Ball Turning

Yeah. Makes me regret pulling the stock spindle on the Taig sometimes. Still it was only 1/4 HP so it might not have been much better.

I tried the round cut lathe bit first. Cutting the bit was a challenge, but I eventually got one sorta-kinda radius shaped. A drop of Tap Magic on the cuter about every third pin and they cut fast. Took longer to swap pins in the chuck than to cut the radius.

The conical grinding point I mentioned earlier can take it from kinda-sorta to very smooth, round and Sharp when the exact radius doesn't matter. If the tool is in the post ready to round the end, the die grinder holding the stone would be between the ways, pointing straight up. Keep the stone moving so the cutting edge doesn't wear a step in it.

You could mark where the cone is 1/2" in diameter and try to make the cone fit all along the cutting edge at the mark.

jsw

"James Waldby" wrote in message news:jlki2f$jlr$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me...

The tangent point of the hemisphere won't dig in. That's the point of interest. pdk

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Chamfered or conical is _not_ smooth! pdk

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Bob LaLonde, the OP, that's who !!!!

In this case smooth...ish would be nice. It's a pin for something that is assembled and disassembled perhaps dozens of times per hour during normal use. Wear would be minimal, but cumulative. After much consideration I decided a ground and polished lathe bit was the best option for what I want to do. I tried it, and it actually works much faster than I thought it would.

I'll bet there are a lot of guys out there nodding in total agreement with you! Way to go, Bob! ;>)} phil k