Program g-code for mill as multiple tool lathe?

[Monte]

I've seen a few video's of cnc mills being used as a multiple tool lathe with the tools mounted to the mill table and the part chucked in the spindle. How do you program for this sort of setup?

Monte

[Andre' B]

MS Word

[Monte]

Originally Posted by Andre' B MS Word

Would OpenOffice work as well? I don't have MS Word.

Monte

[ger21]

I think he means any text editor, as you'll be coding it by hand.

[Monte]

Originally Posted by ger21 I think he means any text editor, as you'll be coding it by hand.

yeah, I figured that out.

Monte

[Andre' B]

Yep, basically anything that can save in plain text.

I would be surprised to find CAM software that would handle that type of thing without a good deal a manual intervention.

If the CAD/CAM software has a good macro language and you wanted to take the time to set it up you probably automate a lot of it.

[ger21]

You could probably use a .dxf to g-code converter and carefully draw the "toolpaths" and then convert away.

[cam1]

I'd want to make sure that the parts are chucked pretty short, and the tool set high off the table to avoid a crash.
IMO mills are for milling and lathes are for turning. (I'm not talking about specialized turn/mill machines)
Short of turning a few shoulders on some round stock, what's the motivation?

regards

[Monte]

Originally Posted by cam1 I'd want to make sure that the parts are chucked pretty short, and the tool set high off the table to avoid a crash. IMO mills are for milling and lathes are for turning. (I'm not talking about specialized turn/mill machines)

All good points.

Originally Posted by cam1 Short of turning a few shoulders on some round stock, what's the motivation? regards

Uhh, I have a cnc mill and no lathe.

Monte

[Kevin Taylor]

Take a look at BTC clubhouse I posted pic's a while back of my rendition If you put the tool on the corect side of the vice or part your program will convert into Lathe as long as you can cut in radias diminson on the lathe I have since got a lathe to do the part's and will do so I would agree with the short part and close chucking don't spin anything you can't duck The bird nest is a proublem and likes to throw coolant but shure beat's turning part's by hand Good luck Kevin

[Monte]

Originally Posted by Kevin Taylor Take a look at BTC clubhouse I posted pic's a while back of my rendition If you put the tool on the corect side of the vice or part your program will convert into Lathe as long as you can cut in radias diminson on the lathe I have since got a lathe to do the part's and will do so I would agree with the short part and close chucking don't spin anything you can't duck The bird nest is a proublem and likes to throw coolant but shure beat's turning part's by hand Good luck Kevin

Thanks. I'll try to find it, but if I don't, what's the BTC Clubhouse?

Monte

[Kevin Taylor]

Look in the hardinge Bridgeport fourm or in today's post's It will be back a few pages Good luck Kevin