tool changer

[eloid]

Originally Posted by pk7639 I just finished mine, A lot of the work was in the spindle bit. The toolchanger is just a collet and air ram. See the bottom of my spindles page at http://www.cncathome.com Cheers PK

nice job on the tool changer, but im unclear how you use thr gripper that grabs the pull stud on the back of the toolholder.

like to see more details, of how the tool is held back into place/ (released) and prevented from spining while in the chuck?

[pk7639]

The toolholders have a plain 8mm shank. There is an 8mm collet in the spindle.
There is enough clamping force (>100lb) on the drawbar to stop it spinning.
When testing I had a cutter gum up in some aluminium, the 500W spindle actually stalled!

I (and Tormach) use this same system with 20mm collets and toolholders on larger machines at much higher torques.
Oh, and the tools are secured in the toolholders by ER11 collets.
PK