Setting up a ball turning attachment

[f350ca]

With the one I had, I'd set up on the end of the stock, so that I could rotate the cutter front to back, adjusting the radius and in out position on the cross slide till i could touch the cutter on the front and back. This gave me the correct radius and final cross feed setting. Then swing the cutter to the middle and move the carriage till the cutter touched the end of the stock at the middle, now lock the carriage. Bring the cross feed out to clear the stock and start the lathe. Keep advancing the cross feed as you sweep the cutter from side to side. Initially your only cutting the ends, as you come in on the cross slide the cuts get longer till your touching all around the completed ball.
If the ball is integral to the shaft, yes you need to neck the stock down to the size you want the shaft before you turn the ball.
I found it easier to cut a piece of stock, drill and thread it then use a threaded arbour to turn the ball on, then thread the handle to take the ball.
These ones are threaded on to tapered shafts.



Its takes some playing the get the initial stock length right, its a little shorter than the diameter of the ball to alow for the lost curve where the shaft goes in, you can see some of these were too long and left a shoulder.



Hope this helps.