Female ball cutter

[savarin]

I use the carbide woodworking router bits all the time to make rounded ends on stainless rods from 6mm to 16mm dia.
The larger dias take more care but do work.
Just choose a router bit that has the form you want in it, a roman ogee has a nice curve and obviously so to rounding over bits.

 

[Jimsehr]

I think it would take about ten minutes to hand grind a tool bit out of carbide or hss with a 1/8 radius on it. So I think buying or making a ball turner is overkill.
I have formed many radius shapes and think this is the simplest way to do this operation. And in this case much faster then a ball turner. Or you can buy a store bought tool like the Micro 100 . See pic below.

 

[gonzo]

I don't think females has um.

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

Use a corner rounding end mill. Clamp it in the tool post and align the cutting edge. Depending on the setup you need to avoid chatter, but it works.
Abom did it so it must be ok huh?
Joe

 

[tjb]

Use a corner rounding end mill. Clamp it in the tool post and align the cutting edge. Depending on the setup you need to avoid chatter, but it works.
Abom did it so it must be ok huh?
Joe

I've used that approach in several instances, and it works fine. Stainless may be a bit more of a challenge, but it should be doable.

Regards

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

I did some 1/4" and 5/16" 304ss rods recently. It took a few minutes of trying different speeds but they turned out very good.
Joe

 

[Suzuki4evr]

Use a corner rounding end mill. Clamp it in the tool post and align the cutting edge. Depending on the setup you need to avoid chatter, but it works.
Abom did it so it must be ok huh?
Joe

Did that just two days ago. Soooo yes it works like a BOMB too......see what I did there...do ya???