Ball Turner

[morph]

I'm seriously considering getting one of these. What do you think?
Any comments welcome.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lathe-Radiu...160?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item258b241700

 

[TOOLMASTER]

LOOKS flexible

 

[ScrapMetal]

Not to sound too critical but I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. It might work on the lightest of cuts in softer materials but it looks to me as if the whole design is "wrong" as if it was designed to create maximum flex and chatter.

JMHO

-Ron

 

[mws]

It looks quite flexible to me as well. I'm in the midst of making a ball turning tool and simply because the tool has to float I'm making it WAY beefier than this tool. In fact, it will replace the compound on the cross slide entirely.

Looking at this gentleman's videos I notice he does take rather light cuts on aluminum. He also wears a ring while machining, which disturbs me. .

 

[Pacer]

Be better to just take the $140 and give it to a good charity --- Wow, that thing looks soooo flimsy, I can just see the bit getting snagged and collapsing the whole thing!

 

[pineyfolks]

I wouldn't buy one unless you have thousands of balls to turn. Then I would buy something of better quality. Just loosen your compound and use it for the pivot point and make an offset toolholder, then just slide the tool in or out to adjust sizes, swiveling the compound by hand.

 

[BenjamanQ]

Lossen the compound and use that to turn a radius?! Man, that is clever! I've been in this trade for 35 years and I would never have thought of that in another 35.
Thanks for the idea!

 

[jamie76x]

That gadget will work as well as the user is capable of making it work.
I think it will work just fine if you operate it properly.... I also think there are better options, but if that one gives you warm fuzzy feelings, grab it.

 

[morph]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I'll pass on this one. The more I think about it the more I agree that it's not very stout.

But it gives me a lot to think about, perhaps using the concept and building one with a little more backbone.

 

[Walsheng]

If you look at the bottom of the page there are some links to previous threads on Ball turners. I just took a quick look but if you don't see something you like maybe take a little of this and a little of that.
As a matter of fact, take a look at the one where the guy cut off a rather large chunk of steel with a hack saw. Must have arms like Popeye!

John