Ball turning tools

I am going to need to turn some balls in the near future as will need to make or buy a tool to use on my lathe. As I see it there are 2 types:

1. The up and over type where the axis of rotation is horizontal, this seem would fit in a normal tool post with no changes to the lathe. Picture from Chronos **LINK**here
2. Round about type, where the toolpost is replaced with the tool, probably the whole topslide would need to be replaced. Picture from RDG **LINK**here .

Which is easier to use? Looking on youtude option 2 seems easier as once the the ball diameter is set it can be left and just use the cross slide to feed in to the work.

Is one type more flexible than the other? If so why?

FYI I have a Boxford so will be looking to use it on that.

Baldric

Hi Baldric, I made myself a type two ball turner which I have used quite often and seems to give satisfactory results. It is based on the Steve Bedair design but I have modified the position of the cutting insert so that complete balls can be turned. More details are here:

**LINK**

Mike

Are you making balls or ball ended handles?

The type 1 is excellent for ball handles and I made one of the Hemmingway kits and found it to be very good.

Regards T

Thanks for the responses so far.

I will be actually making a ball on the end of a rod for a steering joint, but can alos see it being usefull when making globe valves and other itmes that need to loo pretty.

Mike, I can see why you ammended the tip holder, it looks very good.

I also made a Bedair type tool here is a pic of it in action actually being used for a concave cut rather than convex, not sure if the up and over do both ways? My cross slide is long enough to leave the top slide in place.

You do need to have a fair amount of work sticking out of teh chuck with this type the up and over can be used a bit closer.

The Bedair design is easily found on teh net and adapted to suit your own lathe.

J

If you have room under the job for a rotary table you can mount a tool on the rotary table and use that to cut spheres.

I have in fact done this on a milling machine and it works well.

Clive

There are some pictures of the method Clive describes on this site

I made the Hemingway ball turning tool some time ago and it has served me well, I made all of the double ended ball handles for my Quorn with it plus many others.

In hind sight, I would adapt a budget 50mm boring head to do the same job, saves a lot of work and gives the same end result

CB

I was given a set of Hemingway drawings and made my own but found as drawn, the pivot block that clamps in the toolpost was too short for the QCTP on my Boxford,so the handle would have fouled. I made the pivot block longer to clear this, the guy who gave me the drawings had a similar problem but overcame it by just making a longer boss for the handle.

Thats the Badger Jason, and the way I did the job, it turned a few heads as they saw it being done.

A bit of three dimensional thinking!

Clive

Over the years I have tried several different designs, but the Steve Bedair design is by far the best IMHO. Here's my version for the Myford

Edited By Tel on 17/05/2012 00:15:02

Baldric,

One difference is that the up and over type will cut concave surfaces; not sure the other one will unless you modify it a lot. This may not of course matter to you....

David

David, see the photo of my Bedair type cutting concave that I posted above, no mod required for small concave but I built it with a double ended holder so it will do large 2" rad concave if needed.

J

I built two different tool heads for mine to deal with the problem. Too easy!

Hi have a look at this bought one a few years works a treat on ebay

Item number: 290711057123

Bob

Hi have a look at this bought one a few years works a treat on ebay

Item number: 290711057123

Bob

Hi have a look at this bought one a few years works a treat on ebay

Item number: 290711057123

Bob

Ooops managed to post it 3 times

Edited By Springbok on 17/05/2012 13:19:30

Hi
This is similar to johns

Edited By David Clark 1 on 17/05/2012 14:18:23

Hi David

Thay are fine on my computer.

I have made the above photo smaller.

Has that made a difference to your screen?

regards David

Hi Tel,
Did you make you ball turning attachment with a plain slot (As in the original design.) or did you use a dovetail slot ? I am thinking of making one and was wondering if it was wort going to the trouble of making a dovetail slot.

Les.