# Radius/Ball turner build



## Charley Davidson (Mar 18, 2012)

I've wanted one of these ever since I saw the first one way before I even got my lathe. I'm eventually building a bead roller and will need to make some custom made dies. 

So last night I decided to make one with stuff I had on hand, I like recycling/re-using/re-purposing so I took a go/no go gauge from work for a machine gun mount socket that we had to destroy because it was out of tolerance. At first I was gonna use the gauge & the socket but realized it would be too high & limit the diameter of the ball/radius I could turn so I just used the gauge.

First I faced off the plug end that was cut at work to destroy it, then I turned it around and drilled a 1/2" hole in it to fit over the pin in my cross slide that's exposed after removing the compound cross slide. It turns nice and freely on the pin. Next op will be to mill a T slot across the small dia. end in the center to hold a tool holder I yet have to design but have an idea for which I seen on another design. The tool/cutter will be a double ended carbide insert .

I'm gonna drill and tap a few holes around the perimeter/edge of the larger dia. some straight in and some on an angle to thread in a handle.


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 18, 2012)

This is a simple drawing of the tool holder


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## bcall2043 (Mar 18, 2012)

Charley,

Making chips makes you feel better doesn't it? Pivot table is looking good. How do you plan to hold it down onto the cross slide?

Benny


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 19, 2012)

Got a couple ideas I'm toying with


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## 8ntsane (Mar 19, 2012)

Charley

Good to see your still moving forward with your ball turner. I hear you on the eye sight issues, and other things going on at the same time. Ive been going through major crap with my eyes since last yr. , and have to do most things with a magnifier. I know it makes working on things hard. Hang in there Charley, your back at it trying to get er done, thats a good sign. The ball turner looks like its coming along, keep posting the progress. Once you have it finished, your going to be making new ball handles for everything. I dont think anything in my shop has the factory plastic handles anymore, they all have aluminum balls now 

Success, is just down the road


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## GK1918 (Mar 19, 2012)

*Charlies got me thinkin*

An old friend I made atleast 40yrs ago, a monster bead roller, a bunch of dies, its got like almost a 4ft
throat= Detroit Diesel starter drive gears for the drive.  Then I never even knew ball turners existed
I just used the SBend method out of the book.  We were making running boards for Ford trucks. I still
have it & my kid had to put in storage trailer with a backhoe. Keep the pics comming maybe my next
project.


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 19, 2012)

GK1918 said:


> An old friend I made atleast 40yrs ago, a monster bead roller, a bunch of dies, its got like almost a 4ft
> throat= Detroit Diesel starter drive gears for the drive.  Then I never even knew ball turners existed
> I just used the SBend method out of the book.  We were making running boards for Ford trucks. I still
> have it & my kid had to put in storage trailer with a backhoe. Keep the pics comming maybe my next
> project.



I thought about just using the compound cross feed but it presented clearance issues or basicaly limited the turning diamiter too much. Plus I haven't used a metal lathe since high school and needed the practice. Gonna take it to work tonight and mill the T slot in it. May have it finished in a couple days.


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 20, 2012)

Got some more progress on it tonight, got all the milling done that I couldn't do at my shop at this time. Now I need to find an elongated carbide cutter before I can cut the tool holder off to height.  I'm gonna turn a slot around the perimeter of the base so I can make some type of hold down. Drill and tap for a handle and it should be done.


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## 8ntsane (Mar 21, 2012)

Charley 
Looking good man
Good to see your making progress on your project. I have seen many different ball turners, this one of yours looks like a nice one. Keep us updated with your progress


Great Job!


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 21, 2012)

Thanks guys, gotta get the carbide insert before I can finish it, need to know the thickness or the cutting edge height before I can cut the tool post to height and drill & tap the hole.  I did cut a groove around the base to make a way to hold it down.


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## churchjw (Mar 22, 2012)

Can you show a final picture of it mounted.  I am trying to do the same thing and my lathe like yours has a post under the cross feed.  I still don't see how you are holding it down.  Really like it so far.  

Jeff


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 24, 2012)

Got it mounted and able to demonstrate how it works but not quite useable yet. I need to get the carbide insert I'm gonna use so I can cut the tool post to proper height and make my handle which I may do later tonight. You can see in the pictures how I made my hold down for it.
[video=youtube;4tL0-sBlX2s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tL0-sBlX2s&amp;feature=g-upl&amp;context=G2d4aa5dAUAAAAAAAAAA[/video]


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## 8ntsane (Mar 25, 2012)

Charley

Looking real nice 
Your so close to finished product, it must be killin you waiting for the insert.
Are you going to make up the handle with the ball as one piece, or separate items?
That tool would look nice with a one piece tapered handle, with the ball done with your new tool.

Looking great, keep us updated Charley, the Vids are great too.


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## Philco (Mar 27, 2012)

Charley, the ball turner is very impressive! Can't wait to see the finished product. Philco.


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 27, 2012)

*Last piece to the puzzle*

Benny brought me some carbide inserts but quickly pointed out an issue with them hanging too far over the edge. So I revised my plans and decided to use HSS 1/4X1/4 cutter tool stock. I milled out some of it on my Burke but the head seized up after about a half hour of use, gotta check into that now. So I took it to where I used to work and finished it on the Trak. I'll grind the cutter tonight and try it out, video to shortly follow that.


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 28, 2012)

*Re: Last piece to the puzzle*



Charley Davidson said:


> I milled out some of it on my Burke but the head seized up after about a half hour of use, gotta check into that now.



That doesn't sound good.  Be sure to let us know what you find.

-Ron


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 28, 2012)

Here's the finished project (not really, I have some revisions to make)  The hold downs need some help so I'm adding 2 more & a little broader & placing them in the 12:00 & 6:00 positions. I may have to drill the axis hole out bigger and put in a bushing as it has a little slop in it. Also in the "T" slot I drilled and tapped the hole where it falls centered on the top edge of the shoulder, need to remedy that also.

As you can see in the second picture the loosness of the hold downs really is an issue:thinking:


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 28, 2012)

Video of it in use
[video=youtube;y9o2x6eFoWY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9o2x6eFoWY&amp;feature=youtu.be[/video]


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## OlCatBob (Mar 28, 2012)

Charley, thanks for the video, well done. There is definitely a difference in the stability of the cutter between cutting convex and concave. I thought that the ball on the end was doing very well where there is short over hang, the issues start on the concave portion of the handle. Good job, and there is for sure some experience gained for all who watched.
Thanks again,
Bob


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## Charley Davidson (Mar 28, 2012)

OlCatBob said:


> Charley, thanks for the video, well done. There is definitely a difference in the stability of the cutter between cutting convex and concave. I thought that the ball on the end was doing very well where there is short over hang, the issues start on the concave portion of the handle. Good job, and there is for sure some experience gained for all who watched.
> Thanks again,
> Bob



Thanks Bob, I think I have a fix for it. I need to get more tooling for my mill I don't have any cutters at all for the horizontal and only a couple good cutters for the verticle head. I kinda crashed after seeing you today, I worked in my shop till 3:30am and didn't sleep well then got up at 7:30am. I may work on it later tonight.


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## churchjw (Mar 29, 2012)

This thread is a massive help.  I am trying to do the same project and have not seen another one that matches how my lathe is built.  Thanks for taking to time to document your work it means a lot.  


Jeff


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## bcall2043 (Mar 29, 2012)

*Re: Last piece to the puzzle*



Charley Davidson said:


> my Burke.......the head seized up after about a half hour of use, gotta check into that now.



Charley,

Have you found the problem with the mill yet?

Benny


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## jumps4 (May 19, 2012)

you do nice work charley
steve


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## Charley Davidson (May 19, 2012)

mac.doogle said:


> I like the t-slot idea. How many rpm's is the lathe turning?



Thanks, don't remember what I had for speed, I need to use Bob's Tach & check all the belt settings & RPMs

Soon as I get my mill to my shop & hooked up I will get back to this project, I think I will start fresh as I have some other ideas & made a few mistakes


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## Charley Davidson (May 19, 2012)

I must admit I haven't wrapped my brain around the first part yet but then I'm not in that mode right now, soon as I get setup to work on it I'll get a grip on it.


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## aametalmaster (May 28, 2012)

I built a large one for big balls. Can do 6" on my 15" SBL...Bob
I have lots of how to make pics and the blue prints.


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 26, 2012)

Got the ball turner/radius turner finished or at least working really good. Drilled the center hole bigger and installed brass bushing. Milled two slots so the hold down bolts for the compound help hold it down and allow me to swap from compound to turner & back without having to disassemble the whole cross slide:biggrin:

I tested it on this piece doing a convex & concaved radius blending them together, turned out really nice, I'll post a video this evening.


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## Old Iron (Jun 26, 2012)

Glad you got its sorted out, I need to finish mine.

Paul


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 26, 2012)

I really don't have any drawings but could make some I guess. This was made from parts/scrap on hand that lent ist's self to this project. There are some changes that I would make if building another.  I'll work on some drawings


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## Charley Davidson (Jun 26, 2012)

Don't know about the used cow sign but I'll hook you up with a nice bar napkin drawing:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:


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