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Where to buy a knurling tool for a mini-lathe that can do 1.5" diameter?

V

va2fsq

Active Member
I am trying to find a knurling tool for a mini-lathe. I want a scissors type tool that can open to allow making a knurl on something 1.5" in diameter.
I bought one from the little machine shop. Unfortunately, it was defective. The bar and or the slot it fits in was machined non-square. Therefore the tool does not sit perpendicular to the work piece. Thus if you clamp it down, only the left side of the upper wheel touches the work and the right side of the lower.
So, little machine shop refunded it but I cannot find another on ebay, or busy bee, or Grizzly. All the ones that they have are limited to 20mm opening. If I had a mill, I could square it up, but I don't.
Any suggestions? Also, the knurling tools that have the mounting bar coming off the end of the knurling tool are useless on the mini lathe. It has to be on the side.
Tom
 
Where are you? Can you post an image of the defective tool and what needs to be squared.

Define "scissors type"?
 
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Hi
I think the problem with those is that the shank is 5/8 and doesnt fit in a typical quick change tool post for the mini lathe. Am I wrong?
 
You can buy plans for this one which I think is one of the best designs I've seen & adapt to your size. There is a bit of machining effort in there depending on your tooling & experience. Its on my list of projects.
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/knurling-tool-70526

nice design but spendy
https://accu-trak.com/knurl-holders...vy-duty-adjustable-straddle-holders-inch.html

Some folks have bought the cheapo knockoff scissor style but have had to tune them up. Sometimes the alignment or tolerance is the issue, sometimes crappy wheels, sometimes all the above. Still better than the plunge style. Those need a rigid machine & even so is still hard on everything. Just an opinion.
 
I bought a bump style for my mini lathe (7x12) worked fine on that machine so I kept it for my 12x24 and still works great. It does require multiple passes to get a solid even pattern (material dependant) but I am happy with the bump type
 

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va2fsq said:
Notice how it's not vertical.
Click to expand...

KNURLINGTOOL.JPG


This is the one I just got from BB. It sits cockeyed in the tool post as well, and the pivot points are very sloppy and loose. Not very rigid at all. It wouldn't produce a diamond pattern until I traversed the part several times. I thought I was going to break it before it produced any form of acceptable knurl. How wide to set the wheels is still a mystery to me, but I know clamping didn't work. I think this style is called a floating type tool. The arm pivot points are soo loose the wheels deflect a good 1/8" laterally. You can imagine what that looks like when you drag the tool along the work piece. Made that way for a reason or junk?

I would suggest that you attempt to shim your tool square and see if that fixes the problem. If it does, I'm sure we can fix you up with someone on this site that can mill it for you.

Craig
 
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Ha Ha! when I first saw your picture YYC I was not thinking about you making the hammer but more on the lines that you beat the knurling tool square with it! :D

Any way to machine/shim or "correct with heat" ?
 
Can't really shim it I don't think. The bar is not square so when you tighten it in the tool holder, it makes the knurler sit at an angle.
Still haven't fond one for the mini-lathe.
 
Ok, so I was thinking of trying again. Traverse tools has one. The tool post places it on the side of the tool holder closest to the tail stock! How useless is that? That means you cannot get closer than a couple of inches to the chuck.
Looking in several other places, they are all the same!
Don' they have anyone who actually use these things?
 
If someone in your area has a mill, or you have one yourself, you could pull that thing apart and square it up? Could also file/grind if necessary?
 
va2fsq said:
Ok, so I was thinking of trying again. Traverse tools has one. The tool post places it on the side of the tool holder closest to the tail stock! How useless is that? That means you cannot get closer than a couple of inches to the chuck.
Looking in several other places, they are all the same!
Don' they have anyone who actually use these things?
Click to expand...

If you mean this, looks like they make them in left & right hand judging by the table
https://www.travers.com/quick-actin...-tools/p/108917/?lite=true&pricelistname=SITE

The Amazon picture is actually upside down, adjustment knob would typically be pointing up
 

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va2fsq said:
Took a chance late last night and ordered this one from Amazon:
Success. Better quality than the one from Little Machine shop and BusyBee surprisingly.
Thanks for all the responses.
Tom
Click to expand...

Do you mean you have it & you are satisfied with the quality?
 
Looks like the tool is shown up side down. The tension knob should be at the top which would put it on the chuck side of the tool post.
 
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