How would Mach3 work with this? What kind of programing would be required? Building lathe and somewhat interested in this but programing is what scares me away... I was thinking about 4-5 tool slide.

Thank you for your input.

anyone?

Good question. I'd like to know as well. How does Mach handle Gang tooling?

Chich

This tool change video tutorial might give you some info. I've never watched it, though.
http://www.machsupport.com/Videos/ToolChange/Tool_Change.swf

Tool change for a gang tool setup is not complicated. When you call a tool for instance T0101 the software checks the tool offset bank 01 (last 2 values) and adjusts the tip of the tool. Typically you will set up T0101 to X0 Z0. When you call the next tool IE T0202 The software will then know how far the tip of that tool is in relation to T0101 because when you setup the machine you would have touched off T0202 and would have recorded the x and z values in the T0202 offset bank. Just make sure at the end of each tool operation you put a proper X and Z safety distance before you call the next tool. Typically drills and boring bars will be running along side of the chuck.

Thanks! Good info!!!

Chich

....Just make sure at the end of each tool operation you put a proper X and Z safety distance before you call the next tool....

This is an important point; when you go from a short tool to a long tool make sure your safety distance for the short tool is larger than the difference between the tool lengths. From experience I can tell you undesirable things happen if you do not do this.

that sounds good
but can some one explain how I can set my tools I try setting 1 tool and when I am running my program it always says tool 0 on the screen so when I have 4 tools how do I set each tool so that it can be recorded on mach3 that way I can use more that one.
by the way I am using Mastercam x to do the toolpath.