Concave and convex radius turner demonstration.

[stillbashingmetal]

Hi. Does the top boss part rotate in a ball bearing race set in the base plate, or is it just a simple 'shaft in bore' design? It works very well. Is there any tool chatter produced? Do you lubricate the boss/baseplate area? Apart from the downward cutting forces, what holds the boss in place? Many thanks.

[Dividedhead]

Hi, No bearing fitted to this one. Just a squirt of Semi synthetic 10w40 from what I recall.

The plans are freely available from Steve Bedair's site Easily found from the link in the video description.

If you go to madmodder net (insert the dot) and search for ball turner then you'll find quite a few documented. 2 of which are mine.("divided he ad" on there) a few pic's of this one and a full build of a smaller version. Not enough space on here!

Hope that helps?

Ralph.

[neutron7]

Can you tell me what that double ended insert is called?

[Dividedhead]

@neutron7

Hi, Scroll down through the replies on this video and the answer was given out to Spilperson last year.

Lots of info on building the ball turners on madmodder net (insert the dot)

Search for "mini ball turner" and "ball turner" and you will find pictures and write ups, including the way I made the cut out for mounting the tips etc.

[fubang500]

HA HA looks like a weird dildo nice work though ...Too bad its not a precision dildo lol

[toddclites]

Does anyone know if they make these for 7x10 mini lathes as Ive struggled trying to do this.It rarely looks pretty,I end up using files?

[Dividedhead]

@toddclites You have to make these tools yourself. There are a few plans about for both 9x20 like mine and for 7x* machines.

You can see the one I made for a 7x12 and the write up as I made it at madmodder net (fill in the dot) and search for "mini ball turner"

I think I've seen a version on a machinists blog too? I'll look for that one and send it if I find it.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[ninjaman1138]

thats an awesome tool!!!

im going on a course soon to learn how to use a lathe, at the end i should be able to make a steam engine to a very high standard.... hopefully

[Dividedhead]

@ninjaman1138 Hi, Indeed it is :-)

Did a job today and the lady of the house had 10+ big loco's(3-5ft long),traction engines and their ancillarys including hundreds of 3M lengths of track!All her late husbands.A lot of it will soon be sold off :-(

Must have been a good many years worth of work sitting there?

If I could ever manage to find the time and patience for such a thing let alone get the accuracy sorted I'd be a very happy man!

Good luck, feel free to show us your videos :-)

Ralph.

[spilperson]

Another great vid of your ball turner - thanks! I keep wanting to make one, but so many projects, so little time!

Two questions - First, is that a carbide insert on the cutting tool?

Second, what kind of RPM's are you turning? It looks quite fast on the vid but it's hard to be sure.

Thanks,

Frank Spillman

[Dividedhead]

@spilperson

Hi Frank. Firstly, thank you.

Secondly...Answers.

The tips are VBMT 160408 -UR tips.Got 20 of 'em cheap of e-blag.

Used smaller versions in the model I made for a 7x12 lathe. (see madmodder, "mini ball turner" thread for details)

You'd be surprised how quick this could be to make.. But I've also fallen foul of the "round tuit" list!

Turning at approx 1800 Rpm, these tips will happily cut stainless at that speed too.

Your vid is quite interesting too... :)

Ralph.

[spilperson]

Thanks for the info. As to my vid, there are plenty of people far ahead of me on that path, but I am having a lot of fun with it. Also my lathe. I am holding off the urge to buy a small mill, my tool spend rate has been through the roof this spring. Next year.

Thanks for subscribing! Check out my links to other Telescope guys. More to come.

Frank

[kawaboy777]

Thanks for the info DH. You've got good taste in music. :-) I want to build the radius turner but on a smaller scale. My lathe is a 7 x 10.

[Dividedhead]

@kawaboy777

No problem :)

I have built a mini version of this tool. It's build is photo logged on the MadModder net forum I post on. I'll send you a link so you can get some ideas :)

Ralph.

[kawaboy777]

Great video! Who is the guitarist?

[Dividedhead]

@kawaboy777

Hi. Firstly, thank you :)

Secondly, the guitarists name is Andy Martin. if you put his name in the search and add busker to the end then you should get 2 vid's of him in Chester busking.

I have his CD and asked if he would mind me using his tunes to back some videos. He was very nice and said yes :)

I don't know if his stuff is available on the open market? I'll have to ask him when I next see him in Chester.

[skyrocketpuke]

may i ask what is the max radius you can turn with this attachment?

[Dividedhead]

@skyrocketpuke

The max concave of this one is 25mm Rad,(50mm dia) could do slightly more but that's it's safe working limit IMO.

Convex,arcs of approx 120mm dia cut can be cut,I've never used it to cut an accurate convex.I usually use it free hand for styling purposes.

Limits depend on the dimensions of your lathe and the tool itself.

I could have made the base and turret thinner and created more room for the work piece too. But this may have quite an effect in rigidity of the tool?

[skyrocketpuke]

@Dividedhead

thank you very helpful

[lanroshkpu]

Thanks for your answer.

Greetings.

[Dividedhead]

No problem, have fun  :-)

[lanroshkpu]

By the way, what kind of steel you used to make the Ball Turner?

Thank You

[lanroshkpu]

¡Wow! really useful I'll try to make my own, thanks for sharing.

[Marcelmx3]

Great video my friend....

Although i do not use mine very much, i still love this tool...

[Dividedhead]

Thank you :) Much appreciated.

You do have all that great CNC stuff to play with though, so you can make all sorts of fun things I can't.

Love it's simplicity and easy of use too. It's a great tool to have in your collection.

Ralph.

[happymark1805]

some plans how to make one would be nice

[Dividedhead]

True, that's why I searched for them 3 years ago...

Anyway, plans are FREE from Steve Bedairs website (without tip mod) there is now a link at the end of the description in the info box. :-)

Much more info in my ball and ogive turning videos too.

[happymark1805]

Thanks for the link

[VonenEsp]

Nice!!! I want one....

.... and a lathe too. :)

[Dividedhead]

You might need the lathe first!

But once you have one (and possibly a mill') you can make all sorts of fun things :-)

Good luck!

[ytmachx]

Really beautiful work. I want to make one.

[Dividedhead]

Thank you, do you have the lathe and a milling machine?

If you have both it's not a bad tool to build.

I'm assuming you mean the tool and not the part?

[ytmachx]

Yes, I mean the turning tool and I have a complete machine shop.

[camochannel1]

cool thats great. 5 stars

[Dividedhead]

Thank you, glad you like it.