1/16th Grove Possible

[Bank2Win]

I have a small lathe from CueSmith and was wondering if it would be possilbe to cut a grove in an object 1/16th wide and as deep as 1" or 1 1/1/8". I currently do not have such a tool and used a spade bit, but the grove was to wide for my likely, any suggestions on what i could use.

Thanks

 

[cueman]

It is certainly possible with special tooling. But my question is why would you need to cut something that deep? There might be other ways to accomplish what you are trying to do. What are you trying to do?

 

[JoeyInCali]

A saw blade and a face shield.

 

[Bank2Win]

I am trying to cut this grove into a pool ball, i have managed to chuck up the ball onto the lathe, and have done some initial cuts, but the tool i used created a grove to wide. If i can't cut the grove into the ball, i probably will end up cutting two balls in half and joining them together in the center with a dowel or something...

 

[Tommy-D]

> The only way I can think of to mill that deep of a slot 1/16 wide is a saw blade. Tommy D.

 

[cueman]

I am trying to cut this grove into a pool ball, i have managed to chuck up the ball onto the lathe, and have done some initial cuts, but the tool i used created a grove to wide. If i can't cut the grove into the ball, i probably will end up cutting two balls in half and joining them together in the center with a dowel or something...

cutting a inch and an 1/8" would cut the ball in half if you are rotating it.
A jewelers saw would be the easiest way to cut the groove, but that sounds dangerous.
Can you not cut a groove much shallower and still be able to inlay somethimg into it?
Or is that not what you want to accomplish?

 

[Bank2Win]

Here is a sample of what i would like to do, only difference would be that the grove be 1" deep. all the way around.

 

[cuesmith]

Sounds like you're trying to make a YO-YO the hard way! lol

 

[Bank2Win]

Funny you say that, as that thought has occured to me....

 

[cuesmith]

Funny you say that, as that thought has occured to me....

I don't know what happened to the cocobolo YO-YO I made several years ago for my son. I thought about making one out of a ball when I was working on the cocobolo one. lol

 

[Bank2Win]

But i am not making a Yo-Yo. What kind of tool could i attach to my tool post to make this cut.

 

[cuesmith]

But i am not making a Yo-Yo. What kind of tool could i attach to my tool post to make this cut.

Well, if you don't want to use a jewelers saw you're pretty much stuck with a parting tool if you want to make the cut on your lathe. But if I were doing it, I'd probably chuck it up and use a "V" bit to make the initial groove around the ball, then take it to the band saw and use the groove as a guide to cut it straight, then clean it up on a belt sander. I've done this for a buddy who wanted to use poolballs for his address numeral on his mailbox post. I though about making one of those goofy poolball clocks but never had the time to mess with it.

 

[Bank2Win]

Here is a another sample of what i am trying to do, i just would like the grove to be smaller.

 

[carguy]

groove

Lathe-cut a small notch with a pointed lathe tool. Then stroke it with a hacksaw while turning 100 RPM or so. Makes a fairly nice cut.
Have fun!
I just saw your photos. This technique will do what you want.

 

[CueCaps]

Slit saw

Do they have slitting saws that big diameter and that thin?
That in a router.. With water to cool it?
I know others mentioned "saw ", but, I thought
may be it was saw blades..

 

[pooljunkie75]

Do they have slitting saws that big diameter and that thin?
That in a router.. With water to cool it?
I know others mentioned "saw ", but, I thought
may be it was saw blades..

Contact Fullerton Tool Company. They make any size carbide rotary saw blade you could want. As small as .005 thick to pretty much any size and diameter you can think of. They aren't cheap, but this would be the safest way to cut a pool ball. When i'm not playing around with fixing cues, I am an areo space machinist, so speacialized tooling is kind of a speacialty of mine.

Bruce:thumbup: