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Tips/Techniques Unique uses for ball bearings

Tips/Techniques

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
@6.5 Fan Faffing meaning: from the internet:

If you say that someone is faffing about or faffing around, you mean that they are doing things in a disorganized way and not achieving very much. [British, informal] It was annoying to watch them faffing around when a more direct response was required. [
That’s it Bill! Haha well I’m past faffing now and on to mucking about.

See

 

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Ironman

Ultra Member
If I did, it would be a single wheel like the one @Tom O posted, not a ball.

But. I'm still leery of it.
I have several sizes of ball bearings in tool holders, one is a 6200-2RS and the other is a weenie one I find them very useful for things. One use is truing up a large object in the chuck. Grip it lightly and bring the bearing into contact while rotating ant it will be true and then tighten the chuck. Taking a bend out of a shaft or tube, put it between centers and rotate about 100rpm while heating with a torch and apply the bearing. It will easily true the shaft and then keep all things in place and rotating till it cools down.
But burnishing, nah, Ill use the ball idea
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I am starting one.
Here is a guy making one with a lathe, no mill
Oh yeah that guy "Hydraulic House" he's great. His vids are often pretty rough with no commentary but he makes up for it with innovation and smarts.

He always does what is needed and nothing more. This time he skipped making an end cap to hold the steel ball in place. He proves you don't really need it. One commenter (on you tube) asked if in use the steel ball would wear down the fitted tube he made. Would just some oil suffice?

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Ironman

Ultra Member
The machining is rough, but the Hindu's are ingenious in using their home made tools and cutters. The main criteria is Make it work again.
I had a laugh as he caught the unsecured ball after burnishing. If I did that, the ball would roll away somewhere and I would never find it again.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
The machining is rough, but the Hindu's are ingenious in using their home made tools and cutters. The main criteria is Make it work again.
I had a laugh as he caught the unsecured ball after burnishing. If I did that, the ball would roll away somewhere and I would never find it again.
You got me curious about where he is located. He does not seem to say exactly but his facebook page is in Arabic and he likes a tool store located in Egypt. I think he's from Egypt. He is inspiring. If you don't have a lot of tools just make your own or make existing own tools work anyway. No mill, no problem, use the lathe. His machining is rough where it does not matter and very careful where it really does. There is that polish fabricator who seems to be making all his workshop tools one by one. He needs a dry cut saw - ok he just makes one! He is really inspiring too.
 

Ironman

Ultra Member
Been watching a Hindu machinist making a huge crankshaft and at first I thought it was the same guy. Don't use Fecebook so I couldn't check it that way. But, yes, he is doing great.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
That’s it Bill! Haha well I’m past faffing now and on to mucking about.

See

Checking on lathe. 1.5” too short I think.
 

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Tom O

Ultra Member
How does the centreline of the bearing line up with the centreline on the lathe or will you have enough travel to adjust it.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
How does the centreline of the bearing line up with the centreline on the lathe or will you have enough travel to adjust it.
Hmm. If I understand you Tom I'm going to grip the burnisher with a QCTP holder and then I can adjust the tool height as usual and as needed. Maybe I don't follow your question?
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I have several sizes of ball bearings in tool holders, one is a 6200-2RS and the other is a weenie one I find them very useful for things. One use is truing up a large object in the chuck. Grip it lightly and bring the bearing into contact while rotating ant it will be true and then tighten the chuck. Taking a bend out of a shaft or tube, put it between centers and rotate about 100rpm while heating with a torch and apply the bearing. It will easily true the shaft and then keep all things in place and rotating till it cools down.
But burnishing, nah, Ill use the ball idea
Like this @Ironman ?
IMG_4390.jpeg IMG_4389.jpeg

And do you have any pictures of your torch heating and truing method? I'd like to see that.
 

Tom O

Ultra Member
Hmm. If I understand you Tom I'm going to grip the burnisher with a QCTP holder and then I can adjust the tool height as usual and as needed. Maybe I don't follow your question?
I was wondering about the positioning of the steel ball on the normal tool height centerline if it should be offset above a little because most holders are on top for stock reduction, The QCTP holder/toolpost uses almost full contact your tool seems to use the centreline for all which makes me think it will be low.
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor
I was wondering about the positioning of the steel ball on the normal tool height centerline if it should be offset above a little because most holders are on top for stock reduction, The QCTP holder/toolpost uses almost full contact your tool seems to use the centreline for all which makes me think it will be low.
I'm just not following what you mean @Tom O. Draw a picture maybe?
 

Janger

(John)
Administrator
Vendor

Very interesting build for this kind of tool. I asked the OP for more info. He bought a commercial ball transfer unit for his tool. The large steel ball is supported by and rolls on another set of steel balls. See second picture. The cross section drawing shows a view but for me it raises more questions. Why do the small steel balls roll? And why do the balls go around underneath the T shaped part in the middle? And what is the purpose of the T shaped part? These ball transfer units are strange.

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Dabbler

ersatz engineer
Here's another video (2-part) where 'dudley' also measures the resultant surface hardness and reduction in diameter. A little lengthy, but it has some great bits:

 
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