Ball Turning

[JohnPParticipant @johnp91609]

[JohnPParticipant @johnp91609]

Hi All,

I am a ‘newbie’ to the world of model engineering. In fact I still haven’t got a lathe yet but I’ll hopefully correct this at the upcoming Sandown engineering exhibition in December. I am very excited & inspired by all the models etc. that I have seen & will likely go for one of the ‘simpler’ wobbler engines as a first project. 

 

Anyway – I have been reading up loads & trying to get to grip with some of the techniques etc. I would at sometime love to have a go at Mike Freeman’s metal chess project that featured in ME earlier this year. Key to making some of the parts is the ability to machine balls – I see that Mike made his own custom tool for this job. So my question is does anyone know of an inexpensive ball making jig for small balls (Less 10mm radius) or perhaps has links to good (easy) DIY projects for such a device.

 

Many thanks in advance,  John 

Edited By JohnP on 25/11/2009 16:18:15

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I made mine from plans on the web of the Bedair type. The site has pdf drawings, how to make articles and a video of it in action.

 

I altered mine to take a carbide insert that can be mounted for concave as well as convex turning.

 

This is mine doing the concave cuts on a conrod

 

Jason

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

Mike wrote his ball turning tool up after doing the chess set articles.

I think it was in ME.

regards david

 

[JohnPParticipant @johnp91609]

Thks Jason & David.

 

Don’t suppose anyone has any idea what no in what is – Guess I am going to have to buy another back issue….

Cheers,  John

[Stewart HartParticipant @stewarthart90345]

Hi John

 

Here’s a nice video of a ball turner in action.

 

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=282.0

 

Enjoy

 

Stew 

[JohnPParticipant @johnp91609]

Cheers Stew – I will study closely thks. john

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

Hi

This may help.

Nobby

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Has anyone experience of using the Ball Turning Attachment for Myford lathes and, apparently, based on the Bedair design as sold by RDG Tools for about £45?

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Niloch

 

I have this item purchased from RDG – a good sturdy tool, easy to fit and seems to work well.  In truth I’ve not used it in anger yet but will have use for it on a pending project . Here is a photo of a test I did on a piece of 25mm MS bar. I was not attempting to turn a ball in this case but the cone shape you will see. ( I know, I know  I should have made the tool myself but if I keep doing that I will never complete any of my projects!)

 

Regards

Norman

 

 

 

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Thanks for the image and the encouraging words Norman.  I agree with you entirely, I’m not in the hobby to make the tooling to make the items I want to make, life is too short, at least, from my perspective.  Besides which, I suspect the cost of materials inclusive of the tip would probably be half as much as the ready-made tool from RDG (usual disclaimer).  No contest!!

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

I did think I might design a variation on the ball-turning theme. Based along the lines of a

boring head. Did a number of drawings before coming to the conclusion I’d be better off following the tried and trusted method. (Why re-invent the wheel? – Again.)

Now, I’ve just ordered a rotary table and it occurred to me that I could make a support for a removable carbide tip and mount that in one of the tee slots and use the rotating table, mounted horizontally, to form the ball. I’ll give it a go and let you know how I get on. Unless someone’s already tried it and failed!

John

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Even a small rotary table i think would be too big on most lathes to go under the work piece, and the work would be too far out of the chuck because of the redundant half of the tableon the headstock side of the table center, but a similar idea with a worm drive could be used. Ian S C

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