Ball Turner for Atlas 10 in Lathe
Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:50 pm
Finally got around to making a ball/radius turner for my lathe. This thing is so handy I can't believe lathe manufactures don't make this a standard tool when you buy a new lathe.
This ball turner is based on Steve Bedairs design and moddifed for my lathe.
Everything I do seems to be straight from my head so lots of trial and error happens along the way. The base simply mounts the same way the compund does, it uses 2 wedge type slugs to wedge the base to the cross slide. The top part is machined with a lip that fits pefectly into a matting ridge on the base. I ended up making a custom screw to hold the too pieces together because I couldnt find the perfect screw for the job. I put a grease zerk in the base so I can grease it without having to take it apart. I ended up ordered two types of inserts and the one in the pick is the first ones to arrive and they are TNMG 322. I ended up making the hold down screw from a 6-32 capscrew. I scribed some index marks in 1/4" increments so I can quickly set the radius. As you can see in the last pic I broke the tap in the back part of the slide so I will not be using this one for making concave parts. The handle is titanium rod with my first turned brass ball end.
All in all this was a great project and it works perfect and I already see many things that are going to have a nice round ball on the end.
This ball turner is based on Steve Bedairs design and moddifed for my lathe.
Everything I do seems to be straight from my head so lots of trial and error happens along the way. The base simply mounts the same way the compund does, it uses 2 wedge type slugs to wedge the base to the cross slide. The top part is machined with a lip that fits pefectly into a matting ridge on the base. I ended up making a custom screw to hold the too pieces together because I couldnt find the perfect screw for the job. I put a grease zerk in the base so I can grease it without having to take it apart. I ended up ordered two types of inserts and the one in the pick is the first ones to arrive and they are TNMG 322. I ended up making the hold down screw from a 6-32 capscrew. I scribed some index marks in 1/4" increments so I can quickly set the radius. As you can see in the last pic I broke the tap in the back part of the slide so I will not be using this one for making concave parts. The handle is titanium rod with my first turned brass ball end.
All in all this was a great project and it works perfect and I already see many things that are going to have a nice round ball on the end.