Originally Posted by philbur  Hi Bob, this is not correct. You still need a height gauge to provide the tool offsets. The point of the Tormach system is that the tool tip always remounts in the same z-axis position, eliminating the need to "touch off"
again.
Regards
Phil |
Tormach ships a height gage and small surface plate together with their toolholders. If you have mill holders, a height gage, and a surface plate, what is to keep you from setting them yourself to a fixed height? Yes, you lose their quickchange aspect, but at least all the tools are at the same height, or perhaps one of a very small set of heights easily remembered or labeled on the tool rack.
In fact, you can buy commercial systems that do exactly this called tool pre-setters that are intended for use in the tool crib. When you go check out a tool, it's in the holder and you get a slip of paper telling you what height and tool table entry to select.
So given your own height gage, and a bit of ingenuity, you can duplicate the fixed tool height function of the Tormach system by presetting your tools to a known height with your gage.
Best,
BW