mini ball turner.....

[Bernd]

Naw, not to late. Haven't cut it out yet. Have been busy helping out parents with a well pump problem the last couple of days. Got it all working again to day (9/16/08 8:00PM). So maybe in the next day or so.

I do believe my, or should I say the lathes, tailstock is off a tad.  :o    ;D

Good tip though. I'm going to try a center in the spindle and see if it's off any. Nope haven't ruined my day. I don't get upset over things like that. Besides it's easy to amke another tool post and use this part for something else.  8)

Wasn't sure if you'd mind me adding to this thread since it's your project. Felt a bit like I was interfereing.  :-[ I'll keep add ing though since you don't mind.  ;)

Bernd

[Divided he ad]

As I said, I figured this one out..... After I made the mistake with my first one for my 9x20

Glad you haven't got to re-make anything  ;D

I only use it in the chuck due to that being the thing that will hold the work. maybe the spindle centre could differ too?
Maybe it could be a worthy excerise to check all three against each other and see if there is any difference?

I'll leave it up to you  ;D I should hopefully get something posted by the end of the week... but no promises!  :-\



Ralph.

[Divided he ad]

Damn it... just wrote all this evenings post out and a bodge deleted it.....  >   :'( 

Well here we go again!!!


This evening was spent re-designing and modifying the BT base. I am making this off of pictures and supplied measurements. So when I found I had missed a dowel height when I drew up my plan I was not totally shocked!

This is how I sorted it out.... First, find a suitable bit of plate....Brass it is then!




Then make it the shape you need it... round in this case. It was mounted on an arbour after having the corners cut off, then turned until slightly over required size.



the plate was then de-burred and lightly flatted as was the original base. Flux was applied thinly to the steel base and a soft solder spiral was sandwiched between the two parts. They were mounted on an arbour That I already had and secured in the bench vise.
The blow torch was used in an upward direction and aimed at the centre under the brass disc. once the heat has caused the solder to melt (easily visible when the plates get closer together) the nut is tightened to force out the excess solder and create a good joint.









The now tightened and extreamly hot base is left to cool naturally. DO NOT quench the base, the water will force the solder out as it super heats and create a poor joint... It could then seperate in the lathe when finishing is being carried out.

Whilst it was cooling I made the tip holder blank, once it had cooled I turned it to size.






Next I  recessed the new base plate for the pivot screw then drilled and tapped the centre of the turret.







So end of play today has this sat on my bench  ;D




Oh and I got the new tips too....so very tiny compared with the ones for my BT....





Now at 2am I tink I'd better get some sleep!!!  Sorry about the length of the post... So much to say and show!! ;D



Ralph.

[Bernd]

Nice post Ralp. That brass and steel sure look nice together.  ;D (Eric has to add a few more smiles and the bow)

I see from all those pics that you like to use carbide alot. Interesting.

Well no progress today on my ball turner. 

2:00AM  :o It's only 9:40 as I reply to this, But then your 5 hours ahead of me on the east coast of "over-the-pond".

Night Ralph. Sleep tight and don't let the Lathe Fairies bit. 

Bernd

[Brass_Machine]

Nice post Ralp. That brass and steel sure look nice together.  ;D (Eric has to add a few more smiles and the bow)
...

You mean this one? 

[Divided he ad]

Ralp!!!? You impersonating Scooby Doo Bernd??

Steel and brass in this occasion it from nessesity.... But you remember my finger engine flywheel? Same stuff ;)

Yep the carbide does just about everything I make.... Just the way I started out and have stuck with it.... Will one day try to make some hss tooling but this does me for now  ;D


Glad you like it so far  .... Had to use one of the new ones ;D


Ralph.

[Bernd]

All right Eric.        I love it.

Thank you so much.       

Bernd

[Bernd]

Ya I remember that from the finger engine. I think it looks nice to use some contrasting colors in your work. I wonder how stainless and brass would look together all shined up? Been thinking of doing something like that for a flywheel.

I'm going to check the heigth from the headstock after checking my favorite 2 forums. I''l let you know how it turns out.

And I see Eric provided a few more.    I love 'em.

Bernd

[Bernd]

As I logged on I see you were here to, Ralph. Looks like about 12:30AM your time.

I checked the heigth at the head stock. No difference as compared to the tailstock. So everything was OK. But, I forgot to mill the bottom. I was cheking on a rough bottom.  :o

I almost got the body cut out tonight and milled but had a very dull blade in the bandsaw.  So I set the part aside and had dinner.  ;D Tomorrow is another day.

Bernd

[Divided he ad]

There's nothing worse than checking on a rough bottom Bernd!!

Is it not at all salvageable?

Maybe it will be usefull elsewhere? or if it rotates through 90 degrees would it work then?

You have a power saw!!! WOW!  I have a hacksaw and a worn out arm!!   

One day I too will own a powered saw of some type?!

intill then it will take me much hard work and out of breathness to cut my 3" steel bar stock 




Ralph.

[Bernd]

Actually Ralph I own 3 saws. Two grizzly bandsaws and a powered hacksaw. If shipping and taxes weren't so much I'd be willing to ship you the hacksaw since I don't need it any more.  ;D

The part was salvageable by the way. I just milled the bottom and rescribed the lines. Now all I need to do is cut it out, finish mill and add the cutter and I will have a ball turner.

Thanks to your persisten nagging to get it done. 
 
Also watch HMEM for my next engine build. I'm going to show how to use a sacrificial aluimnum milling table. It'll be a while yet though.

Bernd

[Divided he ad]

Ok then.... On with the show!!

Just to make it clear... I am not (against popular belief) perfect....  :-\

The pictures already posted show the turret made to 40mm dia. this has become an issue when the drillings for the fixing points were made. They cut into the edge of the recesses and made small but noticeable swarf traps... This will not do.

So last night I started re-making the turret, larger50mm dia and re-machined the base slightly to allow the bolt holes to be within the recess for the turret.

A few pics to get me up to date.

new part cut (by hand!!)
 

the part faced and then the outer edge cleaned off using super glue gel to hold it to the chuck.


The part removed, the chuck and part clean up easily.



The part sized and ready for a little lapping. I put some blue into the grinding paste so it would photo' easily  



To lap it I used a fixed centre against the brass base and applied pressure via the tailstock whilst the machine was running, you know when the lapping is being done as the bit you are pushing stops spinning with the one in the lathe, This may not be the best way to do this but it worked... And just a little cleaning up on the base where the centre was pushing it. (this might not work if the base were steel?)



So as of last night I have this to show for my efforts...



Hopefully i will get some meaningful work done on this very soon. It has to be finished.

How's yours going Bernd?



Ralph.

[Divided he ad]

Well I put some time into this tonight.... Got the new turret mostly finished.

It was all about the setup.... the machining took min's!

Tool post slot.


Relief for grubscrew holes.


Handle hole


Grubscrew holes


Where we're up to....



A piece of square machined 1/2 " ali plate has been sent off to the new owner so that it can be marked using a sharp point turned in the 3 jaw ... Slide the plate across the point whilst holding it firmly to the saddle and it should give me an easily transferable (via height gauge and surface table)  scribed line.... Just waiting on it's return now!!


Ralph.

[Brass_Machine]

Thats looking very good! I gotta start mine one of these days. Maybe tonight...   

[Bernd]

Looking good there Ralph. 

You've got the second one almost done and I haven't even finished my first.  :P

Bernd