Spherical ball cutter

[simso]

Hi folks, does anyone know of a distributor within australia that sells ball or spherical or radii cutter attachments for lathes. You know the ones you use to cut a ball handle from a piece of stock. Oversea unit is the holdridge, cant seem to find any one in australia that stocks or sells a generic unit
Steve

[rodm]

Hi Steve,
Little Machine Shop have them for $139US and it takes about a week to get here. Steve Bedair has a good design is you are inclined to knock one up and at the bottom of this page there are links to others and drawings.
http://bedair.org/Ball/ball.html
A bloke that shares my name has a CNC lathe and can probably knock up a couple to get you out of trouble.
Have not seen any advertised in Australia.
Hang on Minitech in Brisbane have them for $70
here (http://wic020u.server-secure.com/vs4487_secure/find.asp?q=ball)

[simso]

Thanks rod, yeh I dont need any balls cut in a rush, but I do need an attachment to cut them as I need them. I saw steves plans and downloaded them last week, good simple design, however my lathe toolpost doesnt go past centre, it stops just short, these designs rely on being able to sit central to the lathe, also to use it you would have to remove your toolpost and rig up the ball cutter
Also my lathe doesnt have dovetailed slots to be able to just put something onto. The cross carriage is machined to take only one type of vise and toolpost
Im trying to chase down one of those ones that are mounted into you toolpost like a holridge unit, Theres a bloke on ebay that sells the base frame in the states but youve got to mill drill and assemble, so Im a bit dubious buying from him if he doesnt sell the completed product as well.
The one from minitech isnt too bad I can always make a bar up that relocates the jig into the toolpost. But I would like to grab one ready to go to start with
But thanks for looking mate.
Hows the toys going, starting no 6 or has the missus said no 5 is the last one.
Steve

[rodm]

Hi Steve,
I did a search on ebay and couldn't find a holridge so still shoooting a bit blind here. Might be worth sending an email to Mick Moyle
http://www.moyles.com.au/
or here
http://www.engineering-tools.com.au/index.htm
or here and this bloke will probably know where to get one as he specialises in railway work
http://lprtoolmakers.com/
or here
http://www.mesupplies.com.au/
or here
http://www.hobbymechanics.com.au/
or here
http://www.ejwinter.com.au/
and try Fiora Machinery in Cannington.
That is about all the lathe links I have got so I hope you get lucky with those. I am sure some of the more experienced turners on here will know of a source for you.

Number 6 is finished and seven is started. Been re-visiting number 4 this week to tidy it up for sale. Need to cash out a couple for an upcoming wedding.

[simso]

Thanks for all the links rod, got the ????? with it today and just said damn it, Ill make it myself. Works a trreat as well.

Heres a couple of pics, first is the first ball I turned up, still got to play around with the rake of my tool its not quite right yet, cuts on both directions up and down.

Steve

[rodm]

Hi Steve,
Looks the part. It doesn't take you long to when you make your mind up.
I've just come in from a couple of hours lathe work so it must be the day for it. :)