Ball Turning Tool

[phil1001]

I have always wanted a vertically mounted ball turning tool but I thought the Hemmingway kits version a tad expensive for just a few bits of metal. Looking on flea bay one night I saw an ad for a set of ball turning tool instructions for fabricating at a fairly reasonable price (about £5 if I remember correctly) so thought I would get some to see what was entailed. When I saw the instructions, I had a sort through the scrap box and only needed a bit of 16mm silver steel so sent off for that and got going.
The result is shown below but the tool steel is not in it at present (to keep the tip as sharp as possible). Having tried it now, I am pleased with it and it does turn out good ball ends. Fairly easy to make but a little labourious carving it out from the solid. A nice little bit off tooling for any tight wads like me who want something cheap but resonable quality.

Phil.

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[jgb7573]

Thanks Phil.

[goldstar31]

I don't know whether either of you is aware that the concept of the 'ball turning tool' as described here is also a small precision boring tool!

Mine is the George Thomas one also sold as a kit by Hemingwaykits and not the one developed by Jack Radford and subsequently modified.
All that I have to do is change the tool/tool holder and find a holder on which it rotates- and I have the Radford.

Of course, it doesn't stop at that. Mine, the Thomas one has a No2 MT shank but takes a No3 MT sleeve to go on the mill/drill.
But it doesn't stop there because it fits in my Thomas small dividing head.

Naturally, it gets more interesting because it also goes on my Vertex dividing head which fits on my Clarkson and the Stent.

I'm sure that this isn't the end of versatility but this is a start.

Cheers

Norman

NB Mine is not from a kit but the scrap box

[phil1001]

I was not aware of that Norman. Very interesting, you have given me some hints for small jobs to do in between the bigger ones now - off to sort through the scrap box again!!.

Phil.