Snub Built A Ball Turner

[snub]

My lathe is 5.5 inches fom center to the top of the cross slide so I needed a fairly tall 'stand'. I allready had this 4 jaw chuck that I use as a vice , so I decided to cheat and use this for the stand. Instead of machining a notch for the carbide tool bit, I decided to use the whole thing, bolting it to the bit holder.






The bearing is from a '57 Ford rear axle. I had a new one on the shelf, that's why I used it.



The flat head machine screw passes through the rotating tool holder and threads into a cylinder with a shoulder on the bottom. When I get the tool holder to just the right snugness, I lock it in place with a set screw from the bottom.










 

I have to tell you, it works perfectly. No chatter and leaves an almost perfect finish. 

Some of my balls. Aluminum, plastic and clear acrylic:












And a little 'freestyle', just to  see what I could make.

[Artie]

I have to tell you, it works perfectly. No chatter and leaves an almost perfect finish. 

Some of my balls. Aluminum, plastic and clear acrylic:

Its amazing what modern medicine can do these days!   Seriously, great job, Im gonna find one of these under my bench one day pretty soon... well done mate.

[Powder Keg]

Looks nice!!!

With all these ball turners showing up, Looks like I better post the one that I made? I can do 6" balls with mine

[AndyB]

Hi Snub,

Nice bit of work!

Am I correct in assuming that the toolholder end bears on the outer race while the bottom stub bears against the inner?

There are so many variations on a theme that I haven't completed one of these yet...another project plan waiting on the bench! Yours looks a cracker though!

Funnily enough, I got a couple of brand new bearings in a box of bits that are 40mm OD and I have some 40mm MS...

Andy

[Brass_Machine]

Nice work on that!

Eric

[Stilldrillin]

I like the thinking gone into that! 

David D