# Ball turners



## firebird (Dec 23, 2008)

Hi

High on my list of things to do is the making of a ball turner as amply demonstrated in several posts on this forum. Sourcing suitably sized pieces of steel has been one problem. When my wife asked me what I would like for xmas I quickly replied a ball turner would be nice. : I think I had best skip the next part of the conversation in case SWMBO happens to spot this post. Anyway I came across this at RDG tools.

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/MYFORD_LATHE_USERS_NEW1.html

As I am a Myford owner I decided to send off for one. A bit expensive at £42.00 but it bolts straight on to my lathe with a pre set centre height and will save me quite a bit of construction time. I haven't had a play with it yet, Iv'e got to wait for santa to bring it (even though its on my credit card :) I'll report back after the festivities.

Cheers

Rich


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## Metal Mickey (Dec 23, 2008)

Thats a good price really. I made one when I made my chess set for the pawns and bishops heads. However this was a different design to the one you have got for a present........... I decided to build one of the same style you have bought and I think it will be better. Going to be finished next year...........

Makes you think though at that price and all the projects I have on the go that I should buy one as well......Hmmmm......


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## Bernd (Dec 23, 2008)

Here's one that cost nothing but a bit of time. :big:







It's a Steve Bedair design. And Divided He ad pushed a lot to get me to make it.

And here's a whole thread on building one. http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=1721.0

Bernd


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## Lew Hartswick (Dec 23, 2008)

can any of those turners do this?

http://home.earthlink.net/~lhartswick/Ballturning/balls.jpg

Not that there is a lot of requirement for that style of ball. 
I did need it on the parts for the surveying transit I made, so I designed several 
iterations of the tool and the latest is what these were made on. 
  ...lew...


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## Metal Mickey (Dec 24, 2008)

Thats the one I am half way (and put to one side for other projects....) through building. Mike


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## Divided He ad (Dec 24, 2008)

> can any of those turners do this?



I don't know about those Lew.... But this is possible...

















And a fair bit more ;D


I am interested in the accuracy of the tools manufactured for the myford... I had to be very careful to get the centre height of the lathe and the tool height spot on to get the tool working as it should.... Time and a post from Rich will tell 

Rich.... The second thing I would do after playing... Erm testing the tool, is start work on a double headed tool post... it makes all those concave parts doable without the tool post hitting the chuck jaws 

I suppose £42 isn't much really.... I scrounged a piece of 3/4" plate and used a hacksaw to get my base, I already had some 50mm steel bar from years ago that made the turret... Took me about 15 hours in total. It was the first and greatest tool I ever made on my lathe/mill. It will be used for as long at my lathe works and has never failed to do what I have asked of it.... Who could ask for more? ;D


Waiting on the test results,



Ralph.


P.S. Bernd.... I barely touched you.... But I bet your glad I nag like an old washer woman now ehh??!?!


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## Bernd (Dec 25, 2008)

Divided He ad  said:
			
		

> P.S. Bernd.... I barely touched you.... But I bet your glad I nag like an old washer woman now ehh??!?!



Yup, you converted me all right. Even though I've only made the ball for the handle of the turner. It was an interesting exercise in tool making. :bow:

Bernd

P.S. My arm still hurts from you twisting it up behind my back. :big: :big: :big: :big:


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## firebird (Jan 3, 2009)

Hi

I had time to play with my ball turner today. First heres a bit of video.





Ok, now for my opinion.

Its very well made, machined to tight tolerances and fits onto the cross slide straight out of the box. The cutter height is bang on the centre line as it should be. Cutting a ball for the first time I found to be very easy. All in all a tool that does exactly what it says on the box. However I do have one gripe and this is something that really annoys me. The tool is designed to fit a Myford lathe and as such comes with 2 'T' bolts ( Myford 'T' bolts are a weird size used only by Myford) to fit it to the cross slide but they aren't long enough!!!. The nuts only catch by about one thread.











I have a few spare 'T' bolts so made a couple that are a bit longer.

The original 2 are on the right with the 2 new ones on the left.






I don't know how you feel but this sort of thing really gets my back up. If you are going to supply 'T' bolts then have the common sense to supply some that are long enough. Wheres the quality control. Has nobody at the factory tried to bolt one to a Myford lathe? While I'm on my soap box I'll give you another example. Not long ago I bought a cheap router table to help with a wardrobe I was building. At £40.00 I knew it was cheap but I wasn't expecting to do anything fancy with it, just cut a lot of rebates. The router table is cast alluminium with 2 pressed steel table extensions which need to be assembled by the user. 6 bolts in each extension table hold them to the main alluminium table. Easy you may think. Not so, the friggin bolt holes don't line up. Not out by a touch but not even close. I had to spend an hour or so re drilling and aligning before it could be used. Has nobody at the factory tried assembling one of their own machines? My point is if you are going to punch six holes in a bit of bent tin then surely its not difficult to jig up and punch them in the right place. That feels better now I've had a little moan, thankyou for listening to my ramblings.

Anyway I took the ball turner to bits, one countersunk cap head, to see what it was made of.






Overall I'm going to give it a score of 8/10. I think it is a well made tool and it was money well spent. I'm deducting the 2 points because the bolts weren't long enough.

Cheers

Rich


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## Divided He ad (Jan 3, 2009)

Well no arguments there Rich... Job done!


I was wondering as I said about the accuracy... Suppose that's why myfords cost so much... They're all so accurate!

I tend to run about 1800-2000rpm when I make a ball up to 19mm (3/4") don't know if that is close to the speed you were going, it's a little hard to see in video form!

Just wondering, how does it tell you to set it up ? I can't seem to see any way of doing it from the photo's? 

Anyway, works and that's the main thing! 

Are you thinking about making the double headed tool post? If you are VBMT 16 04 08's are the big ones I use. 
They can be found smaller for mini versions for the 7x12 size machines too 11 02 04's (used them on another project)

Info's all there if anyone wants it ;D


One final question... Do you have any fun plans for it? 





Ralph.


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## firebird (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi Ralph

Firstly the speed was much lower than that, I had the belt in the middle pulley. Don't know for sure what speed that is without going out and looking at the lathe but I intend to try it on the fastest speed .
There are no instructions with the tool you just have to figure it out for yourself although it is a question I was going to ask, whats the best way of setting up? The tool holder part is clamped in place with 3 grub screws and there is no fine adjustment, I'll look into a mod there I think. I have a quick change tool post, what is a double headed tool post? No immediate plans for the tool it was just high on my wish list and Santa obliged.

Cheers


Rich


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## Divided He ad (Jan 4, 2009)

Hi Rich, 


About half way down page four of this one of my old posts shows how I set up for a ball. 

It's in the cone making thread because it got diverted by questions about making balls!

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=1721.45

I think it should say it all in there? it's been a while since I last read it. 



Well, all said it was a good purchase, not a bad thing to have had near the top of the wish list  I have used mine many, many, many times and it has always done what I asked of it.... All the way up to a 50mm hemisphere in hardened steel  8) 


Have fun and we (I'm sure many of us) Will be looking out for it's creations creeping into your work ;D




Ralph.


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## firebird (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi Ralph

Just read your post on setting up. Thats a big help, many thanks.

Cheers

Rich


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