Ball Turner

[johnny123]

Hello all
My new project will be a ball turner made of brass. If I could run into trouble with this please let me know beforehand... :lol:I will try my hardest to take many pictures during the build.

[Divided he ad]

Sounds fun to me 


Don't know about trouble you could hit though? Maybe a little stronger stuff in the tool post?

As said...  I don't know. Try it.... let's all see how it does?   





Ralph.

[johnny123]

Hey Ralph
You could be right about the tool holder, but I will build it all brass and see..
                                                 johnny

[johnny123]

Ball turner

[johnny123]

more stuff
Parting out,and my big wheel for the quill!

[johnny123]

Mor ball turner

[Divided he ad]

Looking good up to now Johnny   


Now that I've replied I'll get to see it develop too    (since I seem to miss loads of stuff these days  )







Ralph.

[johnny123]

Still Roughing it out!

[DavyC2]

Hi Johnny,
Very nice job so far, will be very enterested to see how it finishs up

Davy

[johnny123]

Hey Davy
I am interested in seeing how it works out as well . I had become distracted by another project in the corner (building an air compressor) and hoping to finish this up soon.

[johnny123]

 

[johnny123]

Well! don't know where my post went..lol
I asked my local supplier for an insert for my ball turner, and got a TNMG331 NM4 WPP20? Anyone know what angle I should mount this insert?

[madjackghengis]

Hi Johnny, in looking at my insert book, I'd mount the insert with the face perpendicular to the centerline of the lathe, with the centerline of the insert bisecting the angle of the active corner, to allow the tightest working toward the chuck side, and the face of the insert dead on center of the work turning.  If you are making an "up and over" ball turner, you could put one edge parallel to the holder, the edge on the tailstock side, which would give you a bit more clearance when turning close to the chuck or other holding device.  The same can be said if you are doing it horizontally, as several people are on this forum.  Good luck, and post pictures, we want to see mad jack

[Brass_Machine]

Hiya Johny.

I don't know the angle you need, but hopefully Ralph does.

Eric

[Divided he ad]

Johnny,

I have no idea how to translate what Mad Jack has said (sorry).... It's midnight and my brian is fried!


I'd go and take a look at Steve Bedairs website as he mounted triangular inserts on the original plan I copied.

My tip is basically straight out in front (and to the rear) of the tool post, this makes it easy to set up and works a treat. Take a good look at some of the ball turning posts before you cut into your tool post. Photo's will explain it far better than all the words can 






Ralph.

[johnny123]

Wonder if Mad Jack could draw me a diagram? Pretty sure I know what he is saying but a pic is worth a million shavings.

[madjackghengis]

Hi Johnny, having looked at what you've done, and where you are at, I think I can explain it a bit easier now.  The cutting corner of the insert should be dead center as to height, it can be held with the cutting corner straight out, which is easier to make, or with the edge of the insert on the tailstock side, parallel to the side of the tool holder, which gives you a bit more "swing" and less tool to interfer with the chuck, and less insert to interfer with the shaft the ball is being turned on.  The tool holder can also be given a slight downward slope, toward the center of the turning set up, but keeping the leading edge of the insert on center, giving a slight negative rake, which may improve the cutting action depending on the material being cut.  With the insert you got, with zero relief, the cutting edge must be exactly on center, or a few thousandths below the work, or it won't cut at all.  I would suggest you not turn any stainless as it is tough, almost always substantially moves the toolholder in the direction of the cutting force, and would not go well with the brass material of your tool set up.  My previous description was with an "up and over" design in mind, which is something I've been not getting to for quite some time.  I hope this clarifies the subject some, I'm not very versatile with the computer or I'd know how to draw on it, but that is further down the road for me.  You might also look for a positive rake insert and try it out as well, although it would not work with or need "downward slope tool holder".  Such a holder just lets a zero rake insert get a better bite in the work while putting more pressure on the insert.  good luck and just watch the swarf, it tells you what is going on.    mad jack

[johnny123]

Hello everyone, Finally finished the ball cutter and it works great!!

[johnny123]

Sorry that last one I forgot to resize. Here is one that fits the screen.

[Stot]

My thats shiney.    Did you use it to make the ball knob on the handle already?

Cheers
Stot

[Divided he ad]

Nice looking tool Johnny 


Shiny is good 

Did you use it to make the ball knob on the handle already?

I'd hope so! surely that's the first job for any home made ball turner??   




Now then, all we need is for Johnny to read the post in the top of the gallery page on posting video and we should have a show too        







Ralph.

[johnny123]

I sure did make that ball on the handle with it. As you can see by the quality of my photos my video would be interestingly poor.

[madjackghengis]

Hi Johnny, I guess you didn't need me to do drawings, from the looks of things, you got everything done nicely, and given its already produced a ball, you have officially finished off a successful ball turner, congratulations, it looks good, it works, and its shiny, what more could a man ask for?   I think you'll need to keep an eye on keeping oil between its "ways", but the fact that all the real force is downward should mean you won't have problems with flex or the brass being less than up to the job.  I'm glad you got it without pictures, because I haven't learned how to make drawings and such, much less post them somewhere.  I'm still a tadpole in computerland, and not much in a hurry to change that, not any faster than I need to.      Now you've got to let us in on the next project, and what you intend to do for an encore.  Great job and I appreciate the build log mad jack

[johnny123]

hello
The next project will be a compound cross slide similar to the one used on the AA109 craftsman lathe. I Think this could be a very useful mod for my little machine. Not looking to have one that has to be removed when finished like the one that taig sells. I am using that one for my milling attachment anyways