Tool changing with endmill holders

[febisfebi]

I run a taig cnc mill, and I am looking at getting several endmill holders to keep endmills set in. I need something where I can do tool changes and keep a common Z depth, or at least a predictable one which I can tell my program to move to. I have searched to no end for a sort of snap in, quick tool change set up that could work on a taig mill, but have had no luck.
I then looked at endmill holders for this purpose, and they seem to be the only option I can find.
So my question is, first does this even work? can I keep a predictable tool depth when switching holders with ends mounted in them?
and second, does anyone know of a better solution. If i'm spending $15 a piece for these for every tool I use regularly, it would be good to have them work for this purpose.
I know I havent been able to find anything out there on this, but I cant be the only one with this problem.
Thanks, any help is appreciated.

[snaggletto]

Hey,
Do you run the same parts over and over again ALL the time? Or do you run different one off parts all the time? Either way, having all your tools the same length is not really a benefit.

If you do run production, buy enough tool holders for each tool in your job. Record a log of the total length of the tool and holder for each tool. Reference all your tools at the beginning and save this tool table. If you break a tool, replace it with the same tool, in the same holder and check your log to set it at the premeasured length. Load it in and cut, it won't be perfect, but depending on your class of work might be close enough.

If you run short run stuff, then it doesn't matter either way, you will always have to setup your tool lengths for each different sized part.

[HomeCNC]

No you're not the only one that has asked this tooling question. Do a search on this board for "fixed tooling". You will find a few posts that are about this.

I run two home CNC machines and both use fixed tooling. I use R8 end mill holders in my CNC mill and I use my custom tool holders in my Porter Cable router on my CNC router. I have a tool length library that I use in my controller software (Mach 2) and I never have any trouble changing tools once I tell my controller where the stock is.

[febisfebi]

Thanks for the replys. The idea is to be able to do toolchanges efficiently when running the same part over and over again. I have been thinking this would be much easier with an R8 taper or one of the other more standardized spindle heads, but unfortunately I am limited to the taig spindle.
As long as I can get tools switched out, and keep the Z zero within several thousandths that should work fine for now, but just thinking how it would be nice if eventually there was a snap in type system for this for real quick tool changes.

[frenchnew]

Maybe a suggestion here from a pure noob! that is going to be using the same type of equipment soon (in the process of getting all the parts together).

Instead of buying the end mill holder for the Taig ready made, buy the blank arbor ones that requires you to drill the hole for the end mill diameter and the hole for the set screw (Taig part number 1132) that can be purchase for $1.90 per unit.

THis is one option I am going to do by ordering 10 of them.

Best regards

frenchnew

Originally Posted by febisfebi I run a taig cnc mill, and I am looking at getting several endmill holders to keep endmills set in. I need something where I can do tool changes and keep a common Z depth, or at least a predictable one which I can tell my program to move to. I have searched to no end for a sort of snap in, quick tool change set up that could work on a taig mill, but have had no luck. I then looked at endmill holders for this purpose, and they seem to be the only option I can find. So my question is, first does this even work? can I keep a predictable tool depth when switching holders with ends mounted in them? and second, does anyone know of a better solution. If i'm spending $15 a piece for these for every tool I use regularly, it would be good to have them work for this purpose. I know I havent been able to find anything out there on this, but I cant be the only one with this problem. Thanks, any help is appreciated.

[stanko]

I found an article about this the other day

http://www.industrialhobbies.com/
go to the "manual automatic tool change" section
made sense to me !

BTW this is my first post here, I have converted a RF20 mill to cnc and Im finding this hobby quite a challenge

Mike