ball cutter

[nightowl499]

Im making a ball cutter ( radius cutter) like i the bedair site, im wondering if stainless will work for the tool holder?
or should i us mild steel. dont know if the stainless is to brittle, suggestions?

 

[SE18]

I'm making one too! I don't see why stainless wouldn't work, if you can machine it. Mr Bedair said aluminum would even work and that's considered soft.

I'm using 1018 steel for mine. Here's where I'm at now. Pls share your pictures as you go along. I plan to maybe finish by this weekend. I'm going to use a HSS 3/8" lathe bit instead of the carbide insert. It will be used for my SB9A lathe. Hope you don't mind me posting some pix. It's the first time I ever used a mill, which I got just a few days ago.

 

[Snag_one]

Im making a ball cutter ( radius cutter) like i the bedair site, im wondering if stainless will work for the tool holder?
or should i us mild steel. dont know if the stainless is to brittle, suggestions?

You might want to check out the Holes Creek ball turner . I made one <not quite finished , but usable> and it works very well indeed .
Snag

 

[nightowl499]

I'm making one too! I don't see why stainless wouldn't work, if you can machine it. Mr Bedair said aluminum would even work and that's considered soft.

I'm using 1018 steel for mine. Here's where I'm at now. Pls share your pictures as you go along. I plan to maybe finish by this weekend. I'm going to use a HSS 3/8" lathe bit instead of the carbide insert. It will be used for my SB9A lathe. Hope you don't mind me posting some pix. It's the first time I ever used a mill, which I got just a few days ago.

ill post pics when i get started waitin on some more material. yours is lookin good will like to see more when you get more done
thanks Gary

 

[SE18]

Holes Creek turner looks really professional but for a beginner, Bedair's seems a bit easier to do. Also, the Holes Creek one might be harder to do for a 1942 SB9A lathe due to the fixture requirements on the cross slide

 

[Kroll]

That is on my "Want to Make" list and out of stainless since humidity is a problem here.Please do post pics,they sure help me.Here's a utube of a person making one out of SS using Steves plans---kroll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSlS05unHkM

 

[SE18]

Kroll,

I'm watching the vid now. At 09:09, ginsboy said he's putting the top of the bit a bit below centerline (as measured by his center drill, I used a live center in tailstock to measure mine). So he said the bit cutting a bit below centerline is best. I was planning on turning on center. Is below center better? Seems like it would leave a "nipple" when you're finished

 

[Kroll]

I've watch several Youtubes on ball turning and the ones that talk about the "how to's" said just alittle below center.Others stated on center,so it may be a learning experience for this beginner(myself) But maybe rotating the handle or cutter just a bit pass center(away from operator) may remove the nipple,if not a smooth file then sandcloth----kroll

 

[Holescreek]

Stainless steel will work fine for your ball cuter, as will aluminum. As long as the cutting forces are transmitted down to the cross slide, anything will work. I have an aluminum base plate on my original ball turner now since I've changed lathes again and it functions just as it's supposed to. Just make sure to keep the tool centerline height true to your lathe.

 

[Kroll]

Holescreek was that ball made with ball turner that does concave and convex?Looking good----kroll