Bits and Bobs for your Metal Lathe

[skiprat]

Today I made a new tool post power tool holder. It works great and I'm pretty pleased with it. :biggrin:
I then decided to try a new way to make Pool Cue Blanks. Up till now, I've used a Heath Robinson flexi joint that worked but was a pain as the blank had to be glued to it.
This new one is a highly modified socket 'universal' swivel joint. The main problem with these is that they aren't true universals as the two axis' need to be the same. It was tough to alter this one!! It has a threaded end thet screws into a 4 jaw scroll chuck. A boring head in the tailstock creates the offset.

I then just took a couple of pics of some of the attachments that I use the most on my lathe.
When folks ask about which ML to buy, I always advocate a bigger one.
I couldn't do half the stuff I do on a smaller lathe.

I think the pics are self explanitary, but please feel free to ask anything :wink:

 

[BradG]

show off :biggrin:

 

[skiprat]

show off :biggrin:

LOL, look who's talking !!!:tongue:

PS; Thanks for the books, they are great!!:biggrin:

 

[BradG]

no worries thought the thread cutting ones may catch your eye.

Im envious that you have ball turners... keep meaning to get around to that.

 

[skiprat]

Brad, if you get a ball turner, then I recommend the Cross Slide one. The other one in the toolpost works well but takes more faffing around to set up.

 

[mredburn]

did you build your ball turner or buy it ready made?
No snickering.................

 

[frank123]

Very nice work.

A couple of those items would be highly marketable if you decided to produce and sell them.

 

[skiprat]

did you build your ball turner or buy it ready made?
No snickering.................

Nah, bought them both, Mike. The bigger cross slide one is really basic and would be easy enough to make though.
I will be making one out of my boring head though, just to show the versitility of them. :biggrin:

 

[BradG]

Brad, if you get a ball turner, then I recommend the Cross Slide one. The other one in the toolpost works well but takes more faffing around to set up.

Cheers Steve ive eyed up both versions in the past il sway more towards the cross slide one, though im holding off tooling until i get the new lathe :biggrin:

 

[Paul in OKC]

Interesting thought on the universal joint. Have seen the boring head used to offset in the tail stock. Neat stuff!

 

[ironman123]

This is the Ball Turner I built for my 9 X 20 lathe.

Steve Bedair's 9x20 Lathe Site

He has other accessories he made with instructions.

Ray

 

[skiprat]

Interesting thought on the universal joint. Have seen the boring head used to offset in the tail stock. Neat stuff!

Hi Paul. I know you are a serious machine guy and so you'd already know this, but for the benefit of anyone that doesn't understand,.....in this setup, the lathe is unplugged and is used ONLY for the indexing and work holding.

:biggrin: Any petrolhead knows what a universal joint on a prop shaft looks like but have a look at a universal joint in your socket set and see if you can figure out why it had to be altered. ( no prizes, just for fun ):biggrin:

This is the Ball Turner I built for my 9 X 20 lathe.

Steve Bedair's 9x20 Lathe Site

He has other accessories he made with instructions.

Ray

Ray, Steve Bedair's site has been a favourite of mine for years. I only have 6 sites linked from my own site, and his is one of them.
His site was the first site I saw a 4 bolt toolpost clamp even being mentioned and made mine because of it. :biggrin:

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Hi Skiprat, thanks for the pictures. You certainly are an innovator.
Not trying to knock your ideas, but, and this is just a thought, would it be possible to do without the extra chuck, uni joint and boring head by making a taper turning attachment, (with micro adjustment) as per Model Engineers Workshop issue 178 and 179? I made one and it works by disconnecting the top slide so that it slides back and forth, following the set taper, as the carriage is moved along. To me it would save a lot of extra setting up!!!
I've not used it for pens but for turning Morse tapers.
Kindest Regards
Kryn

 

[Dalecamino]

Thank you Steven, and happy new year.

 

[skiprat]

Hi Skiprat, thanks for the pictures. You certainly are an innovator.
Not trying to knock your ideas, but, and this is just a thought, would it be possible to do without the extra chuck, uni joint and boring head by making a taper turning attachment, (with micro adjustment) as per Model Engineers Workshop issue 178 and 179? I made one and it works by disconnecting the top slide so that it slides back and forth, following the set taper, as the carriage is moved along. To me it would save a lot of extra setting up!!!
I've not used it for pens but for turning Morse tapers.
Kindest Regards
Kryn

Hi Kryn,
I did try the Taper Turning Attachment route. I half completed one a while back. There are many cool plans on the web for them. But for me, it won't work. I plan on using the back of my bed to affix a milling head. The back side is already machined square and has the mounting holes already drilled and tapped.
I also don't like the idea of having to dismantle the cross slide crank when I want to use it.
Now that I've got the stuff, it's 6 or two 3s on the time it would take to setup either method.
Of course, I wouldn't run the machine in this setup. If I ever need a long taper ( too long for the top slide) then I'd just offset the tailstock and use a lathe dog on the headstock. But you are correct, a TTA would be ideal for most uses.:biggrin:

 

[bluwolf]

That's some very cool stuff. But then I would expect nothing less from you. The one glaring thing missing though, is that articulating arm setup you have for complex compound angles. THAT is impressive

Mike

 

[UKpenmaker]

But for me, it won't work. I plan on using the back of my bed to affix a milling head. The back side is already machined square and has the mounting holes already drilled and tapped.

Steven, I hope you have told your wife of your intentions. I think it is taking the hobby a bit far though, fastening things to your bed!!!:tongue:

Some great things there though, yet even more to add to my "Must Try" list, i think i need to retire now to get them done.

 

[BradG]

Before

After:

Just incase anyone didnt understand the workings of this tool

 

[Chuck Key]

That will not work for me. Not enough indexing positions.

Before

 

[mikespenturningz]

I always wondered how they made those flutes.

 

[Leviblue]

Nicely done and very impressive.... but you lost me at "new tool post power tool holder".

 

[cnirenberg]

Steven,
Sweeeet stuff. I like the router attachment. Looks like a few passes with that and you have yourself a nice blank ready to go. Thanks for the pics, now you have me thinking......