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Brian,
With a radius tool on a lathe you can make the ball,
eventually. I never made a full ball but I have the tooling, have set it
up and used it several times to make ball ends on parts. It's not easy to
set up to get a true round ball. You'll make several scrap eggs
or undersized balls before you get what you want.
Aluminum is ok but it will eventually corrode and
pit. Stainless would of course be better but the tool loads are much
heavier when machining which would make it tougher to use a radius tool
on. Plastic would be a good choice.
That brings it back around to Vance's cue ball
suggestion. They're already made, near perfect in roundness and relatively
cheep. You only need one or two, so why go through all the bother and
expense of making a ball. I haven't checked but I'm pretty sure I've seen
plastic spheres "ready off the shelf." It may have been in McMaster-Carr,
toward the back of the catalogue, in the plastic section.
Why reinvent the wheel?
Dan H.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 11:23
PM
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Link to
Video of "cue ball" arm
I was
talking to my 78 year old German friend about making a ball and
socket. His is was a tool and die man who lived through the war as a
young kid, he eventurally came over here and worked for Hughes Aircraft making
all kinds of top secret missle guidence parts. I may try and make the
ball and socket out of aluminum first. I'm not sure whether or not
aluminum would work for this application, it would depend on the grade I
suppose.
Here is a
link to the tool needed for the lathe set up:
web
site:
Brian
Brian,
You made me think
of a knife making video I was recently watching. Where they made knives out
of large steel ball bearings, because of there high carbon content.
You might be able to acquire one of these large steel chromed bearings, and
drill through it and weld in a SS tube. Then rechrome or nickel plate that
assembly. Then to deal with the sand scratching or getting in the seal issue
Frank brought up. I was thinking that a second free flooded sell like a
rubber boot off a CV drive axle might do the trick.
Regards,
Brent
Hartwig
From: ojaivalleybeefarm@dslextreme.com
To:
personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Link to
Video of "cue ball" arm
Date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 07:47:22 -0700
I wonder what other materials that
cue ball, (or sphere ) could be made out of? What about brass, or a
type of plastic?, stainless would be bullet proof, but more dificult to
machine. Also one could use steel with a nichol
coating. anodised aluminum ?
Brian
Hi Guys. Here's the link Jon put up for the Mantaray submarine with
the grabber arm for those that missed it. It's a youtube video and fun to
watch. Note that it's in two parts. Thanks again Jon.
Frank D.
It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel
deal here.
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