My ball-turning-jig ...

[ksor]

The finish on the base plate is often called "jeweling" You'll see it on certain firearms parts, like bolts of rifles, an on the "Spirit of St. Loius" plane in in the Lindbergh movie with James Stewart playing the lead role. The mail engine cowling was jeweled. Sometimes it's called "engine turning".

Nice job.

I fact I got the idea how to make it from a program on making these american Firebrigade trucks - the inside has it all over - handmade with eye balling !

 

[7HC]

The finish on the base plate is often called "jeweling" You'll see it on certain firearms parts, like bolts of rifles, an on the "Spirit of St. Loius" plane in in the Lindbergh movie with James Stewart playing the lead role. The mail engine cowling was jeweled. Sometimes it's called "engine turning".

Nice job.

Also called "machine turning" on the other side of the pond, and often used on cigarette cases (do people still use those?), and dashboards.

The example in the pic is a little large for my taste, but nicely done nonetheless.

M

 

[7HC]

I just finished my ball-turning-jig and made my first ball ...

in steinless steel !

http://kelds.weebly.com/kuglevaeligrktoslashj.html

Great project and pics. I liked the story about the HP hard drive disc; how things have advanced since then!

The Google translation was certainly entertaining in places, but you could always perceive the meaning.

Seems like ball turning is becoming a popular trend at the moment.

Good post!

M

 

[ksor]

Nice Job, Looks great. I made one a long time ago. Had a Government job to make the parts for a soil sampling kit. As with anything they specify the radius were in 3 decimals. I have one of the items on my wall, I'll make a photo and post it. Don't know what I did with the tool as it was the only time I used it.
When I was to make a ball now I do it on a Milling machine with a rotary table.

Frank

Please, tell me how you would do it on a mill with a rotary table ! :thinking:

 

[ksor]

Hi Ksor; It's very simple. It's done with a Fly cutter and the head of the mill set at an angle. Mount the part on the rotary table, adjust the head for the amount of the ball you want cut. Naturally 100% is not possible but I've made something similar to a Ball hitch. Rotate the table and feed the table to begin the cut and keep feeding until you have a perfectly round ball.

Frank

:thinking::thinking::thinking::thinking: I think ... the head has to be set at 45° for a perfect ball and ... I think you have to machine the buttom (the lower half og the ball) afterwards to get it small enough.

Do you have some pictures or video of the process ?

 

[churchjw]

Great project. Could you post more on how you did the bearings?

Jeff

 

[ksor]

Great project. Could you post more on how you did the bearings?

Jeff

I'll take it apart again to see if any chips are in the bearing - so I'll take some pictures.

Maybe I'll have to make some way to oil the balls with grease

 

[Hawkeye]

Very nice, Ksor. Mine is the similar pattern. Easy to use. I like your brass strip for the setscrews.

 

[Charley Davidson]

Ksor, Always love seeing your posts/work you do excellent work and have a nice web page also. I think we'll be seeing your name in the "Project of the month" banner on more than one occasion:man:

 

[8ntsane]

Here is a shot of the rotary table , and boring head used to make a handle with ball. The lathe had a job in it allready.

[SUB]http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/5487-Use-the-mill-as-a-lathe?highlight=8ntsane


Here is a ball turner using a boring head and a QCTP to use on the lathe.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/5443-Ball-turner-with-a-boring-head?highlight=8ntsane


Nice job on your ball turning attachment, the engine turning is also a nice touch on the job, great work.[/SUB]