Quote from: Hood on June 13, 2010, 05:47:13 PM

seriously considering doing this though just need to find the time

You said it! no going back now ;-) - it would be fantastic to see Mach doing this.

Last page was interesting too - "thread whirling! !!!!! what the heck is that !!!!!!!

ATB
Derek.

 Well I was doing some drawings last night of an idea I have so when I get time I may just do it.

Google thread whirling should get you some info but basically looks like it would really need a sliding head for any length of threads due to rigidity.

It does look good fun doesn't it 

I wonder if there is an optimal cutter diameter for say a max of 3/4" AF hex?  In our case the smaller the cutter dia the better and I see they do one 40mm dia!  Accoring to the pdf example you want the cutter to be (very) approx 3.5 times the af BUT could a 'hobby' type machine cope with the high speed intermittant cut? 

There is only one way to find out - HOOD GET ONTO IT!  (I know you want to)

 Rob 

The bigger the dia of the cutter the flatter the flat will be. As for me doing it so you can see how a hobby size machine would cope I am afraid its quite a big lathe I have, probably fit some of the hobby lathes in my toolpost
Heres my lathe, to get an idea of its size that is a 10inch 3 jaw chuck and a 32mm dia boring bar in the front toolpost.

Hood

Oh well with a machine like, there's nothing stopping you!  It wouldn't be too difficult to rig up a servo to a spindle that is held in that whopper of a toolpost just to see if it works.......... but i think it will only work properly if many photographs are taken through the process 

Im really trying to work out how I can place a polygon turning attatchment to my machine as it would be such an awesome feature.

Keep having polygon thoughts! 

Rob.