What is needed to learn the fine art of knurling on a mini-lathe? Is it possible?

[WobblyHand]

Two more posts on this thread before transitioning to a project thread. Wanted to test cutting the half moons on the lathe. Chucked a small piece of 5/8" O-1 in a 4J. (That's what I had.) Cut a flat on it. Used a TCGT carbide insert for this. Despite the interrupted cut, everything was good except two corners which chipped. Probably should have used a new edge on the insert for this, but I was lazy.

4J marks are on the two ends and on the sides, they are not near any bearing surfaces. The circular grooves on the face were a little deeper than expected, but I can hone them to any degree of smoothness. Honing annealed O-1 is a piece of cake compared to HSS. After I make it prettier, I'll try drilling it. Not expecting that it's worse than any other O-1.

Contacted Form Roll Die for the knurling wheels. Not sure they want to sell to a hobbyist. We'll see.

 

[Maplehead]

I made one of those and swear by it.
I would think that for the mini lathe it should be made a little bit smaller but maybe just the shank to fit your holder.
My lathe is only a 9x20 and I regularly knurl stainless with the camjack knurler.
I dont worry about diameters just use more clamping pressure.
heres a stainless example
View attachment 322117

Now that I have a 9x19 I'd consider trying knurling again if I could get them as good as these examples. Great job.

 

[MikeHughes]

Hoping someone with one of these cheap mini-lathe clamping style knurling tools can comment. I bought this a good year or so ago from Busy Bee Tools and had never had occasion to even open it until today. I notice a weird angle in the red circled area, and wonder if this is intentional so the knurls “close up” tighter as the tool advances on a shaft, or if it’s just a manufacturing defect?

It appears to work ok …but i wasn’t moving the thing laterally either.


Thanks,
Mike

 

[Parlo]

With the old style single roller knurling tools I used to set them at a slight angle to the workpiece to reduce the load on the machine and increase the pressure on the knurl edge. Set the left hand side deeper and knurl away from the chuck.

 

[MikeHughes]

Ah, OK, thanks for that. So sounds like it's a design feature vs. a flaw.

 

[WobblyHand]

Ah, OK, thanks for that. So sounds like it's a design feature vs. a flaw.

Personally, I think it's a flaw I'd rather adjust the angle myself than just have the knurler bend. My knurler doesn't bend, or more accurately, the bend is imperceptible. Go to Mikey's thread on his Sherline knurler, or my project subforum for my version of @mikey 's excellent knurler. I love mine.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

With the old style single roller knurling tools I used to set them at a slight angle to the workpiece to reduce the load on the machine and increase the pressure on the knurl edge. Set the left hand side deeper and knurl away from the chuck.

Same.

Not so much to reduce pressure, but to make the knurling action "Progressive" as it travels.