Titanium Tippe Tops

darkzero

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Copy of a post from another forum, 8/2011


I've always wanted to make a Ti tippe top, a recent thread reminded me again. It was over 100 deg today, but I went at it anyways!:heat:

Well my first attempt is a failure! :gaah: :(

It looks nice, spins nice, but it won't tip over far enough to catch & spin on the post. :banghead:

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The first post I made seemed to be too fat & heavy. When I spun it, the shaft would be perfectly parallel with the surface it's spinning on. So I decided to make a thinner post.
I also bored the recess in the ball deeper. The stock was 1" diameter. I originally bored the recess halfway in, 0.50". Saw a pic showing center of gravity should be below center show I bored it 0.125" deeper making 0.625".
Now when spinning the post drops down lower but still not low enough to catch the surface & flip the top over.

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Success! :hurra:

Lightening the posts did the trick!

So I scaled down Chief-Yeah's measurements that he posted (thank you for those!). Mine was about 88% the size of his aluminum one & surprisingly my measurements weren't drastically off except the bore. My bore is smaller in diameter which I left as is. As Tony suspected, the wood measurements were considerably different when I compared the measurements.


Here's the very first post I made.
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The second thinner post I made which I originally posted.
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Here are the two posts after turning them down.
(I know, I know, extreme overhang but I didn't want to start from scratch & I managed to turn them down with out any cussing! ;))
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The straight post is shorter than the other one & is harder to get a good spin on the top. More often it will spin pretty straight if I get a good spin. The slightly longer post with the larger diameter end is much easier to spin but rarely spins nice and vertical. As an experiment I found the steep point doesn't allow the top to lift up onto the post & spin. I would have though a smaller point would make it spin better.
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But at least it is working!
I'll keep experimenting though, I think I will try a larger one & maybe some way to make it look cooler.


Others:

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Carbidized then anodized.
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Left: Satin Finish, Middle: Stonewashed Finish, Right: Carbidized Finish
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WIP pics:


Prepared a 1"x1" piece of solid 6AL4V.
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Drilling out the recess.
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Bored to final diameter.
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Drilling to tap threads.
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Tapping the threads for the post.
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That's done.
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Time to make a mandrel which will also become the post.
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Turning the ball.
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After some some sanding.
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Cleaned up the edge.
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Making the second thinner post.
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Great Ti posts DZ but...didn't you start your lathe on fire turning that stuff? :grin:

Haha, yeah I did have a small fire. Partly my fault for not paying full attention. Dull insert, forgot to add more lube, burning chip shot right out the bore of the tube I was making & ignited the chips it landed on. Scared the sheezo out of me, lessen learned. No major damage, just cosmetic on the gap, a couple coats of paint took care of it. I really should be using flood coolant but I don't want the mess.

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Nice ball-turning attachment you have, homemade or purchased?
Mark S.

Both actually. At the time I did not own a mill so I couldn't make one. I bought one that was for a smaller lathe, like a Myford or something like that. I made a new base plate & riser for it. It's limited to about 1-3/8" diameter. I've been wanted to make a new one to allow larger diameters but I haven't had the need for it yet & the one have now works well.

I have it posted in post #9 here.
 
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