Help with a knurling tool

[Nick Hulme]

Started with a piece of 32mm sq x 80mm lg hot rolled mild steel

Nice Job Sir!
Just a suggestion here, but if you also make a single wheel tool on a round shank you'll be able to do straight knurling with a 30 degree wheel, possibly with some interesting slow spiral variations by varying the angle of presentation ;-)

 

[bazmak]

Good thinking.I bought a single straight wheel knurlier to get the
sets of wheels included,i may be able to rework as you say.Also thinking about a vertical hinge pivot as the commercial ones to give auto compensation for self centering on height.Plenty to play at now the simple basics are proved
What I am happy with is its so simple to make and works so well

 

[Nick Hulme]

Also thinking about a vertical hinge pivot as the commercial ones to give auto compensation for self centering on height.

It's about having both wheels cut to the same depth, you should set the tool as accurately on centre height as possible, the adjustment is to let both cutters contact the work at exactly the same point of in-feed and ensure both knurls cut to the same depth, ideally you wouldn't want the head free to pivot whilst cutting. The commercial tools have locking screws which you slack off allowing setting of knurl wheel contact and then tighten to lock it for cutting.

- Nick

 

[Blogwitch]

Baz,

This is a very good read and watch if you have an inkling to learn a little more

http://www.clickspringprojects.com/vintage-style-rope-knurls.html


John

 

[Nick Hulme]

Baz,

This is a very good read and watch if you have an inkling to learn a little more

http://www.clickspringprojects.com/vintage-style-rope-knurls.html


John

John,
Interesting but aren't they Form Knurling tools as opposed to Cut Knurling?

- Nick

 

[joco-nz]

John,
Interesting but aren't they Form Knurling tools as opposed to Cut Knurling?

- Nick

Nick - yes they are pressure knurling not cutting. But Chris's videos are so well produced they are worth watching, if only for the entertainment value. The fact they are also so informative is just icing on the cake.

 

[Nick Hulme]

I was just checking I hadn't missed some on-topic video content ;-)

 

[bazmak]

John,thanks for posting the video clip on rope knurling.The Klipspring videos
are masterfully done and very informative.Will keep rope knurling in mind
to try out
Nick ,yes I am looking at the importance of correct height of the cut knurling tool.As stated in my post I machined the holder to correct height and then fine shimmed.If not spot on the you get an uneven knurl.That is why I suggested
that a QCTP would be ideal for holding the cut knurling tool
I am about to go out to my shed and start Mark 3. A slight swivel on the tool
whether locked or not.if allowed to float a few thou ,I feel may act as self
centering and solve the problem.Basically as the cheap 2 wheel commercial knurlers do..As you know when I get my teeth into something.Watch this space

 

[bazmak]

Just finished Mark 3 and it works a dream.Perfect knurl first time Main points
45o angle works the best and is the easiest to mount on adjacent faces of sq bar. I skimmed down to 25mm sq and drilled and tapped for the wheels
As you know from my previous threads I have a family of 3 and 4 way tool posts,so I tailored one to mount the new wheel head.I machined a spigot to
allow the head to pivot slightly and self centre.Can be locked or allowed to float
Previos tests showed that steel worked well so I bought a length of 1214 free
cutting steel ,so I know what I am working,and 20 dia ,max thru the headstock
I envisured lots of trials but only made one .No tailstock support.
Speed was about 180rpm and fine feed.Tried a faster feed but not as good
The medium knurls worked best previously with a cut of 25/30 thou so that's what I did.The knurl head will easily cut this at one pass at 20 dia 1214
but multiple passes are needs for harder steel at say 50mm dia.Again all
can say its so simple and easy to use.I will never again crush knurlers,clamping
or otherwise.For all you out there give a try and post results.Best thing since sliced bread.Soon as I have cleaned out my shed and cleaned down the lathe I will set up the camera on a tripod and post a video. Here endeth the lesson

 

[bazmak]

A 2 min video take approx. 1 hr to upload ,so I don't do many
However this tool works so well that I have made 3 videos of knurling
3 matls Steel 1214,alum 6061 and brass.Each video was one attempt
doing what I have learned and to prove consistent results.All matls cut well
on a range of feeds and speeds.With the head unlocked it does self centre
but I noticed a slight movement on cutting to avoid any problems I did lock
after starting the cut.Did notice any difference.For the 1.5mm pitch knurls
depth of cut is 25/35 thou and when examining under a loupe the knurl
appears very good and checking the diameter showed the knurl size to be the same as bar size.Any crush knurling would increase the dia slightly and too
deep a cut would reduce the dia.All in all to mind perfect.The final version Mark3 is simple to make and compact and easy to use with no strain on the lathe and no need for tailstock support.I may make a knurled locking nut to
replace the m6 nyloc nut as it seems better to just nip up the head after the cut has started and the head has self centred.A couple more photos to finish off
and that now completes this thread.A worthwhile project will get lots of use https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=NEJrenClW2U https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&vi...www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=N8BNzPGbMx4

 

[Blogwitch]

These should display better Baz

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEJrenClW2U[/ame]


[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8BNzPGbMx4[/ame]


John

 

[bazmak]

Thanks john,there were a set of 3 here is the brass one
I have lots of sample knurls now so will make a few thumb screws
Always seem to want one but usually couldn't be bothered setting
up for poor quality knurl.Hope to get some use out of this wonderful tool https://youtu.be/0WgiDyafkfU

 

[bazmak]

Well I now have a surplus of knurled round bar so made a few thumbscrews
varios sizes and shapes.Made and fitted one to the mark3 knurlhead to replace
the nyloc nut.Ideal,loosen off, feed the knurls to the work to set centre height
and nip up finger tight for cutting.Just takes out the slight rock

 

[Blogwitch]

You can never have enough tightening knobs

I wasn't trying to be awkward by showing those two videos of yours, just your links didn't work for me, so I made them universal.


John

 

[bazmak]

no problems john,im gratefull just don't know what I'm doing wrong
and how to correct it

 

[Blogwitch]

All I do Baz is once I get the video up and running on Youtube, all I do is copy the URL at the top LHS, and once you paste it into your post in it's own line, it should open it up like I did with the two above.

This is what the URL should look like, without the quote marks.

"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WgiDyafkfU&feature=youtu.be"

and when posted direct into your post, it should come out like this.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WgiDyafkfU&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


John

 

[bazmak]

Has anybody yet made this tool.Its brilliant,simple to make and use.Where I used to avoid knurling I now look to do all the knurling I can
I originally made 1 knurl head and 2 bodies,1 for each lathe,however the heads are so easy to make,i decided to make a family rather than change
wheels.The only minor niggle with the mark 3 was the large cap heads made
it difficult to get in close to the chuck,so I made brass bushes for the wheels
and used a smaller button head capscrew.I now have a family of 4 from
fine to coarse wheels that interchange between lathes.Please someone make
this wonderful tool and post

 

[oldboy]

Where to get wheels and what size wheels do you use. Could I contact you direct. My email is [email protected]. Love your work. Would like to ask you some things about the small lathe. The new one please.

Barry.

 

[bazmak]

Barry, nice name.I have sent an email.Knurls were from China (ebay)
Single tool holder and 7 straight wheels were $26,extra pair of wheels
for 1mm pitch were $3.50 ish. Feel free to email me back

 

[WOB]

The video in post # 31 is NOT a cut knurling tool. It is not making any chips. It is essentially a swage knurling tool the way it's being fed. If it was fed away from the headstock it might be a cut knurler. See [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0fxhb5D_T4[/ame] for a real cut knurling tool in action.

WOB