Results 1 to 13 of 13
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    3,149

    Default Making up a 3 ball handle

    I picked up 3 boxes of blanks (diameter 30, 42 and 75) at the C&A clearance sale. All the nice stuff had too many zeros.
    P1020338 (Medium).JPG
    The question was asked how do you make up a 3 ball handle so armed with one of these blanks (which I think is 1040), I set out to find out.
    First, rough out the shape
    P1020341 (Medium).JPG
    Then put the angle onto the bits in between. Incidentally, someone was asking about oversize ER40 collets. This is what I am using to hold the stock. They work very nicely.
    P1020339 (Medium).JPG P1020340 (Medium).JPG
    Once the angles are in place, whip out the trusty ball turner and start shaping the balls. The largest ball is only half shaped because there is a chuck in the way...
    P1020343 (Medium).JPG
    A close up at this stage. The tool in the ball turner is a piece of broken tap ground on an angle, so it leaves a radius in the corners. I find that if it blends it is harder to clean up with the file than if it is left as a step. After cleaning up with the file and polishing with emery it looks more the part.
    P1020344 (Medium).JPG P1020346 (Medium).JPG
    I then parted off and tried shaping the back of the large ball. I first tried packing it with thin card but the chuck did not like that so I ended up making a split bush with a matching taper that would hold the handle firmly enough and concentric enough that I could shape the back end. Even so work was required with the file to get the halves meeting in the middle.
    P1020348 (Medium).JPG
    The split bush also came in handy for holding the handle blank in the mill while machining the flats on the handle and putting the through hole in.
    P1020349 (Medium).JPG
    Easier than I thought it would be but it still took several hours. The steel machined very nicely so I'm glad I got it. The other ball handles I've been making are in the J&S thread as that is what they were made for. Anyone know anyone who needs a 3 ball handle? I have a spare.

    Michael

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Age
    2010
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Ueee's Avatar
    Ueee is offline Blacksmith, Cabinetmaker, Machinist, Messmaker
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    39
    Posts
    4,467

    Default

    Nice work Michael.

    I posted some oversized ER40's in the ebay thread a few weeks back. They are pretty pricey though. Where did yours come from?

    Ew
    1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Far West Wimmera
    Age
    63
    Posts
    2,765

    Default

    I did manage to find some help at Steve's Workshop. Not a 3 ball handle, but almost.

    http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/tip...allhandles.htm

    Dean

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Perth WA
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,650

    Default

    I'm with Ew Michael, real nice work. Well done.

    Bob.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    3,149

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ueee View Post
    I posted some oversized ER40's in the ebay thread a few weeks back. Where did yours come from?
    I can't remember - I think Germany via Ebay as they seem to have lots of ER stuff over there. However, from the look of the boxes that they came in I suspect that they were made a little closer...

    I would have liked to stay with ER32 but they stop under an inch diameter which is just that little bit awkward. With the extended range I can hold up to 30mm in the 40's.

    Michael

  7. #6
    Ueee's Avatar
    Ueee is offline Blacksmith, Cabinetmaker, Machinist, Messmaker
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    39
    Posts
    4,467

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    I can't remember - I think Germany via Ebay as they seem to have lots of ER stuff over there. However, from the look of the boxes that they came in I suspect that they were made a little closer...

    I would have liked to stay with ER32 but they stop under an inch diameter which is just that little bit awkward. With the extended range I can hold up to 30mm in the 40's.

    Michael
    Thanks Michael. At $80 for the 4 plus post from the UK i think i'm better going to ER50. That gets me to 34mm so it covers 1.250" and you only need 12 collets to get the full range from 10-34mm as they cover 2mm each.

    Ew
    1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    3,149

    Default

    One of the problems with making up a handle like this is putting in a key way for the shaft as usually the shaft diameter is small (1/2" or less) and the key way is proportionally sized - 1/8" is typical.
    Typical options for making key ways are a slotter or shaper (including using a lathe) or broaching if you have the broaches small enough. There is another way though that I was taught by a fitter I used to work with.

    Once you have the hole in the handle to size, make up a plug in the same material that is a good fit. It doesn't have to be an interference fit but needs to be slop free. Fit the plug to the hole and then using a drill bit the size of the key or less, drill a hole on the plug circumference so that it is half in the plug and half in the handle. Remove the plug and using a small file square the half circle in the handle up until it matches the key.

    I've done this once and it does work. The tightness of fit will depend on your filing skills but for an application like this where the torque being transmitted is small any looseness of key fit will just be seen as backlash.

    Michael

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,951

    Default

    Very nice work Michael,

    It certainly looks classy. Thanks for the tip with small key ways.

    Cheers,

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Perth WA
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,650

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael G View Post
    One of the problems with making up a handle like this is putting in a key way for the shaft as usually the shaft diameter is small (1/2" or less) and the key way is proportionally sized - 1/8" is typical.
    Typical options for making key ways are a slotter or shaper (including using a lathe) or broaching if you have the broaches small enough. There is another way though that I was taught by a fitter I used to work with.

    Once you have the hole in the handle to size, make up a plug in the same material that is a good fit. It doesn't have to be an interference fit but needs to be slop free. Fit the plug to the hole and then using a drill bit the size of the key or less, drill a hole on the plug circumference so that it is half in the plug and half in the handle. Remove the plug and using a small file square the half circle in the handle up until it matches the key.

    I've done this once and it does work. The tightness of fit will depend on your filing skills but for an application like this where the torque being transmitted is small any looseness of key fit will just be seen as backlash.

    Michael
    P K Douglas located the down feed ball crank on their little shaper with just the round plug, no filing required. Maybe another way if starting from scratch and you aren't equipped with Woodruff key cutters.


    Douglas 011 (Medium).jpg

    BT

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,951

    Default

    I was thinking about Michael's 3 ball handle while cleaning up in the shed today. It prompted the question to myself, why did they make these in the first place?

    The only reason I could come up with (other than they look ace) was so that they were a balanced handle and didn't vibrate to a particular balance point, moving the handle off a desired position.

    Is this the reason for the design?

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    59
    Posts
    3,149

    Default

    That could be a reason but they would have to be pretty well balanced to not want to rotate - although if the gibs were snug and there wasn't screw backlash I don't know whether they would rotate anyway.
    I suspect that because the handles were counter weighted the effort needed to turn them was more uniform, so a smoother finish. A heavy solid or spoked hand wheel will be very similar as the handle is comparatively light. Some cast hand wheels even had a small additional lump of material opposite the handle to balance out the handle mass.

    Michael

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,951

    Default

    Hi Michael,

    OK so it basically comes down to style/aesthetics. They look good, like most things built around the time I was born.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Far West Wimmera
    Age
    63
    Posts
    2,765

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    I was thinking about Michael's 3 ball handle while cleaning up in the shed today. It prompted the question to myself, why did they make these in the first place?

    The only reason I could come up with (other than they look ace) was so that they were a balanced handle and didn't vibrate to a particular balance point, moving the handle off a desired position.

    Is this the reason for the design?

    Simon
    One possible reason is that they enable access to the rear for the scale locking ring. The ring-in cross slide wheel on my lathe prevents anyone with fingers more than about 10mm thick from accessing this ring. I can only operate it with pointy nosed pliers, so I intend to wait, if I can! It is the difference between about 320 degree and zero degrees access.

    I guess that in essence this means a more compact arrangement or the ability to fit more into the same space. In the case of my lathe the scale ring is quite wide/deep and includes both imperial and metric markings. It is a 3mm pitch shaft so the imperial circle only covers about 0.236" (6mm). I discovered yesterday that the dial shows the full change in diameter, not just the cross slide movement like all the lathes I have used up to now. That will take some getting used to I think.

    Dean

Similar Threads

  1. Cindy Drozda making a tool handle Youtube video
    By Mobyturns in forum WOODTURNING - GENERAL
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 13th March 2014, 05:46 PM
  2. first try at a ball
    By turbo TA in forum METALWORK FORUM
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 25th August 2009, 11:32 AM
  3. Having a ball
    By Buncha in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 24th March 2009, 08:55 PM
  4. help with making a hand plane handle
    By mkat in forum WOODWORK - GENERAL
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 14th January 2009, 11:13 PM
  5. Took my eye off the ball
    By keith53 in forum SAFETY
    Replies: 27
    Last Post: 22nd May 2006, 01:09 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •