Ball turning

any one tried ball turning on a mini lathe looking at this attachment.

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/engineering-tools/2013/2562/

I asked a similar question several months ago.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=94307

Rgds,

Anthony

Edited By LADmachining on 28/01/2015 19:36:03

Did you purchase one Anthony?

bought one couple of weeks ago.

only used it to make some radius dies for ring roller i was making but works brilliantly very impressed with it.

hoping to get some spare time to have a go at making ball next week.

Hi what machine are you using it on?

promise not to laugh?

it's a clarke 430.

Hay man if it does the job why not, engieering is a bit like photography (which I'am into ) you get your brand snobs I have seen it a lot you get the guy with the all singing and dancing top of the range camera and he never takes it of auto,I have in the past had fully equipped workshop but marriage brake up put pay to that,now have a mini lathe and mill which I get just as much enjoyment out of and the best bit it's in a spare room no more waiting for the workshop to warm up before you can make a start. Well of to make more chips.

i know what you mean about snobs.

left another forum cos comments about having clarke lathe.

will admit it needed tweeking but what doesn't?

I wouldn't worry, you 'umble eeditor has a Clarke CL300M, albeit much modified

Neil

can't find much on mods for clarke lathes.

apart fron couple of articles years ago.

I asked on another site some very good answers,but other take it you been in engerneering all your life when it is just a hobby to whittle away the day now I've retired,as far as the Clark goes all just about from the same factory's just diffren colours and bed sizes.

Hi Brian

Ball turning is a very pleasing job on a lathe real hands on work

Ignore the snobs not worth bothering with the inadequate sods who think that if you put someone down it will elevate their standing in life.

We share thoughts and ideas to attempt to help make life easier for all that want to learn more.

Motto "Attack the problem not the person".

The ball turners I use is a Boring head mounted on a sturdy bracket the bolts on the topslide with the toolpost removed.

Rambling off topic!!!!

Neil I see that you have an Amp Meter on the control box in the photo of your lathe an essential in my biased opinion for any machine tool.

Eric

Quite right! When I had to work for a living I was trying to establish what a "safe" level was for low rate production machines. Never came to a conclusion, except that sometimes more was better than less!!

cheers

Bill

At the risk of being bias as many know I do do some work for ARC but I use one of these cheap gismo's.

**LINK**

Simple, quick, swaps easily between lathes and does the job.

I had one for the CVA I used to own and it was so complex to set up it was quicker to linish a ball on

This one does what it says on the tin.

I was making this attachment when the article about using a boring head as a ball-turner was published.

It works very well once you get your head around setting it up and grinding a knife tool on the end of a 3/8 HSS toolbit.

I made the adapter for the George Thomas type boring head made many moons ago.

Setting up is made a lot easier with the QCTH.

Getting the cutting tool geometry is a bit tricky

The finished ball for the handle of the ball-turner attachment! The finish is straight from the tool.

Regards

Phil H

Edited By CotswoldsPhil on 30/01/2015 10:14:21

Thank you all for your help ,John I have looked at the ARC attachment is it possible to use index cutters in it I do not have the knowledge or the equipment to re sharpen tool steel very small workshop in home so bench space is a premium plus noise I'm sure next door put a glass on thr wall to hear what going on.

Brian, a small bench grinder would be no noisier than the lathe, and quieter than the kitchen wiz/cake mixer in the kitchen. Once you master grinding up lathe tools you may find that you use them for general turning as well.

Ian S C

Hi
I use a boring head as well

Nobby

Edited By Nobby on 30/01/2015 12:10:02

> Neil I see that you have an Amp Meter on the control box in the photo of your lathe an essential in my biased opinion for any machine tool.

It's driven by a VFD output to read a percentage of rated power, so it give a true indication of how hard the motor is working.

Don't write off using form tools:

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 30/01/2015 15:02:21

Naughtyboy

Whats a Clarke 430, I have a CL500M which I'm very happy with.

Martin P