# metal lathe - knurling



## Texatdurango (Sep 18, 2011)

Well as usual when flipping through the pages of tool catalogs I found a few things that I just can't live without!  I received my latest tool order yesterday which included a nifty looking little knurling tool from Shars tooling, shown below.

I chose this tool simply because while I had the tech support guy from Grizzly on the phone last week I asked him if he were buying a knurling tool which type would he buy and this is the type he suggested.

Knowing absolutely nothing about how to use the tool I will be, as usual, in new waters and just hope for the best when I turn the machine on.

BUT for safety reasons, both mine and the machine's, this time I'm going to wait until I hear from a few folks as to exactly how to set this thing up!...

I have a quick change tool post tool holder that the knurler tool will fit into and the only adjustment is the thumb screw on top which looks to apply pressure to the piece equally on the top and bottom.  This looks like it can grab onto a piece and not let go so I'm gonna ask first.

*The question........*

*Does one rely on "inward" pressure from advancing the tool into the rod OR is the pressure applied by advancing the tool just to the edge of the rod then tightening the thumb screw or is it a combination of both?*


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## BKelley (Sep 18, 2011)

Youl did good!!  This knurling tool will work fine, I have one for my Grizzly 7 X 12 and have used it on brass and aluminum.  What makes it really good is here is no pressure on the head stock bearings as with a regular knurling tool.  Mine came with 3 or 4 sets of knurling wheels from Little Machine Shop.  If you don't have their catalog, get one.  They have a lot of goodies.  Good luck with your projects.

Ben


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## BKelley (Sep 18, 2011)

Oh, for the question of inward pressure,  no inward pressure is used.  Squeeze the work piece between the two wheels using the adjusting knob until you achieve proper diamond, hit the automatic feed and watch a beautiful knurl appear.  After knurling, I use a very small soft wire brush to clean the work piece off.

Ben


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## Mike of the North (Sep 18, 2011)

You have a scissor knurler this type of knurler is easier to use and easier on the machine then push kurling, I usually set the knurler just short of center on the work piece tighten the knurler so it contacts the work piece, then with the lathe running I advance the knurling  tool and start forming the knurl, here are some links with more info then you may want, but if you have the time to read can give you a better under standing of what you need to do.
http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=49722&highlight=knurling
http://www.littlemachineshop.com/Reference/Knurler.php
http://www.archive.org/details/screwcuttinglat00hobagoog
http://www.freelabs.com/~whitis/ebooks/index.xhtml


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## islandturner (Sep 18, 2011)

I had a setup on a metal lathe several years ago to do this, but foolishly sold it and the lathe.

These youtube videos may be of interest?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTmv_kYimrI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjFnmL17vrc

The first has pretty cheesy background music that you may want to turn down... 

Steve


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## Texatdurango (Sep 18, 2011)

Thanks for the ideas. After reading and watching a few videos (I always seem to forget that youtube has a video on just about everything) I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal, I may find some playing time this evening.

It seems to make a nice knurled pattern the diameter of the shaft needs to be in even incriments of the pitch of the knurling wheel, other than that It appears to be pretty easy. We'll see!


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## rherrell (Sep 19, 2011)

Texatdurango said:


> Thanks for the ideas. After reading and watching a few videos (I always seem to forget that youtube has a video on just about everything) I don't think it's going to be that big of a deal, I may find some playing time this evening.
> 
> It seems to make a nice knurled pattern the diameter of the shaft needs to be in even incriments of the pitch of the knurling wheel, other than that It appears to be pretty easy. We'll see!


 

That's the hard part....GOOD LUCK!


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