Another Ball Turner

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Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Another Ball Turner

Post by Russ Hanscom »

I had a sorry ball turner so I got rid of it with the old lathe; figured when the need got strong enough I would make a good one. My requirements were for it to fit on a quick change post, have a gear drive for slower smoother movements, and use stuff on hand. I really liked the ones using a boring head and since I have several, decided to go that route. With the need for balls for a project, this was a necessary detour. The new turner will take a 2" or 3" boring head with adapters to hold 1/4" square HSS bits. It will do convex or concave radii over a wide range. The large gear is out of a paper shreader and it is missing a few teeth in one spot, but since it does not have to turn a full circle, that is not a problem.

Now I can even make a proper ball handle for it.
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stevec
Posts: 1949
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:40 pm
Location: N.S. Canada

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by stevec »

Neat Russ, Is the boring head threaded onto it's shank/mandrel? I ask because it looks like it would be turning counter clockwise to cut the ball. Any chance of the shank loosening?
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by Russ Hanscom »

This boring head has a 7/8-20 thread and the 3" has a 1 1/2-18, I think, hence the need for two adapters.

I clamped the shank between blocks of wood and snugged up the head. There is not a lot of torque with normal cutting so I do not expect loosening to be a problem. I considered some locking options but am not going to go there until I have a problem.
dly31
Posts: 1052
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Northeast Alabama

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by dly31 »

That is a nice tool. I particularly like the gear reduction feature.
Don Young
oldvan
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: Western NY USA

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by oldvan »

Am I correct in concluding that when using this turner, cutting is pushing the tool toward the
operator, as compared to that force being toward the floor for most lathe operations?

If so, is that of any consequence whatsoever, as long as the cut is always "on-center" relative
to the workpiece?
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by Russ Hanscom »

You are correct in the direction of major forces.

I do not anticipate the different orientation of the cutter will cause any problems as the cuts are usually light. One of the push-in knurling tools would generate much higher forces on the cross feed screw.
oldvan
Posts: 553
Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 6:46 pm
Location: Western NY USA

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by oldvan »

Thanks for the feedback. Keep up the good work!
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by Russ Hanscom »

Side note;

I love having a 1/4" square broach. One of those tools that seldom gets used but the results of which are very hard to duplicate.
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by hammermill »

how about a closer photo of your cutter grind job????


the gearing is a neat idea!!
Russ Hanscom
Posts: 1955
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:10 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by Russ Hanscom »

Hope these help. The tool form is roughly a triangular end, think blunt threading rool, with a bit of positive rake in the preferred cutting direction. I try to stone a bit of radius on the tip.

If you check closely, this bit has negative rake for the preferred cutting direction, but it was handy for the first trial.
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DSC00476.JPG
hammermill
Posts: 2938
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:43 pm
Location: pendleton or

Re: Another Ball Turner

Post by hammermill »

thanks russ that picture proved helpful. for some reason i fought the cutter on this type ball turner long enough that i set it aside and built a different style.

may need to dig it out and take another look
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