Radius Turning Tool...

I will have to re-order my feeler gages that did not arrive... Amoung other things as well.

Yesterday I didn't get much done, tried to identify some squeak sounds... some were from the gears but there is something else going on I still need to identify.

Today, I finally did my first ever polish test. Started using up to 3000K sandpaper, with WD-40 since I have been told that works. There was minor difference but nothing near as good as a mirror polish. Tried using the Mother's method, that did a WORLD of difference. Perhaps not as perfect as I'd like but getting there. I will try to use a wire, or bambo stick method to maybe tackle the inside of the little grooves to get more of a perfect machined look & finish.

I guess a partial success for today. I think perfect polishing may be more of an art than a science... I'll probably have to do a lot of trials on this..

Definitely need to get collets soon to minimize damaging the aluminum. I think I will also experiment soon with boring... as soon as I order some boring tools!

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Hi apprentice, did you try to turn a ball with this tool yet? I have the same radius tool and it looks like the biggest diameter it can do is 5/8" or maybe 3/4",it took me a while today to learn how to center the cutting tool on it but have not succeeded in making a complete ball with it yet.
I set up mine parallel to the ways (like post#16) ,seems to be the best position for it.
 
I've only done about half-a-sphere or so... I do I think I know what you mean that you will run into issues of the tool rubbing, etc, if trying to do more. I guess one will have to use a regular cutting toolbit to remove some extra stuff first behind the ball-to-be first...

I was also having my own issues in wondering how best to align the tool to the piece just right, not just height here, but getting it horizontally center (if trying to turn a ball on the end of the shaft). I mostly just eyeballed things, but I really should try to use a straight edge ruler or some other mechanism. Still so much to learn here...

Since the weather isn't too bad this week, I may drive down to MetalSuperMarkets and pick up some more aluminum for another begginer's test project I want to play with... But I still need boring tools for that (which I don't have). I can see how tooling costs 1000x more than the original lathe given enough time :)
 
So, it's been a while (too long), so time for an update. I added a small collet chuck, and did some more tests. Was a little bit of a learning experience. I also tried a test of PARTING-OFF with the radius tool. I turned it a little side to side to give a couple mms of clearance to prevent binding. I still wouldn't do this at home folks! But I did part off a chunk. And then I turned a new radius.

Before that though, I experiemented more with drilling through the workpiece. Started with a 1/8", but noticed the bit was so short that I wouldn't be able to drill a 5" hole even when swapping the piece to get into it from both ends. Hence, I later parted off a chunk.

Switched to a slightly larger drillbit, and had a success with complete drill through. Though, the hole is a bit rough, nothing that looks euro-engineered. I will probably try to find a kit of those reamers (I think that's what you call them), to get that perfectly machined look on the inside. I also want to explore with some taps & dies and see what attachments I can make to screw on here.

One problem I am having is trying to get a really smooth and polished look on the half-spheres I've been cutting. The rigidity issues of the lathe are not helping any... I will try to do further testing tomorrow. So far my tests with sandpaper and files are not very promising.

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I really like my radius turner ,I managed to make a few balls for the speed handle I'm working on.the biggest diameter I could turn was 1/2".
I still think for the price , it was a good buy.
 
How did you polish them?

I will TRY to resume more on this later today, big IF.. I get all my other stuff done. And then to order more stuff from LMS too...
 
I just used a green 3M pad and some car polish. I'm not too fussy on polishing aluminum, if the tool I make is functional ,that's what matters to me .
 
I'm on the different side. I want to make the nicest looking piece ever and be proud of it. In any case, this morning I have been looking at LMS again in trying to check out the collet chucks that mount on the spindle itself. Good thing I really went back to check measurements. I always thought from what I read my King is a vamped-up clone of the Grizzly G8688, but after checking in detail, I see not only is the motor stronger, but the spindle size is actually a whole inch larger. My chucks are 4"! No WONDER I was confused why my lathe seemed much more heavier than the Grizzly G8688 version.

Will order the 4" ER-32 chuck, and also a SHORT MT2 to JT33 arbor. The one I have for drilling is much too long, making me wheel out the tailstock which probably isn't good for rigidity (and I have limited space as it is).

Dear god, once you buy a lathe, you are stuck in a lifetime of tooling and other gimmicks! LOL

And I haven't even touched on getting the mini-mill yet. That said, I have a lot to do today, and just hope I can finally later tonight try to do some turning... Once the mini-mill arrives I am seriously going to try to make my own tooling, particularly in a way to get more rigidity for a radius turner. There has to be a better way... I want to be able to put balls on steel sometime.
 
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