Drilling forged mild steel balls for vice handles

[Alpha-Dave]

Test fit looks good:


Repeat for 2nd ball:


Both ends done:

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Then reassembly:



Putting the old handle in did flatten out some of the kink, but not being bolted down didn’t help:


I’m very pleased by how this turned out. Gratuitous shot of vice-in-a-vice (Woden 00 in the Record 112):

 

[Inspector]

Looks good. Did you consider putting one ball on the handle while in the lathe and sanding your balls to shine them up? Did you put some locktite on the threads to keep everything tight?

Pete

 

[TFrench]

Very nice. The 11-series record vices are the strongest they made and still make good (sometimes silly!) money on ebay.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Hi Pete,

Yes, I considered it, but the rod is pretty much polished, and the forged balls have a significant texture to them, so to get it all to match would have been 30-60 min, which was too much effort because the forged texture has grown on me as it is quite tactile.

I will loctite them one once I have cut a gasket from some neoprene to stop the clanking.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Very nice. The 11-series record vices are the strongest they made and still make good (sometimes silly!) money on ebay.

I had heard that these were good, and this one has not disappointed me. I already have a couple of 5 and 6” vices, but this is the one I will be keeping.

 

[sploo]

Both ends done:
View attachment 93028

How quick an rpm did you get the lathe to with that set up?

 

[MusicMan]

Very successful.

But one important safety tip on a metalworking lathe. One of your pics shows the chuck key still in the chuck without your hand on it. Please get into the habit of never, ever, not once, doing this. Because if you forget it is there and turn the lathe on (easily done), it will eject at high speed and stands a fair chance of hitting your head, eye or some other vulnerable part of your anatomy. For a 750W motor that's like a horse kick. Darwin award territory.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

How quick an rpm did you get the lathe to with that set up?

0 rpm, although I did wonder what sort of noise it would make; possibly like a propeller for a few seconds, followed by a loud bang and some crying.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Very successful.

But one important safety tip on a metalworking lathe. One of your pics shows the chuck key still in the chuck without your hand on it. Please get into the habit of never, ever, not once, doing this. Because if you forget it is there and turn the lathe on (easily done), it will eject at high speed and stands a fair chance of hitting your head, eye or some other vulnerable part of your anatomy. For a 750W motor that's like a horse kick. Darwin award territory.

Noted, thank you. I probably have a poor habit ingrained now. Making a ‘spring shroud’ for the end of the key so that it cannot be left in is probably a sensible project for an afternoon.

 

[sploo]

0 rpm, although I did wonder what sort of noise it would make; possibly like a propeller for a few seconds, followed by a loud bang and some crying.

Having had a morse taper with a Jacobs chuck come loose on a lathe once I can confirm it makes quite a noise, and there was a lot of crying.

 

[Bm101]

I will loctite them one once I have cut a gasket from some neoprene to stop the clanking.

Rubber o rings if you have any spare or rubber bands.

 

[Bm101]

Rubber o rings if you have any spare or rubber bands.

Nice job btw.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Very successful.

But one important safety tip on a metalworking lathe. One of your pics shows the chuck key still in the chuck without your hand on it. Please get into the habit of never, ever, not once, doing this. Because if you forget it is there and turn the lathe on (easily done), it will eject at high speed and stands a fair chance of hitting your head, eye or some other vulnerable part of your anatomy. For a 750W motor that's like a horse kick. Darwin award territory.

So to try to stop my poor habit, I have added a spring to the chuck key.
Take 1x clothes peg spring:


Un-bend one ring at a time:


Until straight-ish:


Then drill through the chuck for a m5 threaded hole all the way through, and a half-depth 3mm hole.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Insert the ‘spring’ into the 3mm hole and use 2x grub screws (cut to length) to clamp it in place.

Then twist into a ‘sprung guard’ for the end of the key:

Extended:


Compressed:


I’m quite pleased for a 1-hour bodge with what was on hand, but it certainly functional not pretty.

 

[MusicMan]

Bravo. Glad to see that you took this seriously, and we look forward to seeing you contribute for longer!

 

[clogs]

never bother with a flat spot when drilling anything round.....
wastes to much time, a sharp center punch and a good eye is all you need..plus of course a decent dill vice.....
I just have to do it all day long or seems so.....hahaha...
dont make things to complicated.....
ps, I must have at least 12 centerpunches of differing sizes and styles...and 20 small'ish hammers.....
but it's what I do....