Need Help!- drilling and tapping round stock

[sundy58]

I have a TM-2. I do not have a lathe. I need to drill and tap round tubes .375 in diameter and approximately 21 inches long.

Haas says the Z on the TM-2 is 16". I measured the clearance between the spindle and the table and it is approximately 24". If the spindle is too high when starting a program the machine errors out. Can that be over ridden?

I have seen right angle attachments for Bridgeport machines. I have an R8 Tapmatic head. Would something like that work?

I need ideas on how to hold the tubes, then accurately drill and tap them.

Help!

[Donkey Hotey]

How are you holding the work? The Z is usually a problem of not enough clearance, not too much clearance. Space the work up off the table on wooden blocks. Use longer drills. Use longer holders. Use a pair of vises to hold the tubing on either end of the table.

Any of these solutions is usually enough to use up that clearance in a hurry.

[little bubba]

Donkey Hotey, I think he needs to stand them up and drill and tap on the ends.

Sundy, that is a job you shouldn't have taken, I'm sure there is a parameter somewhere or a limit switch you could move, you may be able to gain 1/2" at most(more on some machines, less on others) before something bad happens, the travel is limited for a reason.

Its probably cheaper to buy a lathe than it is to buy a right angle head. It could also be pretty easy drill press job if you thought it out ahead of time.

[Donkey Hotey]

DOH! I read the question wrong. We just got through doing a job with about 500 radial holes in 1" stainless tubing. I had that kind of part in mind.

21" of drilled hole, 3/8 in diameter? That's gun-drill territory, isn't it? And a long bed on the lathe too.

[sundy58]

Sorry got busy and didn't have time to be here.

I work at a University and don't get to reject jobs just because they are impossible!

I just need to drill and tap tube about 3/8" deep on one end only. I'm wondering if the Haas will work from a higher position than factory settings. If we can turn the spindle speed up it would seem that a lot of parameters would be changeable.

[gar]

080307-0753 EST USA

sundy58:

I do not have a TM type machine. Can your table move to a position where the spindle center line is outside the table top? If so, then hang the bottom end of the tube below the table top.

Other wise if you must do it in-house, then build a fixture to guide a drill and tap, obviously two different drill bushings. Use a corded drill for drilling, and a cordless for tapping.

You have not specified accuracy and sizes.

.

[Andre' B]

A University shop that does not have a lathe?

If the machine can Physically make the move you should have no problem. You may need to start with the Z lower for tool changes and then move up over the part.

If you are just hitting a soft limit they can be move a bit, I have even moved a hard limit switch now and then to get another 0.05".

I was in a shop one time that had more in common with blacksmithing then machining where they just drilled a hole in the table for such jobs.

[LeeWay]

Can you not go past the edge of the table on the Y axis? If so, there may be enough room off the edge there. Mount the part on an angle block right on the edge and let the part hang down a little. No far enough down to get into the ways of course, but that may give you the few extra inches needed.
I think outside the table sometimes.

[Donkey Hotey]

You guys don't have a lathe? It's a fast job on a lathe and it's a dangerous job if you start toying with parameters on the mill. Even if I had a horizontal mill, it's still a job for a lathe.

[sundy58]

Nope no lathe. We build radars and a lathe would be unused 99.9% of the time. Besides the limited space.

There are lathes on campus but I would have to wait who knows how long for someone to do that for me.

If I hang it over the edge of the bed I run into the Y drive screw.

I think I have a solution now. I'm going to put rivet nuts in the boom and put external threads on the piece I was going to drill and tap. That way I can hand thread the rods and be fairly accurate. I think.

I am looking for a tool to help square up the die to the rod being threaded.