DIY ball turner

[th62]

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.

 

[zmotorsports]

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

 

[churchjw]

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

 

[zmotorsports]

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".

 

[Fabrickator]

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.

 

[th62]

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.

 

[KenS]

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?

 

[Snag_one]

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 .

 

[goboughner]

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

 

[Fabrickator]

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.