David Haythornthwaite Turns his lathe safe- ly with this pretty balanced handle attachment.

any years ago I saw some scrap yard breakers Don’t Fly Off The Msmashing up an old lathe with sledgehammers and I rescued the cross slide handle for Handle !! the price of a pint of beer. On tak- ing it home, I found it to be an anced handle still in place, but do steady for this. Remove from the ideal size for turning the mandrel take measures to keep others away chuck, fit the other end in the on my Myford Super7B and it if you do this. On the Myford chuck and face the second end, simply looks as though “it grew on ML7 the handle also looks as bringing the length to 5.5”. Centre the Myford”. Our noble Editor though Myford had designed it this end again with a small centre spotted it on my website themselves. It looks like a fitted . I did consider making this www.Haythornthwaite.com and handle as opposed to a workshop item without centres in the ends, suggested that I wrote it up for the made accessory. but centering the bar makes ma- magazine. That would have been chining so much easier and a small easy if I had made the original, but Order of centre does not detract from the he spotted the one thing that I had As the handle is comprised almost finished appearance at all, in my not made myself. I have now made totally of curves and tapers, it is an opinion. a second identical handle (Photo. interesting and challenging item to Above) and found it to be an inter- make, but I do suggest that you Roughing Out esting turning exercise which use leaded free cutting mild steel First of all turn the bar down to a would benefit many lathe owners. and not just any piece of metal thou or two over 1.3” diameter for which was lying around, as I did. I a length of 4.0”. this will reduce apologise for the fact that the most of the bar to the diameter of Handle Details measurements are mostly imperial, the middle ball, but leave a piece As stated in the introduction, I first but I was copying the handle of an on the end to make the large ball. . used this design of handle simply old imperial lathe. Then turn the end of the bar down because it was there and of the The main (radial) part of the han- to a 1.0” for 2.11” i.e. reduce to correct size. However when I start- dle is made from a 5.5” length of the diameter of the small ball in ed to use the handle, the fact that it 1.625” Dia. mild steel and needs to order to form the small ball and was almost perfectly balanced be machined in a carefully control- the thinner tapered part. At this proved to be a massive advantage. led sequence, otherwise you will stage it should look like Photo 2. Although I cannot officially rec- finish up with no means of holding Now it is necessary to make ommend the practice, when you the item for the final sections. Cut grooves in the bar down to the are alone in the workshop, it is off a length of bar just over 5.5” points where the spherical parts of very nice to be able to spin the long, face one end and put a small the item will adjoin the tapered lathe up to full speed, with the bal- centre in this end. I used a fixed parts. This will give space for the Photo. 2 Roughing Out Photo. 3 Turning the Grooves ball turning attachment tool to against the previously made shoul- head as described in MEW issue swing round to complete the edges der. Lock the saddle and make an- 133 to turn all the balls. I do not of the balls. other groove with the parting tool use suds on my lathe being fright- First make a cylinder 1” wide and at this point until the groove diam- ened of rust, but I drip neat cutting 1” diameter on the end of the bar eter is .63” which is the diameter oil onto the work instead. Some in which to make the 1” ball. Line of the tapered section at the junc- sort of cutting oil or suds is defi- up a the left edge of a parting tool tion with the middle ball. In the nitely recommended for a good with the end of the bar and then same manner make a groove of finish. Photo 4. shows the setup move the saddle down the lathe .72” diameter with the tailstock and for all those readers who feel bed by 1” plus the width of the edge (right edge) of the parting upset when looking at photos of parting tool. Lock the saddle and tool 3.41” from the end of the bar clinically clean lathes, when they, make a groove with the parting and a final groove of .78” Dia. themselves, are actually knee deep tool until the diameter at the bot- Which has it’s left edge 4” from in swarf, I have left some of the tom of the groove is .510”. This the end of the bar. The process is swarf in place in the photo to illus- will leave you a cylinder 1”x 1” illustrated in Photo 3. but you will trate that ball turning makes lots of for the small ball and a section that see that I did not follow the same fine swarf. is just larger than the diameter of order, having just cut grooves 1 You can use either an “up and the small end of the taper where it and 3 at this stage. over” attachment or “round the meets the small ball. I actually houses” (vertical axis) type of ball then widened this groove by tak- Turning the Balls turner, but I shall describe the pro- ing a second cut to a slightly larger The first ball to turn is the small cedure using an up and over type diameter. Release the saddle and ball, so leave the bar in the 3 jaw as illustrated. First of all set the move it left so that the left side of and fit a fixed steady so that the ball turning attachment exactly at the parting tool is now 2.11” from end is left clear to use a ball turn- centre height. Do this by adjusting the end, i.e. the parting tool is up ing attachment. I used my boring the ball size of the tool in the ball

Photo. 4 Turning The Small Ball Photo. 5 Holding the Work for Turning the Large End Photo. 6 Ready to Turn The Large Ball Photo. 7 Finishing the Large Ball With Tailstock Withdrawn

Photo. 8 Turning the Smaller Taper Photo. 9 the Flats and Reaming the Holes turner so that the tool just touches Lock the saddle and cross slide. chuck. As shown in Photo 5. You the top of the work. Move the sad- Open up the jaws of the ball turner will see from the photo the reason dle right, swing the ball turner 180 to allow the tool to clear the shoul- for making the small ball a couple degrees so that the tool is under- ders of the work and begin the sat- of thou under 1” – it will pass into neath the work and return the sad- isfying work of turning the ball. the centre hole of a 4” Pratt Burn- dle. If the ball turner is exactly at Take the size of the ball to a few erd scroll chuck, so that the work centre height, the tool will just thou under 1” diameter for reasons can be held by the 1” diameter touch the underside of the work. If explained later. section that you have left just be- not, then adjust the height of the Once the first ball is finished, hind it. Bring up the tailstock to tool, adjust the “ball size” of the bring up the tailstock to support support the work, and bring the tool and test again until it is cor- the end of the bar and remove the end of the bar to a diameter of 1.5” rect. Once you have set this cor- fixed steady. Using either dials or, in readiness to form the large ball. rectly, rotate the ball turner 90 in my case, the DRO, move the Remove the majority of the metal degrees and move the saddle so saddle left by 2.26” to bring the between the large ball and the that the tool just touches the end of centre of rotation to the centre middle ball by turning it down to the work. You have now proved line of the middle ball. Turn the 0.8” Diameter. And the result that the centre of rotation of the middle ball in the same manner should look like Photo.6 although tool is ½” below the top of the ensuring that you do not cut too you may have the centre ball al- work, ½” above the bottom and deep at the ends of the “swing” as ready formed. ½” from the end of the work. The you will cut into the tapered por- Set up for the large ball as you did correct position for turning a 1” tion of the handle. From the pho- for the small one and turn as be- ball. If you get this position wrong tos you will see that I left the fore. I left the middle ball until vertically, you will turn oval balls. middle ball until later, but it is last, so that I could use a fixed Wrong horizontally and they will possibly best to do it now. steady, but in fact I found that it be in the wrong place. Having formed the two smaller was less cluttered if I used a fine balls, reverse the work in the 3 jaw rotating centre to support the end for most of the turning, and that ing the cut to take up the backlash but a ½” hole is asking a lot of the bar was secure enough to with- in the taper turning device. Of most of these devices. draw the centre and take light cuts course if you are cutting with the Touch the milling cutter onto the when finishing off the end of the smaller taper on the left, you have top of the middle ball and zero the ball as in Photo 7.. There is not a to pull the top slide to take up the Z axis dial/DRO. Gradually mill a lot to choose between the two backlash. Use a round nosed tool flat, dropping the cutter until your methods. If you haven’t yet done with side angles sufficiently acute Z axis reads 0.1825”. Rotate the so, now turn the middle ball. to ensure that it will clear the sides work by 180 degrees, lock the di- of the balls and will cut right into viding head and carry out the same Turning the Tapers the corner. You will note that the operation on the other side. This We are now ready to turn the ta- larger taper is only roughed out at should leave a centre boss of pered parts of the handle. Howev- this stage. Eagle eyed readers will 0.935” thickness. er, with a ball on each end, it is note the die-cast box on the lathe Drill a hole through the centre of difficult to hold the item. I turned 31 behind the middle ball. This is a the boss either 12.5mm or /64” a steel tube, 0.75” long, 1.61” B&W DRO for the cross slide. depending on your drill set and O.D. and 1.501” I.D. so that it was Unfortunately this device is no ream ½”. Do the same with the a sliding fit over the large ball. I longer made, which is a shame as small ball, but making a blind hole then wrapped a strip of 80gm pa- it is very compact, does not inter- 0.7” deep, as in Photo 9. per round the large ball and used fere with the taper turning attach- the tailstock to press it into the ment, and is great on a smaller Turning the Axial Handle tube with the tube against the lathe such as the ML7. Part B chuck. The result was as shown in Remember that we are only inter- Turning the axial part of the han- Photo 8. which allowed me to ested in the aesthetic appearance dle proved to be one of those jobs drive the work. The walls of the here providing that we are able to where scratching my head only tube were thin enough to ensure ensure a correct balance at the end cause splinters in the end of the that they deformed in the chuck of the job. fingers !! I did it by a combination jaws and gripped the work. The of various techniques including paper ensured that the work was Milling & hand turning and turning with a not marked by the tube and gave Once the ball turning and taper profile tool. Both worked ok, but grip. This worked well. A calcula- turning is finished we now need to in the end I preferred using the tion of the original taper showed it mill the flats on the centre ball and profile tool and executing much to be 2.4 degrees so set the top to drill holes for the centre spindle coordinated “knob twiddling”. slide - or taper turning attachment and the axial handle. Leave the Photo 10 and Photo 11 illustrate to the correct angle and turn the work in the chuck and transfer the two methods. Start with a tapers as shown in Photo 8. both work and chuck to the rotary piece of 1” diameter FCMS of When using a taper turning attach- table or dividing head on the mill- around 4” long and then reduce ment, do remember, first, to dis- ing machine table, supporting the the diameter in appropriate places connect the cross slide lead screw. end with a tailstock. Alternatively as much as possible by normal Also, I always push the top slide if you have a drilling/milling spin- turning methods. I also part-made to the back of the lathe when start- dle on the lathe, you can use that the ½” spigot at this stage to re-

Photo.10 Using a Hand Turning Rest Photo. 11 Using a Profiling Tool mind me where the end of the han- with the shape, finish the spigot to other (heavier) axial part or filling dle was to be. Once you arrive at 0.498” diameter and part off. I re- it with lead, I decided to make a the need for curved surfaces, then gret to say that I resorted to emery tube to hold the small ball, put the the fun begins. paper to finish this item after care- radial part back in the lathe, with a The hand turning rest that I used is fully covering the lathe bed and steady on the tapered section, and one made from the George Tho- slide ways take a few thou off the large ball – mas design and from a Hemming- twice actually. Much to my sur- way kit. The hand graver is fitted Balancing prise it worked fine, but it would into a long handle and the left The balance is not critical, but the probably have been easier to have hand is guiding the tool across the better it is balanced and the used tailstock support and reduce work, or pivoting it, whilst the tool smoother it will run at speed if you the taper on the large end. Once handle is held in the right hand. (inadvertently) run it at speed. balanced, fit together with Araldite This is quite satisfying to do, but Temporarily fit the two parts to- Epoxy Resin, clamp and leave in a slow going with light cuts. Using gether, put a ½” bar through the warm place, or, with permission the profiling tool in the top slide centre hole and balance it between from the domestic authority, cook required careful coordination of two horizontal parallels (vice jaws at 50oC to cure. the left hand on the cross slide if horizontal). I recommend that hand wheel and the right hand on you make the axial handle heavy Making the Mandrel the saddle handle. If you falter for as it is easy to return this to the Extension Part C a moment and don’t keep cutting, lathe and take another few thou off The initial part is a straightforward then the result will be chatter – the diameter, or to drill a hole turning job. Cut off a 3.5” length and consequentially “mutter” as down the centre of the spigot to of 1” diameter FCMS bar, chuck you have to get rid of the chatter lighten it. I was not pleased to find in the 3 jaw, face and centre the marks !! – so be positive with your that mine was heavy at the large end , and clean up the outside for feed rates. Once you are happy ball end. Faced with making an- 2.75”. Turn down to 0.498” diam- Photo. 12 Slitting the Mandrel Extension Photo. 13 The Finished Parts eter for a distance of 0.92” (just If you are better than me with a handle, but I preferred to turn a less than the thickness of the cen- hack saw, you can use that as there shaped washer, 23 mm diameter, tre boss of the handle) making it are 4 slits. Finally finish off the with a nice bevel that finished off an interference fit in the handle end of each slit with a drilled hole the job. Photo 13 illustrates the centre hole. Chamfer the shoulder. as in Fig 1. Clean up the slits with various parts. And then drill though the centre as a triangular needle file both inside far as you can with an 8 mm drill and out. Assembly for the 8mm bolt. Fit the pin into the nut with Epoxy Turn the item in the chuck and Tapered Nut Part D or Loctite. Opinions vary as to hold by the section you have just With the top slide still set over at whether turned steel objects bene- turned. I used a ½” collet to ensure 10o from boring the taper, chuck a fit from polishing, but personally I concentricity. If you are using the short length of 0.625” silver steel spent a few minutes buffing the 3 jaw chuck and it is worn, I sug- and turn a taper, large at the end, parts on the buffing wheel and I gest that you start with a 4.5” until the end diameter is 0.536”. consider the result to be most sat- length and try to turn the whole Using the same setting of the top isfying and in keeping with a han- thing at one chuck setting. Turn slide ensures a good fit into the dle of this type. I used Epoxy the second end to 0.623” diameter tapered socket. Drill from the tail- Resin to fit the two parts of the for 1.25” which will leave a boss stock 6.9mm and tap for an 8 mm handle together and fitted the han- in the middle of around 1.25” bolt. Measure ½” from the end and dle onto the mandrel extension long. Chamfer the shoulder. Drill part off. with the help of a little nut lock, in 8mm from this end to meet up Before hardening this item, select case I needed to separate these at with the already drilled hole from a piece of fine piano wire or a fine some time. The bolt is a standard 8 the other end. My Myford always moulding pin that will fit through mm plated bolt 95 mm in length. meets up perfectly when I do this, the slots in the mandrel extension but I know that some lathes strug- and drill a small radial hole in the I have to say that, although not gle to drill long centre holes nut so that a short length of the easy to make, the handle is very straight. If yours is such a lathe, wire can be epoxied into the side tactile and this makes it a joy to you will have to drill smaller and of the nut, after hardening. In use, use. tackle a very fiddly boring job, or this pin will engage with finish with a reamer or D bit. one of the slots, to stop Now set the top slide over to 10o the nut turning when and bore the inside taper until the tightening or slackening mouth of the bore is 0.536”. You the bolt. Finally heat up will remember to use the top slide the nut to 770 oC and handle for boring won’t you? If quench in oil. I also tem- you once use the saddle handle out pered my nut by heating of habit then you are making an- in the domestic oven at other piece. Transfer the chuck / 200 oC. A standard 8 mm collet to the dividing head on the heavy duty washer milling machine and cut the 4 slits would suffice between Photo. 14 The Assembled Handle with a slitting saw as in Photo 12. the bolt head and the