Friday, Oct 14 2016
Note to self. Next time you build something like this do the work on the plane that requires the 4-jaw chuck, first. It’s easier to keep holes perpendicular when the diameter is a constant.
Crank end
I turned down the crank end of the ball-crank. OK, I guess I should start calling it a ballish-crank as I’m not even pretending to machine a ball on the end. Just after I took this picture I removed the 3-jaw chuck and mounted the 4-jaw chuck to drill the mounting hole and relief for the mounting nut.
Why do it that way? I don’t have a drill press (or a mill). I want this hole in particular to be perpendicular to the body.
Counter sunk mounting hole
After taking forever to get the piece not only centered but perpendicular to the chuck I drilled a 5/16 hole. I used a countere sink to widen the hole a bit before using the boring bar to make the inset for the mounting nut.
I turned the piece 180 and machined a flat where the handle abuts the jam nut. Well, it’s flat but not quite exactly perpendicular to the mounting hole. I think it is close enough.
Too Tall
I have not filed a slot for the key-way yet. I did test fit the handle and discovered I must have mis-measured. I thought I had 1" from center to clear the compound slide. Nope. I’m going to have to machine a bit off of both ends so it fits. Once that is done and the keyway is filed I’ll drill the hole where the handle will fit. And make the handle.
Isn’t my new brass hammer pretty :)
Saturday, Oct 15 2016
Ball-crank installed
It took several tries before I whittled enough off the ends so I could rotate the crank without interference when the compound slide was parallel to the cross slide (or at any other angle). Since I don’t have any broaching tools I used some needle files to make the keyway. As pictured, it fits.
I haven’t made the handle, yet. That’s next. I drilled the hole for the handle with a hand drill. Hope is is straight (enough). After I took this picture I used a step drill to counter-sink the hole to make the handle fit better.
Even without the handle it’s better than the broken part that came with the lathe (pictured on top of the compound slide).
Sunday, Oct 16 2016
It’s raining. That makes it a good day to be working in the garage instead of the garden.
So much nicer
I made a handle out of O1 steel because I have some and it was about the diameter I wanted. It is pressed it into the body. This is so much nicer than the broken handle it replaced. With the new handle in place I removed the compound slide to re-adjust the gib on the cross slide so it feels just right when moving the cross slide across the carriage.
In making the handle I see my 3-jaw chuck is out of whack, again. In now has a radial runout of almost .030”. I’m not sure, but think that since swaping chucks back and forth the 3-jaw is now seating at a slightly different location on the spindle. It certainly goes on and off easier than it did when I first started using it.
Something else to look at.