I would like to make a sphere machine. Does anyone know where to get some plans? Alternately, any open-ended advise on how to make such a machine or where to get information on doing so is welcomed and appreciated. Thanks, Josh
Some specifics as to material and size and tolerances would be helpful. There are many types of "sphere making machines" as well as many types of spheres. Hollow? Solid? Wooden? Steel? LOL
Given the season and no further data, this must be for making styrofoam snowballs. It's easiest to just buy them, but a hot-wire foam cutter does a pretty good job too.
Agate and other hard rock types. Two pipe bell reducers on shafts, mounted on an incline as they relate to one another, powered. I was such a design years ago in Popular Science, when it was "how-to" magazine. I've always been somewhat interested in making them, too. Never done it, though.
Harold
Maybe I should take up drinking before posting. The above should read "There was such a design------ not I was such a design.
What's that old saying? It's better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt?
Sigh! Very heavy sigh.
Harold
Popular Mechanics also published a ball cutting jig for the metal lathe many years ago. The concept was pretty simple. It is an auxiliary tool holder mounted on a swivel that replaces the regular tool holder. In operation, the center of the swivel was lined up exactly under the lathe axis line, and the cutter was swept by hand in an arc to form the ball. If you want true spheres, it will take a ball grinding setup. Bugs
Why make one when you can buy a used one so cheaply? I think I paid less than $20 for one in good shape.
John Martin
There is software available to generate a table of coordinate moves for a manual lathe (for carriage and cross feed) that will produce a sphere made up of steps. You get to select the size of the steps.
Only light filing is required to remove the steps and finish the sphere.
Bear in mind that most machining processes will not produce bearing quality spheres.
Merry Christmas!
Wolfgang
We had a contract machining shperes from mild steel. They were cores that would be overmolded, so accuracy was not a major issue. We machined many thousands on an old cnc lathe.
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Lots of other good programs.
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