Machining a Hardened Ball Screw - Viewer Sent in This Job - Manual Machining

[@andrewterry8092]

Josh, your videos have really improved lately, thanks for sticking with it.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks. I've taken a slightly different approach to editing. Having good cameras and audio doesn't hurt either.

[@ypaulbrown]

outstanding....@@TopperMachineLLC

[@ChuckNorriz1122]

I’m 56 and have never done machining but I learn something new every time I watch your videos. Today was annealing metal. Thanks for that!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks. I learned a bunch also doing this job. I've never annealed one before, but got under the hardness and cut. Glad my customer had this info for me.

[@natedoerfler652]

Nice to have a good drawing like that!

[@timscartoys9321]

I have always enjoyed watching work being machined, and with your descriptions, I could watch all day!!

[@ellieprice363]

Tee shirt suggestion. Caliper photo with the words, “I’ve got a fifty incher and I know how to use it!”

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Absolutely. That's an awesome idea.

[@bruceferrero8178]

Nice work! We have a 50 inch Starrett caliper at work, we call it Excalibur 😉 !

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Nobody better be swinging Excaliber around. They aren't cheap!

[@bruceferrero8178]

@@TopperMachineLLC oh heavens no! Haha 😄

[@TheUncleRuckus]

Great video as always Josh! Also thank you to Bill for sending in this job and giving us some good content to watch. 👍👍

[@TopperMachineLLC]

He has more for me to do. I'll film as much as I can.

[@BruceBoschek]

Very interesting. Excellent video quality, btw. Thanks for letting us look over your shoulder. Have a good weekend.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you! I've been working hard to improve the channel

[@BruceBoschek]

@@TopperMachineLLC Much appreciated!

[@dc5723]

That's an awesome project and yes, the Starette is a thing of beauty.

[@michaellehmann280]

Great video Josh! Love that beast of a caliper!

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thanks. It sure is fun to bring that one out.

[@davidpeterson5186]

Send, cut, send Topper style, very good video!

[@bernardwill7196]

This Vernier a real beauty !! Greeetings from Germany.

[@bostedtap8399]

Nice job on tempering Josh, always love that design of collet chuck. Thanks for sharing

[@Unrivaledanime]

Thanks Josh

[@warrenjones744]

Well done Josh. recently I just had a job I needed to anneal a hard end like that and that's exactly what I decided to try, I figured I had nothing to lose. I heated it till it was just blue and let it cool. Worked the treat, the part that needed to stay hard stayed hard too. I have a hardened BT-30 tool shank I need to make a custom deal on the end and will try the same thing. It's knowing those little tricks and when you can use them that make things so fun and less frustrating.

[@ypaulbrown]

Good Morning Josh.....always love your content.....best wishes from Florida, Paul

[@uther10]

Thanks Bill and Josh!

[@jasonhull5712]

Nothing beats a good quality machine with a nice sharp tool. Love it 👍

[@geckoproductions4128]

Josh: really like watching your machining techniques, thanks

[@nobuckle40]

Always enjoyable to watch your work. Those calipers were the star of the video.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

They are definitely cool, and locked up when not in use.

[@BrucePierson]

@@TopperMachineLLC Must be worth a small fortune, a few k maybe?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@BrucePierson last I saw was around $6K a few years back.

[@johnw.peterson4311]

Josh, thank you for this video. You do great work and are a great teacher.

[@gofastwclass]

Another excellent job! Thanks for sharing Josh.

[@edsmachine93]

Very nice and interesting job Josh. Well done and thanks for sharing. Have a great day.👍👍

[@paulgush]

3:40 with that slow mo, my adrenaline got going. I thought we were headed for something breaking!

[@Farm_fab]

Josh, a sub course in my welder training was for hardening and annealing, and has been good information. I designed a tool for an employer, and it required annealing a slot in a piece of OTR leaf spring steel to weld it to a 1" shank. It held up for many years.

[@kylezellmann6811]

Well done, that annealing temp could have helped me in a lot of projects!

[@alanm3438]

Thanks for the video. First thing in the morning; good thing to wake up to. I do not do this kind of work so your videos are always educational. It is great that your standard is higher than what the print calls for.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It's crazy to draw something like this with so many tolerance differences. Just makes sense to tighten up on my side.

[@michelecrown2426]

Great tutorial. My machinist brain couldn’t compute +/- 100 thou 😲. I’m like you I would have brought it to the actual dimension called out.

[@GardenTractorBoy]

This was an interesting project. The drawing was great and it must have been easier than working from a scrap of paper

[@jasonhull5712]

What a great little job. And you do an amazing job of breaking all the cuts down and how and why. Very interesting and inspiring video. I truly enjoyed this one from the beginning to the end. Thanks for sharing your processes and methods.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it

[@ypaulbrown]

man, that Anchorlube is $2.31 an ounce......glad to see a demo on it working, thanks, Paul

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It's not cheap, but it sure does work good. It really doesn't take a lot either.

[@ivanolsen8596]

Annealing is a great tool, I use it mainly on copper washers to remove the vibration induced brittleness on diesel injector seating washers. The verniers are certainly something to behold! Now I will spend the rest of my life looking for comparable micrometer!!!!!

[@frankenscience3553]

thanks josh, you are reaching a small town in australia.

[@richardsurber8226]

Thanks for the very technical manual turning. Good video Topper

[@THEIRONWORKER]

When I anneal, I turn the part red and bury it in wood ash until it cools. And then do the work. I will have to try this method out . Nice video

[@bostedtap8399]

Josh was tempering the part, not annealing , just bring down the previously hardened and tempered shaft to a lower hardness value. Guessing from 50 to 58 hardness Rockwell C (HRC), to 30 to 35 HRC.

[@jeffreywhitmoyer860]

​@@bostedtap8399 I was going to make the same comment. The process is actually a temper. Heating to a blue like that probably puts it into the 700-900f range. In this case the light blue would suggest closer to 700, at 900 the color would be more violet. Not much higher than 900 you would start developing a light scale. 700-900 can be a dangerous range for some alloys as something known as temper embrittlement can occur. It's most common in 410 & 420 martensitic stainless steels.

[@michaelweatherhead9470]

Thanks for the video Josh well done 👍❤❤ it. Take care of yourself and family and be Blessed ❤️❤️.

[@kentuckytrapper780]

Great video Josh, I use the anchor lube myself, note clean up all parts that come in contact tools vise it will stain, but it's my go to for hard turning...

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I found that out right away. Great product, that is the only downside.

[@3PurpleSquirrels]

Interesting video as always. Going to be saving some this one to to share with the new design engineer always good to see how a drawing in interpreted when making the part.

[@hacc220able]

thanks for sharing

[@rolandtamaccio3285]

,,, luv the big vernier ,,, !

[@markwatters6875]

Thanks for the video mate 👍🇦🇺

[@wmweekendwarrior1166]

Good stuff

[@frankkent8046]

Great video! Question, I watch CEE along with watching you and Kurtis, when doing induction hardened chrome bar, uses a ceramic insert to cut away the hardened area before switching back to carbide inserts and doing whatever is needed. Could you have used a ceramic insert to do this job, that way you didn't have to anneal the rod, and potentially causing a failure due to lack of hardness on the ends? Thanks

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Ceramic would not work in this instance. It would break in the interrupted cut of the thread. The screw was only hardened for the balls to roll in. Just a surface hardness. Annealing it will not affect the shaft long term. My customer said they wear out the screw, never break one. I have in the past turned induction hardened shafts with standard carbide. I just hand grind them to take the cut.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Blue, noted. I have a few similar pieces and if I ever get to making something out of them this will be important.

[@patrickflannery1143]

Good job

[@StuartsShed]

That 50 incher of yours is impressive. I thought my 24 inch tool was pretty good but seeing one that long in action is somewhat humbling.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I've got 2 of the 24" ones and this thing is a beast. I'd love to get a 72", but I can't justify the expense.

[@AmateurRedneckWorkshop]

Great work looking 👀 good.

[@thepotterer3726]

Rather surprised that Anchorlube is a new product to you - Abom and others have been using it and plugging it for years.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I honestly have little time to watch other's videos. I miss a lot of the content of the others. Definitely glad I found it, it's a great product.

[@Paul-FrancisB]

Josh, I am sure that you gave the tolerancing on that drawing far more thought than the draftsman, that border was probably just cut and pasted from another part in CAD, not like the good old days on the drawing board when you had to consciously write everything by hand 😁

[@mfc4591]

NO THAT IS A CALIPER, two man job to use that ! Thanks for the content.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It is a beast!

[@KenFullman]

It's the one Crocodile Dundee would have chosen.

[@BrucePierson]

That was an interesting job. Your "small" Vernier Caliper was pretty impressive. I think mine is 6", without going out and checking.

[@randydobson1863]

hello josh it's is randy and is cool thanks friends randy

[@6NBERLS]

Most excellent.

[@emilgabor88]

For snap ring grooves, ER inserts for like threading. They make also for grooves. Hss if you resharpen go too small and you cant go left or right because they deflect.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have many different inserts for grooving, just none this size. Definitely going to order a box soon.

[@xpim3d]

Is the collet chuck mandatory to do this type of jobs on lead screws? Thanks.

[@lolcec81]

Комментарий в поддержку канала и ролика, а также труда мастера....

[@redmorphius]

Always excited for a new video!

[@glennmoreland6457]

Great video ☹🇬🇧

[@jameswalshjr]

Question, when getting long stringy chips that were coming off when turning the shaft down to size. Should that be addressed? Different speed/feed or maybe an insert with different geometry? I've always understood that it's good practice to minimize long chips like that.

[@mikeb1520]

I used to work for Schaeffler Group (FAG, INA bearings), when they needed to machine the ball screws they made, they were chucked in the lathe, coolant was put at the point they wanted it to remain hard, and then used a flame like you did to anneal it. I don’t recall what temperature they heated it to.

[@riliwi]

How do you reharden it ??

[@thomaschandler8036]

Love your videos.....

[@billjulian9496]

Josh, that annealing process is awesome, may I ask if it is steel species specific, ie, 4140, 4350 or 1065?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I am not sure. First time I've done it. These are induction hardened, my guess is it would work with most grades of steel that is hardened

[@Farm_fab]

Josh, can you respline axles? I'm building a garden tractor, and am narrowing an SUV rear for it.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

That's a better job for grinding the splines. Those shafts are so hard, I don't think they would even anneal well. Years ago I swapped wheel hubs on a tandem axle truck. That changed the shaft length on me. We had a hell of a time cutting those down. Took longer to shorten and adapt axles than the rest of the job.

[@blackbm54]

Great video!

[@valekx3197]

Great video, how much can cost a job like this? thank you

[@ValiRossi]

I wonder how far the ball nut has to travel towards the end of the screw. Sanding the threads could cause a problem.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

The hardness of these screws didn't allow for material removal. It was more a polish. From what the customer told me the ball nut never gets that close to the end.

[@garywalters4286]

Good video nice job on the shaft,When are we going to see some more sawmill videos?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I was going to release it Tuesday, but a very dear friend passed and I am behind. I will release the 20 foot sawing on next saturday.

[@BrucePierson]

@@TopperMachineLLC Sad to hear about your friend. Condolences to all.

[@Daniel_en_el_trabajo]

amaizing as always!!! 🇦🇷

[@firehousecustomfab3286]

What were you using to clean the blueing out of the treads.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Very fine emery cloth.

[@firehousecustomfab3286]

@@TopperMachineLLC ok. It looked almost like string, I wasn't sure. Thanks

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I tore it that thin. That is the nice part of emery cloth, you can rip it to whatever you need.

[@oldreliable303]

Where are you getting + or - .100 i was also told if it is a frackson it is + or - .015?

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It is on the drawing. Fractional was +/- 0.100. I have seen drawings with fractional being +/- 1/4". Pretty crazy how different engineers draw things.

[@oldreliable303]

@@TopperMachineLLC im use to a tool and die shop, + or - .005 is loose, .100? is, ill do that in the welding shop..

[@peterross6560]

heating to blue is tempering, not annealing. annealing involves heating to critical temp, approx 1500 F and coooling slowly over several hours. Obviously, the tempering you have done is adequate softening for your turning but not completely softened. annealing would make it as soft as the steel can get.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

It did soften it enough to not be a problem for machining. Guess my terminology is wrong.

[@peterross6560]

I've enjoyed your videos for a couple of years, and always look forward to the next one. Keep 'em coming@@TopperMachineLLC

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@peterross6560 Thank you for sticking with me. It has been a long bumpy road, but the channel is coming along nicely. More improvements coming.

[@U_ever]

"LIKE" button has been torqued to the manufacturer's recommended specification. "CLICK". God forbid you should be running around Spooner there with a loose "LIKE" button !

[@schism47]

Man Josh I am jealous of the 50 inch vernier caliper. Can I have it? Haha

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Lol, NO! They are serious money. But worth every penny

[@schism47]

@TopperMachineLLC haha. I know they are. Definitely worth the money too.

[@donmedford2563]

@5:20. Yea I know what you mean. I am undersized when I am cool too. lol

[@TopperMachineLLC]

🤣🤣🤣

[@bcbloc02]

If it goes undersized you don’t have a problem just your shop is too cold. Lmao😂

[@oldmetalmachines2094]

Well when you have a big Johnson you need a big caliper! Lol. Great video

[@johnmcanulty7341]

Tense moment at the end: Hoping you were not going to have an accidental caliper/concrete collision.

[@brucherrin8947]

🍒

[@ttnd3d_387]

In a ball screw, the main diameter is where the balls roll. Outer diameter as after production. Not accurate for use as a base.

[@RJMachine62]

The O.D. of "Rolled" ball screws can vary a lot from the pitch diameter/where the balls touch and I typically make a brass or aluminum spilt bushing and use a 4 jaw then test indicator to dial in the ball groove. On ground ball screws, most of the ones I've checked are very close and I'll just use a collet like Josh did. Annealing helps tremendously!

[@markshort9098]

+/- 0.100 is more than likely a misprint, it was probably supposed to be +/- 0.001

[@TopperMachineLLC]

No it was correct. It's one of the largest fractional tolerances I've seen, but it was correct

[@rerun578]

Best price on a Starrett 123-50: about $5K. Heh heh.

[@TopperMachineLLC]

they aren't cheap! Better have an absolute need for one before buying it.

[@TalRohan]

there is something so odd about having a tiny cutter like that in a massive lathe like that...very out of place lol

[@clutch5sp989]

While Josh does the work live, the customer is screaming, "WAIT WAIT STOP STOP...NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE". Also, we CAD guys don't mix our dimension styles fraction & decimal as shown on the print. Arrg...wanted to rip my testical off with such drawing blasphemy !

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I have seen so many drawings over the years like this. It is funny how if you add up all of the tolerances, you can really screw up a part. I learned this years back at shop I worked in. Sure, the part was within tolerance, but the assembly it went into would not work. I spent a couple days with engineering to correct all future problems with their parts.

[@orville697]

metric is far easier 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@TopperMachineLLC]

I don't measure in Deer Turds. I prefer Bananas

[@orville697]

@@TopperMachineLLC the rest of the world begs to differ only 3 countries still use imperial 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@TopperMachineLLC]

@@orville697 If the rest of the world jumped off a bridge????? Being different is not a bad thing!

[@levitated-pit]

it shrank 4 tenths !!! is that of an inch? dude you gotta go metric

[@TopperMachineLLC]

Metric hardly ever comes in this shop. It is an inferior measuring system.

[@levitated-pit]

you are a heathen,, a denier of truths may your god lead you to idiocy while my science leads me to accuracy! (chuckle ... i still use thous to describe a small measurement. im 62 yrs old, UK born n bred, been carving metal since i was 14 !!! metric is just better.@@TopperMachineLLC

[@kennethstaszak9990]

@@TopperMachineLLC My momma taught me at a young age - just because others do something doesn't mean you have to do it too. Metric system evangelists need to remember this important lesson.

[@ellieprice363]

Why? His whole shop, like mine, is full of Imperial tools that measure in inches, thousands, and ten thousands of inches. Both systems are highly accurate, just different.

[@dcraft1234]

If only we had some kind of tools to tell us what 4 tenths of an inch is...hmmm what could we use?