Standard Tool list

[cncClintain]

Anyone keep standard tools in the first 5 or 10 pockets when running multiple machines over several shifts? What do you keep?

[mopar]

CENTER DRILL
.250-.750 ENDMILLS
.120R .625
.120R .5
2IN FACE MILL
3IN FACEMILL

[TXFred]

I wish I could do this. There's a couple of reasons why I don't.

I'm at a state agency that doesn't have a load of money to spend on tool holders. We have perhaps 24 total. Four are ER32 holders, four are drill chucks, and the rest are end mill holders. The few holders we have cannot be dedicated to specific tools.

And, we have Haas machines with umbrella tool changers. These changers cannot address tool numbers larger than the number of pockets in the changer. (or if they can, I don't know how to do it.)

And we have a lot of legacy programs here. It would be a major job to review all the old programs and update all the tool numbers.

I recommend setting up standard tools if you can. You can also create a MasterCAM tool library to match what you've loaded into your machine's tool tables.

It's fairly easy to set this up when you're starting your shop. Once you're several years in, it's a real mess to sort out.

Frederic

[Delw]

endmills 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15 ( endmill and ballendmills same size next to each other.)
ball endmill 2,4,6,8,10,12,14
3" or 4"" face mill 20
use collet holders for for below
centerdrill 17
drills 18,19 21,22
corner rounding 23
probe 24

then lots of others set up ready to go and switch if needed

[cncClintain]

Originally Posted by Delw endmills 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15 ( endmill and ballendmills same size next to each other.) ball endmill 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 3" or 4"" face mill 20 use collet holders for for below centerdrill 17 drills 18,19 21,22 corner rounding 23 probe 24 then lots of others set up ready to go and switch if needed

I thought about going every other one with endmills too, but Im probly going standard and long. We don't use many ballnose but seem to do a lot of pockets and circle milling. Do you use any drill chucks? Seems like most of my setup time is looking for collets. There are a lot of nice chucks designed for CNC that aren't much more than a whole set of collets.

[Delw]

Originally Posted by cncClintain I thought about going every other one with endmills too, but Im probly going standard and long. We don't use many ballnose but seem to do a lot of pockets and circle milling. Do you use any drill chucks? Seems like most of my setup time is looking for collets. There are a lot of nice chucks designed for CNC that aren't much more than a whole set of collets.

No i dont like dill chucks , unless its on a manual machine. Dont get me wrong there great (if you get good ones and keep the jaws clean and replaced when needed)
the keyless chucks I refuse to run on a cnc cause you can never get them tight enough with out the spindle slipping in your hand due to coolant.
key chucks are fine but them it never fails you loose a freaking key and you really need 2 keys to tighten them on a mill( My opinion).
I use collets er32's always have 2 holders with out any collets in them waiting to be set up behind the machine. for the bigger sizes I use the er 40's

collets run truer than a chuck and have better contact.
Again thats just me I have worked at a shop were we ran hirock and reamers all carbide in 7 different chucks on one job for months and they worked just fine. If I didnt have the tool probe on the haas I would more than likely be running drill chucks due to speed and set up.

Delw

[TXFred]

Originally Posted by Delw key chucks are fine but them it never fails you loose a freaking key and you really need 2 keys to tighten them on a mill( My opinion).

Have you tried the Albrecht key lock chucks?

Albrecht, Inc.

A T-handle allen drives a worm gear which tightens the chuck. The mechanical advantage of the worm drive lets you get the chuck very tight with small amounts of force on the wrench.

We have two at work, and I want more of them.

Frederic

[RalphWilson]

Originally Posted by cncClintain Anyone keep standard tools in the first 5 or 10 pockets when running multiple machines over several shifts? What do you keep?

I got limited number of tool holders and less storage in memory , I got to do with what I have. 21 tools in holder at one time.
Sort of a horder of good tools.
Hate to change them.
But on the other hand I don't have the time to un setup from the last job.

Answer to the is yes and no.

I do a job and leave the holders in the Caruracell. on the machine I'm running , I have a choice of 5 out of the seven I run to just run that one for awhile.
I hve a recuring job that has 13 tools that I keep in or out saved.
So I got 7 to mess with or all 21 if so be it.

I can pock a tool faster than messing around with , saying this tool is only for this pocket and no changing the program.

I also program with Mastercam X5 , so I can do lots of things, but the CNC is old and low on memory , because I have that big recurring job stored in memory.

I have been working on a program that gives you unlimited potential with a small amount of code.

I have completed the First and Second phaze of the program.
And the delivery and payment for using it once.

First phaze is create something or get what needs to be created to be created.

Done; and it's in the Fadal book on what is required to do something.

Locations locations locations, that not for real estate.

if you got 48 , your lucky.

Today I created a ....... lot...... of "E's" from one "E".

Hint it's not a G52 shift.

you ever try to load one more tool than you got?

if you got a " 2 NEXT TOOL ", and your one tool 21 ........What happens?

Mine loads tool #1
How does it know tool #1 is next?..........................answer that later.

What about M6T22 ?

Mine errors.... Why?

I want to load tool #1000
And I can.
#1000 can be the next open tool slot.

and can prompt you for that tool.
date and time stamp the person doing it.

[cncClintain]

Originally Posted by TXFred Have you tried the Albrecht key lock chucks? Albrecht, Inc. A T-handle allen drives a worm gear which tightens the chuck. The mechanical advantage of the worm drive lets you get the chuck very tight with small amounts of force on the wrench. We have two at work, and I want more of them. Frederic

Those were the ones I was thinking of. How is the accuracy with them?

[Delw]

Originally Posted by TXFred Have you tried the Albrecht key lock chucks? Albrecht, Inc. A T-handle allen drives a worm gear which tightens the chuck. The mechanical advantage of the worm drive lets you get the chuck very tight with small amounts of force on the wrench. We have two at work, and I want more of them. Frederic

Fred
havent tried the keyed ones. I have a few of the keyless ones made by them.

My biggest problem is I loose keys and vice handles like crazy, not loose them persay but sent them down in various places where there not when I need them.

[Delw]

On my fadal I just have extra tools and in the program gave H numbers starting with 31 ( I never use the 20 for extra tools as the carsel has 21 pockets

Originally Posted by RalphWilson I got limited number of tool holders and less storage in memory , I got to do with what I have. 21 tools in holder at one time. Sort of a horder of good tools. Hate to change them. But on the other hand I don't have the time to un setup from the last job. Answer to the is yes and no. I do a job and leave the holders in the Caruracell. on the machine I'm running , I have a choice of 5 out of the seven I run to just run that one for awhile. I hve a recuring job that has 13 tools that I keep in or out saved. So I got 7 to mess with or all 21 if so be it. I can pock a tool faster than messing around with , saying this tool is only for this pocket and no changing the program. I also program with Mastercam X5 , so I can do lots of things, but the CNC is old and low on memory , because I have that big recurring job stored in memory. I have been working on a program that gives you unlimited potential with a small amount of code. I have completed the First and Second phaze of the program. And the delivery and payment for using it once. First phaze is create something or get what needs to be created to be created. Done; and it's in the Fadal book on what is required to do something. Locations locations locations, that not for real estate. if you got 48 , your lucky. Today I created a ....... lot...... of "E's" from one "E". Hint it's not a G52 shift. you ever try to load one more tool than you got? if you got a " 2 NEXT TOOL ", and your one tool 21 ........What happens? Mine loads tool #1 How does it know tool #1 is next?..........................answer that later. What about M6T22 ? Mine errors.... Why? I want to load tool #1000 And I can. #1000 can be the next open tool slot. and can prompt you for that tool. date and time stamp the person doing it.

[RalphWilson]

On my fadal I just have extra tools and in the program gave H numbers starting with 31 ( I never use the 20 for extra tools as the carsel has 21 pockets

Yes, also have the use of 99 tools , or 98 H values.
Some tools use two or three H values.
I reuse pocket T values and H values. I want to get into the habit of G10'ing the tools at the end of my programs.

No probe, I wish I had one.

Don't leave out tool 20 ,or not use just because the warm up program uses it.

On the fadal's VMC's, we don't use the Z offset for fixture zeros, on the HMC we do.

Have you tried the Albrecht key lock chucks?

As for the chuck , no not yet use one.
We have keyless chucks , that i use for one time use drills, " temp setups".
And we have collets and sold cat 40 holders.