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Offline Leeway

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Turn?
« on: January 30, 2008, 06:06:15 PM »
Hi Guys.
Just starting to get my lathe going. I looked at turn today for the first time. I will have the tailstock motorized for drilling. How do I set up a third axis in turn? Adding the DRO's.
Am I wrong in thinking that X is my carriage and Z is my cross slide? Would the tailstock then be Y?
I have both a mill and a router that I run with no trouble, but a lathe is a little different beast. Any help would be welcomed. Thanks.
Lee

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2008, 06:32:17 PM »
X is the cross slide, Z is the carriage.

you can set up more axis to do other things, many use Y as a vertical slide for milling and A axis for tool changers.

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops

Offline Leeway

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2008, 08:29:23 AM »
Thanks Graham. See! I do have a lot to learn with turn. ;)
I just basically want to cut some brass bushings in varying sizes. They will all need a hole in the center though and right now the worst part of making these by hand is the drilling.

I am just going to motorize the stock 7/12 for now using the half nut. This will get my feet wet in turn. The little lathe is plenty accurate and strong enough for these bushings. If I get them within about .03", I'm happy.

This is my fastest cnc build to date though. I'll have about 8 to 10 hours in it when done. ;)
Of course I built the control box for my plasma and I'm not counting that time. :)
Thanks again.
Lee

Offline jimpinder

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2008, 08:52:40 AM »
Since you are adding DRO's etc for a third axis, why bother using Turn - you might as well just use another set up on MIll - it doesn't know it is running a lathe. All the DROs you want are on the page, and all the connections internal or otherwise are already made.

When you say you are motorising the tailstock, I take it you mean the feed in and out, not rotating the tailstock to drive the drill.
If you used the spare "y" axis and set up the steps per unit correctly, this can be directly controlled from GCode to feed in and out, and it would respond to all the standard GCode control.

I am planning a similar one with a turret so that I can centre drill, then drill and then counter sink work in the lathe - at the moment I have to change tools in the tailstock all the time. I shall run the turret on the a axis as a rotary axis , again with the steps per unit set so the one unit brings round a new tool.

Jim
Not me driving the engine - I'm better looking.

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 09:09:12 AM »
Why do you all use the tail stock for drilling?

If you have a quick change tool post why not use the Morse taper holder and drill with the Z axis or mount drills etc. in square shank holders on the tool post.

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops

Offline jimpinder

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2008, 09:32:06 AM »
Daft as it seems, Graham - I never though of that. You always centre drill with the tailstock - don't you. I had been thinking of mounting my turret at the back of my cross-slide (wide bed), though.

The only thing I can see is I will have to make sure I am accurate every time I start - or the drill will not line up on the centre line of the lathe. I didn't realise you could get holders to fit in the quick change holder, to take drills etc.

Thanks - something else to look into.
Not me driving the engine - I'm better looking.

Offline Leeway

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2008, 09:33:37 AM »
Thanks Jim.
I have been wondering if this would just work in mill instead. These bushing are really simple anyway. The only tool I use is a cutoff or parting tool. I'm sure I could teach Mach to cut these in mill instead of turn.
Less learning curve there. I am just motorizing the feed on the TS, not turning it.

Graham, I use the tailstock to drill so I can use a full length drill bit. When I sink it full travel in the stock, then I can cut and part two bushings. I don't use a center drill yet. I just use some nice and stiff cobalt drill bits and they seem to get close enough to center nearly every time. If it gets off a tad, I just reface the part and drill again.
There is really little room on a 7/12 to put many cutting tools on the cross slide. It can be done, but I intend to actually build a little bigger and better lathe using steel and cast iron with linear ways and ball screws. At that point, I'll be doing some fancy tooling on the CS and possibly a turret.

With that machine I will be looking for better precision and speed especially for tool changes. I do all this with two tools now, but it would be much more precise with three or four tools.
I will look at using mill and teaching Mach. Never tried that yet.
Thanks again.
 
Lee

Offline Graham Waterworth

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2008, 09:47:43 AM »
Here is one type, they all do them if you ask.

Graham.
Without engineers the world stops

Offline Hood

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Re: Turn?
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2008, 11:13:27 AM »
Daft as it seems, Graham - I never though of that. You always centre drill with the tailstock - don't you. I had been thinking of mounting my turret at the back of my cross-slide (wide bed), though.
On CNC drills etc are usually mounted in the toolpost/turret. Below is a pic of the holder I made up for a straight shank ER32 holder, I can put any size up to 20mm in it.
Hood
« Last Edit: January 31, 2008, 02:41:46 PM by Hood »