Another Vertical Lathe Video

[Scott_M]

Here is another Vertical lathe video. I am making some quick connect air fittings complete with tapered pipe thread. ( Pretty cool ! ) I used ganged lathe bits and set each one up as a different work offset. ( G54, G55, G56 ) each tool had its own zero so instead of a tool change it just changed offsets. I used Sprut Cam to generate the code but had to tweak it a bit for the work offsets as opposed to tool changes.

Tormach Vertical Lathe turning and threading - YouTube

Tormach Vertical Lathe turning and threading - YouTube

Also in HD at YouTube


Scott

[David Bord]

AWESOME!! Man, very cool....

Can you talk about how to use Sprutcam to do this?

David

[MetalShavings]

Nice work:

I just got my 770 powered up for the first time today. I hope to be able to use this "Vertical Milling" technique in the near future.

FYI: You know that Harbor Freight sells these already made for Less than fifty-cents a piece right? For two buck you can get a set of three males, one female and a quick disconnect coupler.

OK, I'm just messing around. I have a project that I want to tackle using this type of "Vertical Milling." I hope I can become as proficient at as you've become.

MetalShavings

[Scott_M]

Hi David
Thanks
This is one of the first lathe projects I have done in Sprut. I have no idea what I am doing !!! It took me many hours to get through this with a lot of head scratching. Sprut certainly has a different way of looking at things. I will add a couple of screen shots that will probably tell you more than I could explain easily.
Also keep in mind that I am running Mach Duality lathe software that I have "modified" for vertical lathe application. I have also added a spindle sensor to my machine which is why I can thread and do CSS. Without spindle feedback you can't thread or use CSS.

MetalShavings
You can buy these fittings ??? Damn !!
Actually I have bought the HF fittings. I have also thrown them out. they all leak air really bad and I hate that hissing sound. But honestly this was just an exercise in learning Sprut Lathe and applying it to the mill. And now I have a dozen or so really nice steel fittings. I still have to mill some wrench flats on them and drill them out. I will do the drilling on my engine lathe. It was a fun project and I have learned a lot.

Scott

Here are a couple of screens.

[RTP_Burnsville]

Scott,
I always enjoy your posts.... Great work!

Robert

[mcphill]

Would you mind clarifying what it takes to add in the spindle sensor? I was really surprised to see you doing single point threading on the Tormach... What is involved to get this functional?

[keebler303]

Scott

You need to put a vertical drill bit and a parting tool in your gang tool lineup. Then get (make?) a hex collet and run hex stock.

Nice work
Matt

[Scott_M]

mcphill
It can be done a couple of ways...quick and easy or extremely difficult naturally I choose the later.
In another thread in the Tormach forum I detailed how I added 5th axis support which included an additional breakout board this gave me several additional inputs that I could use for other things. I hardwired in a proximity switch that I placed under the spindle pulley I also had to put a little "flag" on the spindle for the sensor to sense once per rev. My set up is permanent and hardwired. It is always on.
I imagine an easier approach ( for periodic use ) would be to put the sensor outside and plug it into the accessory port. You could use the 4th axis homing kit from Tormach.
In order to make it all work you will need to have access to the machine configuration file. This requires signing a release from Tormach which will void your warranty.

keebler

I do have a vertical gang setup as well. If I was going to make a bunch of these I would certainly have used it. This was more of a SprutCam exercise.

Scott

[mcphill]

Thanks for that info, Scott. I was more interestedin the changes that are needed within MACH, I guess. I don't actually have a Tormach, but I am using MACH, and it is not locked down. I have sufficient ports/pins open to add whatever I want (have a 4th now, will be adding a 5th someday). I guess I am trying to take the easy way out and have you link me to a thread that shows what I need to do to get the spindle indexed to the z motion, instead of searching for it myself... If you are willing to do that, THANKS! If not, I can understand that too...

[Scott_M]

In my Mach manual it is covered breifly on page 4-14 section 4-12
Basically
on the ports and pin page "Inputs"tab The signal is "Index" tell it which port and which pin and weather it is high or low.
And on the spindle setup tab, in the special functions box check all 3 boxes.
That should be all that Mach needs.

Scott

[mcphill]

Originally Posted by Scott_M In my Mach manual it is covered breifly on page 4-14 section 4-12 Basically on the ports and pin page "Inputs"tab The signal is "Index" tell it which port and which pin and weather it is high or low. And on the spindle setup tab, in the special functions box check all 3 boxes. That should be all that Mach needs. Scott

Awesome - thanks for the roadmap!

[David Bord]

Scott, thanks for the reply... sorry for the delay.

It appears the axis's are not in like with the machines. It just may be the way Im looking with it, or do you do that conversion somewhere else?

David