The Turnado Freehand Metal Turning System

 

 

Publication1 Publication2

                                                                 Basic Turnado System including the General Purpose Radius Shoe.         

 

Produce items you never thought possible with a standard metal working lathe.      

 

  • Turn large and small internal and external radii at any position on the workpiece.
  • External and internal hemispheres as well as complete sheres from 2mm to 50mm diameter.
  • Produce Toroids (donuts) Ovoids (egg shapes) and Ellipsoids.
  • Create freehand curves to whatever shape you like.
  • Reproduce multiple identical shapes such as chess pieces, canons for model ships and miniature candlesticks etc using the tracer arm and a simple sheet metal template.
  • Large radii up to 150mm (6") can be turned using the Large Radius Shoe, or huge radii as big as you like using a curved template with the Tracer Arm.
  • Large and small taper turning using the Tracer Fence set at an angle
  • Adaptable to fit on the cross slide of virtually any small to medium sized lathes, and quick to swap over in place of the top slide.
  •                                              _______________________

       
Ideal for jewellery making, ornamental turning, model making, clockmaking and many other types of decorative and curvilinear work.

            So much more than just a ball turner!

 

 

        The Turnado System has been designed to allow the user to easily
      turn internal and external curves and radii on most bench top lathes.


                      This can be accomplished in several ways.
                                 ____________________

 

         Sliding the toolpost around on the worktable to form curves and shapes 
                                                completely freehand.

 

Using the General Purpose Shoe and pivoting off a stop pin placed 
                                           in one of the grid holes.

 

Using the Large Radius Shoe accessory, this has an adjustable eccentric 
              pivot so that full spheres can be turned without re-chucking.

 

Using the Tracer Arm accessory with a shaped template. With this 
      method, huge radii not possible with a pivot system can be created.

 

 

The basic system consists of a 150mm x 210mm(6"x8") steel worktable with
                                           a grid pattern of holes. 

  This is supported on five aluminium pillars which are turned to length by you
                               to match the centre height of your lathe.

 
The five pillars are attached to a bottom adapter plate that is modified to fit 
     the mounting configuration of the top slide on your lathe. 


When in use the worktable is easily mounted to the cross slide in place of 
the top slide, on some lathes this is just a matter of loosening two set screws.

The toolpost block is made from investment cast Ductile Cast Iron which helps 
                         it slide 
around on the worktop easily.

    The block has a slotted insert with a built in fine adjustment that gives 
  0.5mm(0.020") vertical height adjustment to allow for cutter differences 
                                                 and resharpening.
 
The toolpost insert takes 1/4" square HSS tool bits and inserts for 6mm tool 
                                              bits are also available.

A "T" slot and two tapped holes are machined into the base of the tool post so
                      that it can be mounted to various accessory "Shoes"

A zero rake angle on the top of the cutter combined with a small front clearance
  angle  ensure the tool bit and tool post block will not be pulled into the workpiece.
                                                     

So long as the tool bit is not extended out beyond the area of the base the 
 Toolp
ost cannot be tipped over, no matter how much downward pressure is applied.

 

 

Some smaller examples of what can be achieved with the 
                                     Turnado System.

                      The materials used in the items above include.

                                           Brass (C38500*)
                                           Clear Acrylic Rod 
                                    Bright Mild Steel (S1214*)
                                           Ductile Cast Iron
                                        Aluminium (2011*)
                                      Stainless Steel (303*)

                                   * Free machining grades

You can either email me directly @ gary@eccentricengineering.com.au. Call or text me at +61 400653503. OR you can use the contact form in Contact us page if you prefer.
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