Drilling on the TL-1

[DivMechDes]

Other than the Dorian turret, are there any other simple suggestions you guys may have for holding drills on the TL-1? I have the tailstock option, but would like to use the canned drilling cycles and have trouble aligning drills and keeping them from rotating the toolpost.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Geof]

Did you get the machine new? You should check all the parts that are included because I think there is a drill/boring bar holder that can bolt onto the cross slide in front of the toolpost.

[DivMechDes]

I did buy it new a little over 2 years ago. I purchased the (Dorian) toolpost etc. but there was no holder or mount such as the one you speak of. I have thought about making something myself, but would be very interested if anyone knows an existing part number for this type of attachment.

[pugsley]

If you have a look at the holders,You should have a 32mm (1 1/4")boring bar holder??(round hole),I made a simple adapter that fits that holder and has a taper to mate up to the taper on a morse chuck.Works great for drilling-tapping.Just clock up the bore of the holder and call that "X0." in the set up.
Works for me just make sure the relevent canned cycles are active.

[DivMechDes]

Does this still mount in the toolpost on the back side (12 o'clock position) or on the front (spindle side)? It sounds like it mounts in the back position. I currently do this, but my problem is 1) aligning the drill to the spindle axis and 2) keeping it from moving under load.

If you have any tips on how to correctly align the drill during setup, I would be glad to hear them. There just seems to be so many degrees of freedom using the adjustable toolpost that I have a hard time getting all of them aligned. I usually end up with the drill at a slight angle and can never get it to drill straight. BTW, I am drilling .500 to .750 dia holes that are 3+ inches deep. I generally give up and use the tailstock.

I guess I am just used to the luxury of a fixed axis as with a turret and have trouble understanding how to corral all of the movement of the drill on the quickchange toolpost.

Thanks

[pugsley]

You can hold a piece of round bar in the holder and clock along it to get it square (i use stainless it is a bit better finished),then use it to get center(it may take a bit).You can also bolt a piece of plate on the tailstock side of the tool post ,bolt it to the toolpost and the adapter plate on the saddle and keep it solid and fix the toolpost that way.I have no real problems and i tap m16 with it,Lock your top nut up solid.also if you have a 1/4" bar holder,make the drill holder out of 1 1/2" bar and turn a shoulder on it that will give it something to press against. use g83(deep hole drilling) instead of g74 and clear the chips might help to,plenty of coolant as well.

[DEAN]

For twist drills I use the 1 inch boring bar holder that comes with the Dorian set (P/N: D35CXA-4) with a jacobs arbor mounted in it with a Jabcobs ball bearing chuck p/n: 14N. The arbor is a common straight 1" shank to 3JT. Gotta have the ball bearing chuck.
The biggest drill I have pushed is a 1"spade (1" shank,mounted directly in holder)in stainless 316 and have not had a trouble with post holder turning, but I do use a 16" closed end wrench to tighten her down, I think this is the key. I have overloaded and alarmed Z axis several times and no post turning.
For quick aligment of the post mount a 12" long-1" bar in the holder leaving 6" sticking out towards chuck,tighten bar in holder,lock holder on post,loosen toolpost main nut so tool post can move freely,move carriage so the holder is all the way against face of open chuck inserting bar into chuck,tighten chuck down on bar. Now you can jog the X axis to make the machine Z center some easy number to remember (eg;X:11.500" in my case). Now tighten that 1-1/4" main tool post nut down.

[Mark Hockett]

DivMechDes,
On my TL-1 I have two tool post options. I have an Aloris and I have the Haas automatic tool turret. On the Aloris I use an Aloris CXA #35 drill chuck holder,


On my Haas Tool Turret I make my own holders that hold one to three drill chucks. Using this system I can gang tool four drill chucks on one side of the tool turret. I have had up to 9 tools on the Haas turret.


I use the Aloris for prototype work and the Haas turret for production.


Mark Hockett

[DivMechDes]

Pugsley & Dean

That procedure sounds like what I have been looking for. If you are not having problems with rotating, then I guess I just need to crank down harder.

Mr. Hockett

I have seen those drill chucks and have thought about getting one. I'm not running enough production on the machine to go the turret route, but it looks very nice.

Thank you for your suggestions.

[Wiseco]

I got a TL-2 and my toolpost don't rotate so tighten it alot! And in some case, is the stock that goes away in the chuck before the toolpost rotate, espacially when I drilled prehardened-P20 with a feed of 0.04 or above with a 3/4" spade drill.