Those first tentative steps...

Hello to everyone here, admin, members etc.

My name is Richard, I'm 48 and have been forced into medical retirement from driving buses which I did for 20 years.

Since the forced increase in spare time, I try busying myself to keep the 'black dog' at bay. My hobbies are fishing, making fishing floats and fishing related bespoke items.

I have very little metalwork experience but have acquired vast carpentry skills both with hand tools and lathe work.

I have had to budget my expenses frugally now I receive just a pension and a medical allowance but am able to supplement my meagre income by selling bespoke fishing floats and tackle items.

I've always been fascinated by things in miniature and have recently built a miniature split cane fishing rod complete with rod bag. I sent it to a friend that runs a vintage fishing company who was meant to value it for me and sell it on. Since receiving it, not only was he blown away by the quality and ingenuity of it but has suggested that I make more of them. A run of a dozen in fact, he would pay me for them in advance, in batches of three.

That was a nice shock and I accepted gladly. With the advance I have purchased an Axminster CO lathe which will help me with creating floats but also the mini metal parts associated with the rod.

One of the components I need to create is miniature reel bands. For the un initiated, these consist of two rings of aluminum that slide up and down the cork rod handle and affix a fishing reel by sliding over the reel seat trapping it in situ. These are moderately decorated and relatively easy to construct but present me with a problem. One end of these rings or bands is knurled on its face for finger grip. The first set I had, a friend was kind enough to make for me as I couldn't without a metalwork lathe. This was frustrating as I wasn't able to complete the build totally on my own.

So now I have a micro lathe but the C0 lathe tool post only accepts 8mm tool shanks and the smallest knurling tool I can find has a 12.5mm shank.

I have the lathe, the aluminum alloy tube ready to go but need a knurling tool to fit it desperately. Suggestions, advice and miracles welcomed.

Long winded introduction but thanks for having me, listening and allowing me on board.

Warm regards,

Richard

Richard,

One of these may fit the bill, easy enough to replace the bar that fits into the toolpost with a suitable sized piece

Make one from a flint fag lighter wheel?

Hello Richard

Hacksaw's suggestion works well for fine knurls. the holder doesn't need to be anything clever, just a bar with slot and a hole drilled through it for a spindle.

Neil

Long winded I know but grind down the knurling tool shank to 8mm . Time intensive but a permanent solution

That's a great help chaps all good suggestions and I thank you. I will let you know how I get on and post some pictures when I've figured it all out.

That's what I love about engineers, living life by two simple codes. 'Necessity is the mother of invention' and 'If it can't be fixed with gaffer tape...you're not using enough gaffer tape!'.

Well, what do you know...went for it and figured it out. Pics of miniature rod with knurled reel bands.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Richard,

Those fishing rods look very nice. Yes it may be difficult to find knurling tools with a small enough shank. RDG seems to have a knurling tool with 3/8" shank, less material to grind away than a 12.5mm. It is not easy to see from the photo on the RDG site but the piece clamped in the toolpost may just be bolted to the rest so you may be able to make a new part.

Another alternative that may suit your needs is a hand knurler.

Thor

Thanks Thor. I wasn't aware a hand knurler was suitable for metal working.

The original maker has made contact on another forum with some advice which I will share here...

Have just had a more detailed look at the mini lathe you are buying..and without trying to put a damper on things in any way, may I advise you to be very careful in trying to knurl metal on this machine. Now, do not think that I am trying to be discouraging in any way, more than most strongly advising you to exercise great caution in using it.

The reason is based on my rather limited experience in engineering, but I have learnt a few, hard and painfully expensive lessons along the way and one of them was in how to knurl metal successfully, so if you want to make a job of it, then listen to this and take it on board.
From what you say, I deduce that you I'll be using a pressure knurler? I also note that the toolpost capacity is for 8mm tools.
There is a reason for that. Most machine tools have a tool handling limit, i.e. That is the maximum size which that machine will handle, without running the risk of serious, or irreparable damage to the general build. In your particular case it is 8mm.
A pressure knurling tool does 'exactly wot it says on the tin!' The workpiece is first turned to a little below the finished size because this form of knurling literally deforms the metal back up to size afterwards. The knurling tool is then brought to bear on the metal and traversed along it at a controlled and constant feed rate, forming the desired pattern..
..Now, that sounds very simple-which it is-but there are some important factors which MUST be considered first..
When you wind that tool against the metal, you impose very great forces and unnatural strain upon the toolpost, the lathe saddle, the headstock and tailstock bearings and the tool itself. So, you have to ask, whether your machine has enough 'grunt' to do this? The lathe which you have chosen will be super for floatmaking and for turning up bits and bobs from wood, but I do have my doubts when it comes to knurling metal, quite honestly. You will be able probably, to produce a line pattern, but not much more, without risking severely straining your new machine. Fitting a larger toolpost might also compound the risk...
As already said, I am NOT trying to deter you, but I AM trying to guide you toward success, without causing damage.
Knurling also generates a lot of friction, which heats up both tool and metal very rapidly, so you will need to both cool and lubricate it as it happens. You don't have to take my word for it, ask anyone on the forum who owns a lathe!

Needless to say I'm left feeling a little apprehensive about spending more cash on a tool, defacing the shank and then putting my new lathe at risk as well. As I'm only going to be using aluminum tubing is this likely to decrease undue force on the tool rest? Should I perhaps settle for simplified design without knurling. I'm very confused....

Richard,

Just a quick thought ... If straight knurling would be acceptable [& I don't really see why not] then you could plane the grooves with a single-point tool. This is a little time-consuming, but simple enough; and it only puts light loads on the lathe and workpiece.

JasonB has previously posted some good explanatory photos.

MichaelG.

.

Must try to get back to sleep now !!

Hi Richard,

I don't think that the RDG "scissor knurler" I referred to in my previous post will put un-natural strain on the lathe, especially since you are knurling aluminium, so I agree with Frances, this should work on a small lathe.

Thor

YOu can also buy the knurling wheels from the usual model engineer suppliers and then make your own scissor type knurling tool to hold them, using whatever size shank you choose. Plenty of designs out there, going back to Duplex, Sparey, Radford and co. up to more modern times. Harold Hall has a good design and free drawings here **LINK**

I shouldn't think that light knurling of the little aluminium rings you are doing would harm your lathe using such a tool. Force of one wheel balances out that of the other. Just be careful not to over strain the little electric motor at slow speed and burn it out, gently gently being the catch cry of all small lathes.

I am humbled by the informative help and suggestions offered and wish to convey my gratitude to you all.

That being said, you must all understand that my ability and experience with working metal either in design, fabrication or otherwise, is far below rank of novice. Hence the title to this post.

I am ashamed to admit that not only creating a two wheeled knurling tool to being beyond me, but also purchasing and altering a tool also. The lathe arrives today and it doesn't come with any tools. With my limited income, I'm fairly 'reined in' at the moment.

I thought that sleeping on the problem might make it less daunting in the morning. Sadly it is not the case.

Should any of you care to unburden me by making the rings.....drop your quotes in my inbox. Ha!

I'v got a little knurling tool that takes less than an hour to make, I found the idea in Stan Bray's book "Introducing the Lathe", and as Hacksaw says it has a flint wheel (from a Bic disposable lighter). Ian S C