NEL957 suggested but forgot.  I will redo the tool holder after I get the rest of it done.  After seeing it cut I think the tool offset would be worth it.
> 
> View attachment 85643



My Logan 820 has a compound mount very similar to yours.  I am also building a ball turner and trying to determine the best way to mount it.  The ideas I had for mine are very similar to yours.  When it gets a little further along, I'll post a few photos.  Thank you for posting yours!

GG


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## Waldo1 (Oct 24, 2014)

Excellent results from several fine designs- I need to start a materials list for one of these!


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## churchjw (Nov 3, 2014)

Ok finally got the last of my ball turner done.  I may make some different bit holders.  I would like a HSS tool holder for it.  And of course as required by law the first ball it was used to make was the handle for the ball turner.  So far I have only used it on aluminum.  After I figure out all the little points of setting it up I need to try one in stainless.


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## drs23 (Nov 3, 2014)

Good job, thanks for sharing! This is a project that's on my VERY SHORT list. Got some of the stock gathered but still need a few pieces.


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## Mark_f (Nov 6, 2014)

I plan on making a ball turner for my South Bend lathe. But , I have a question. There is about .006 Backlash in the cross slide. Will this affect the ball finish or should I remove a gib screw and install a cross slide lock in its place?  ( I was thinking of putting a lock on the cross slide anyway for another project)

Mark Frazier


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