Making a Knurler (Video)

[PEU]

Yesterday I purchased a couple of knurler wheels, these are single wheels as opposed to the dual wheel system we all know and love/hate

They came in different knurl sizes, I purchased the finest size and the next one.

Here is a video of the whole process: Making a Knurler (it includes more still images and live cutting action)

Pablo

 

[precisionworks]

Cool video:thumbsup:

Two questions ... are you holding the end mill in an ER or TG collet? Is the tool CNC controlled (seemed to be from the sounds & movements).

 

[PEU]

ER40 collet and the machine is a Syil SX3 CNC mill


Pablo

 

[Anglepoise]

With the greatest respect, this type of knurler puts a huge strain on the lathe spindle bearings and also the cross slide nuts and shaft and I think this needs pointing out before everyone starts to make a similar setup.

A scissor style takes more time to set up but puts no strain on anything but the knurler frame. Even in soft material , the single wheel has little to recommend it considering the damage it can and will cause to a small lathe.

 

[precisionworks]

ER40 collet

Nice choice, exactly what I use. People who still use R-8 collets don't know what they're missing.

this type of knurler puts a huge strain on the lathe spindle bearings and also the cross slide nuts and shaft

David, Not sure that I agree. With a live center in the tailstock (the way I usually knurl with a 'bump' knurler), there is consistent radial loading on both the headstock bearings & the live center. I do understand that the scissor type is zero radial load, just a small torsional load. However, bump knurling is not dissimilar to threading, boring or OD turning. All those actions place a large force in opposition to the bearings.

 

[PEU]

Finished it:

Pablo

 

[X_Marine]

Looks great Pablo,
Now for the main event lets see it in action.
Man I wish I could come play at your place.. :twothumbs

Thanks
X/BillyD..

 

[KC2IXE]

Why are you feeding so slow in the brass? Limitation of the CNC, some sort of rigidity problem? With the RPMs that endmill was taking, I would think you'd want to cut a lot faster, to get the chip load higher, and reduce the wear from rubbing on the end mill

 

[PEU]

The CNC mill weights only 200Kg (around 440lb) its not rigid as a VMC, besides that I still think Im a newbie regarding CNC, so till I'm more experienced I prefer to run the machines at slow feed and with my hands near the STOP button

The part was cut at 300mm/min feed, 100mm/min plunge rate, 0.5mm per pass and 1500mm/min rapids. Cutter was a 5mm 4 flutes HSS endmill spinning at 1500RPM. No chatter at all.


Pablo

 

[wquiles]

Nice work Pablo :thumbsup:

Nice choice, exactly what I use. People who still use R-8 collets don't know what they're missing.

Same here. ER40 collets in my mini-mill as well

 

[precisionworks]

It's nice to see that at least some of the members use the ER collets. Mill, drill, tap, flute-hold on some drills, etc. The TG system is better, as each collet has a more limited range, but more expensive for that same reason (more collets needed).

 

[PEU]

Speaking of ER40s do you guys know where to buy a chuck for the lathe that allows passing bars thru it? I have chuck with morse taper 3, but it obviously don't allow this.


Pablo

 

[precisionworks]

There are a number of collet systems that are open ended (like 5C), and you could possibly make an ER40 chuck adapted to MT3. Every ER40 chuck that I've seen is dead ended, probably because they're easier to manufacture that way.

Is your machine set up to take any style of collet? If so, a set of those collets & a collet closer would be the easiest way to go.

 

[gadget_lover]

I know that they make them. I saw one with a "plain back mount " when I was looking for mine. Its not that hard to make one. I made an er32 collet chuck to clamp in my 4 jaw chuck. I was thinking I could use it in my mill too. It worked OK, but I made it from aluminum because that was all I had on hand that was big enough.

The hard part to make is the closer nut, but you can use the one that came with your mt3 collet chuck.

Daniel

 

[PEU]

Found it:
http://www.chesteruk.net/store/er_lathe_collet_chucks.htm

Now I need to find it a little cheaper


Pablo