Knurling advice

[T Bredehoft]

I don't do a lot of Knurling, but I find that I can made a good knurl on any diameter (within the range of the tool) by increasing the pressure and feeding in and out until it looks good. ( I use a home made scissor type knurling tool) The two knurls are free to move vertically together, if the piece is running out.

 

[4GSR]

I have a cut knurl type dad borrowed from work back in 1968 or was that 1969 and forgot to take back. I was so spoiled to using it that when we got a bigger lathe, a 16" Axelson, ten years later. We bought a Aloris CA tool post package that had one of those holders with the knurls on one end and a place for a facing tool on the other. I could never get that thing to cut any kind of knurl on that Axelson. And you know how rough you can on a Axelson! Anyone know where to get knurls for this obsolete Swiss made knurling tool? I can find just about any cut knurls, but either the ID is tool small or the OD is too big! Ken

 

[darkzero]

I have a cut knurl type dad borrowed from work back in 1968 or was that 1969 and forgot to take back. I was so spoiled to using it that when we got a bigger lathe, a 16" Axelson, ten years later. We bought a Aloris CA tool post package that had one of those holders with the knurls on one end and a place for a facing tool on the other. I could never get that thing to cut any kind of knurl on that Axelson. And you know how rough you can on a Axelson! Anyone know where to get knurls for this obsolete Swiss made knurling tool? I can find just about any cut knurls, but either the ID is tool small or the OD is too big! Ken

Accu-Trak has a few different sizes for cut knurls. https://www.accu-trak.com/knurls_cuttype.html

They can also make you custom wheels. Not sure how pricing is for that but I can vouch for their quality & customer service though. I only use their wheels & have been very happy with them.

 

[ronboult]

Mikey wrote in post #71 regarding Eagle Rock Knurlers "Note that they now come in LH, RH or center so order the right one for your needs"
I think I know what he means but nowhere on the Eagle Rock site can I find an explanation. Can anyone confirm which side of the Knurling tool is left and right hand. Is it the same as parting tools etc.
I think the knurling wheels for left and rightknurlig tools would need to be mirror images and would again be different from the Centre knurlers. Is the centre Knurler stronger being supported on both sides of the knurl?
Finally why do we need right and left hand knurlers? Is it to allow knurling up to a shoulder? Not sure how many times I would actually need to so that if at all.
Ron

 

[darkzero]

Mikey wrote in post #71 regarding Eagle Rock Knurlers "Note that they now come in LH, RH or center so order the right one for your needs"
I think I know what he means but nowhere on the Eagle Rock site can I find an explanation. Can anyone confirm which side of the Knurling tool is left and right hand. Is it the same as parting tools etc.
I think the knurling wheels for left and rightknurlig tools would need to be mirror images and would again be different from the Centre knurlers. Is the centre Knurler stronger being supported on both sides of the knurl?
Finally why do we need right and left hand knurlers? Is it to allow knurling up to a shoulder? Not sure how many times I would actually need to so that if at all.
Ron

The LH, RH, & Center designations are for the shank. RH would most commonly be used on a manual lathe. LH is for use on CNC machining centers like in a turret. Center positions the tool so center line sits lower than a cutting tool usually sits (cutting tools usually have the cutting surface inline with the top of the shank, but not always).

The standard version with the knurling wheels supported on both sides is stronger. The version they call Counterbored is only supported on one side so it can knurl closer to a shoulder. The knurling wheels for these aren't available everywhere though & is most likely proprietay to Eagle Rock.

 

[ronboult]

Thanks Will
Clear now. Was confusing RH Centre and LH with the pictures that show the knurling wheel in the centre or on the edge of the arms. Will keep look out for a bargain RH tool with centre mounted wheels
Cheers Ron

 

[Maplehead]

Update
Last night I tried the approach that one or more of you suggested.
After turning the rod to diameter I tightened down the knurls about a quarter turn and then moved the chuck back and forth, only knurling just about half of the rod. (A quarter each knurling wheel.)
I did this for a bit and continued to tighten. I had to use plyers to tighten as I was past hand tightening.
When I could see some depth I began to expand the range until I eventually was spinning the rod's circumference completely.
I had to apply a clamp to my knurling tool and the crosslide so that the tool would not go out-of-perpendicular to the rod.
All in all I would say it produced a better knurl but not a great one. I could still see a bit of double tracking.

 

[4GSR]

Accu-Trak has a few different sizes for cut knurls. https://www.accu-trak.com/knurls_cuttype.html

They can also make you custom wheels. Not sure how pricing is for that but I can vouch for their quality & customer service though. I only use their wheels & have been very happy with them.

That was one of the websites I checked. I'm afraid to get special one's quoted...yeiks!

 

[mikey]

Update
Last night I tried the approach that one or more of you suggested.
After turning the rod to diameter I tightened down the knurls about a quarter turn and then moved the chuck back and forth, only knurling just about half of the rod. (A quarter each knurling wheel.)
I did this for a bit and continued to tighten. I had to use plyers to tighten as I was past hand tightening.
When I could see some depth I began to expand the range until I eventually was spinning the rod's circumference completely.
I had to apply a clamp to my knurling tool and the crosslide so that the tool would not go out-of-perpendicular to the rod.
All in all I would say it produced a better knurl but not a great one. I could still see a bit of double tracking.

Why not try the same thing on aluminum to see if it works better? You are working with a tool that is not very rigid in design and probably not structurally rigid, either. Therefore, the material you're knurling must be softer and aluminum might just work better for you.

 

[RodJShaw]

Is there a formula for calculating the feed rate needed by knurls with a 22 degree helix angle? Or does feed rate not matter? I'd have thought that it would be critical.