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Ball locks and one make there own?

D.D.Machine

Stainless
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Location
poulsbo, wa, usa
I have a lot of free spindle time on the lathe this next few weeks and want to change my mill fixtures over to ball lock system ,, but between all the vises and 4th axis fixtures its going to cost a ton to just buy the parts so I have been looking at just making them in house ..

It looks like the only tight tolerance would be between the shank and the liner?
 
I think you’re right. I use Jergens shanks, liners, and receivers. We use shanks and receivers on all four corners but liners only on two, so the two corners with liners are both locating AND clamping while the two corners without liners are only clamping. Good luck!
 
You should search for manufactures of punches and retainers and look in there online catalogs for specs of ball lock punches and retainers for some quick reference.
 
From reading the catalogs, I get the impression that amount of torque applied to the screw that is expanding the locking balls also matters. Presumably there's engineering/testing to decide what should be.
 
I think you’re right. I use Jergens shanks, liners, and receivers. We use shanks and receivers on all four corners but liners only on two, so the two corners with liners are both locating AND clamping while the two corners without liners are only clamping. Good luck!

How well equipped are you for heat-treat in-house, or with use of a local specialist?

Jergens Catalog:

Heat Treat:
Shanks, RC 40-45
Bushings, RC 50-54
Liners, RC 62-64

Usual disclaimer. "They have competition."
 
I have a lot of 4340 and 8620 in stock ,, I think 8620 would be best and can grind the OD`s and hard turn the id on the bushings ... I have a couple local heat-treat shops I work with and would just do like low 50`s on a RC.

I need like 40 sets and to just buy them is about $220 a set .. I have been looking for a offshore supplier but have not found one yet..

( I made a lot of parts years ago with tapped holes in 4340 and found they like to crack in heat-treat,, 8620 seems to be more stable and does not crack)
 
I need like 40 sets and to just buy them is about $220 a set ..
40 sets surely makes it worth setting yerself up to do 'em "proper" even if the savings are only 25%-50%.
( I made a lot of parts years ago with tapped holes in 4340 and found they like to crack in heat-treat,, 8620 seems to be more stable and does not crack)

Agree ordnance steel. Versatile alloy, and one as don't often let yah down.
 
To add, your title "ball locks xxx blah blah"

When I hear the term "ball locks" I think of ball lock punches for tool & die... so you may / may not get the attention you are looking for...
 
Don’t forget, depending on your setup, every fixture might not need an entire “set” of shanks, receivers, and liners. For instance, my two Speedios have identical 4th axis / trunnions. The trunnions have the receivers mounted in them. I only need one set of shanks per machine so as we make new fixture plates as long I use the same hole location for the shanks I only need to buy two liners. Soooo moving forward I only buy two liners ($5 ea, maybe?) for every new fixture plate we make. Of course maybe you need 40 “sets” to accommodate 200 different jobs, but I just wanted to bring that up in case it slipped your mind!
 
it is clearly related tech

likewise it seems to me i will eventually find drill bushings that can serve as liners

Yazz. Or you could design yer own mating bits INTENTION-ANAL'y to make them work as such.

Then again.. how much, as a percentage of spend, can any business SAVE by using fewer sharpies, fewer rolls of cheaper toilet-paper, or making their own bolts and such?

Many "apparent" economy moves just take yer eye off the "big rocks" - the business moves where the REAL money is.

The maker of yer capscrews, dowel-pins, cotter-keys, or "ball locks" going to send their best folks over to advise on yer next major bid - or the application for a business loan package to expand the machinery capabilities or square-footage of the facilities?

If they ain't going to cover MY "real job"- making the best of the future - why should I expect to do the best at MY business by dropping-down to floor-level to compete for THEIR meagre rations mass-producing a stock product refined and standardized in the PAST?

There ain't but so much TIME.

Can't ever "do EVERYTHING" even if yah know how to do it well.

Best to apply your scarcest resources where the returns on yer efforts are most favorable.

Start thinking like a string-saver retiree/hobbyist who can afford to f**k about for lack of any compelling revenoo work?
You can all-too esily "become one".

Even at a great deal younger age than yer net worth was ready to provide rest-of-life rations for....
 
Point Taken - and I'm a big fan of "just buy it if you can" but the union set of workholding I need to fit in the machine for maximum utility means that standard ball locks won't quite do. This doesn't mean I'm going to make bolts, dowels, etc. (I looked at invertabolt too, may look at that again...)

And my next machine will have a waaay larger work envelope and a waaay more symmetric one...
 








 
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