New Tormach Owner - Video Series

[tikka308]

Hi folks - I'm a new Tormach owner and I've started a video series documenting my purchase, installation and (in the future) use of the mill. No hidden agenda - I just enjoy my home machining endeavors and it's fun to share them with others. I end up learning a lot when viewers point out mistakes or offer advice and hopefully folks can learn something from what I do.

I've got 5 chapters up already which include details on the purchase, prepping the room and delivery of the UPS packages (TTS, controller, etc). The actual mill arrives tomorrow!

Video's can be seen here: YouTube - saunixcomp's Channel

[Magnum164]

Congrats on your purchase, I have seen your site a few times. I will view the videos later, can't access at work.

So which Tormach did you end up with the 1100?

[tikka308]

Yes, went with the 1100. "Deluxe" stand (which most folks seem to opt for), TTS tool set, power draw bar, Alibre CAD, SprutCAM.

[twocik]

Welcome and congratulations on your purchase. Seen a few of your videos on YT before pretty cool, stepping it up huh... Hope you have a few people to help you out, it's pretty heavy man ! One thing not to forget and what others here have passed on to me is make sure you silicone in between the table and stainless plate cover, avoid wetting the X limit switch.

Oh get ready to want more tool holders, I have over 40 now.


You'll love this machine !

[tikka308]

Holy smokes - 40 toolholders? Set-screw or ER20's?

Any recommendations for an aluminum and/or steel (low carbon) roughing end mill? If not, I'll probably go OSG or Putnam

Re: wetting the x-limit switch - does this mean never get it wet (e.g. watch out with flood coolant) or is there a preventative measure I can/should take?

[twocik]

Ha no I meant in all. I have a 36 TTS setup with 4 empties just in case. I've set my table up in this order - TTS indicator, face mill, spot drills/chamfer, drills, taps, then roughing, onto finishing, last splitting saw and boring bar. It's how I would go thru a normal part in proper order, works out great.

Just added the probe to my collection, love this thing so far. I don't like resetting the tool height with the products I'm making, throws things off and slows things down having to go back in to reset things, would rather buy more tool holders.


PDB is next on my list !! What size compressor are thinking of going with ?







"Any recommendations for an aluminum and/or steel (low carbon) roughing end mill? If not, I'll probably go OSG or Putnam"


Believe it not I'm actually having great success with a cheap HSS enco 4 flute tin end mill. Now for deeper cutting, harder feeds I'm using a promax 3 flute rough/finish solid carbide end mill and has taken a beating with no sign of weakness. As for end mills I'd say promax, niagra, merlin, harvey tools, onsrud are some of my favs. I've spent a bunch of money testing product after product and these are the ones I'm sticking with.






"Re: wetting the x-limit switch - does this mean never get it wet (e.g. watch out with flood coolant) or is there a preventative measure I can/should take?"


Yes keep the coolant away. The switches look to have some sort of coat on them, but I'd still silicone it up. It takes 2 mins

[tikka308]

I've got a small 8 gallon, 1.5 HP which puts off 4.5CFM at 100 PSI. Hopefully that will work for now. Plan is to get a 60 or 80 gallon which puts out 18CFM at 100 PSI; it might be overkill for now, but I've never heard anyone claim that that bought too large of an air compressor...

[Don Clement]

I've never heard anyone claim that that bought too large of an air compressor...

How about one that is too loud? I am relocating my 80 gallon 5hp compressor 30 ft further to inside a Tuff Shed. The two stage piston AC is Too loud however a quiter type rotary screw compressor is at least $6K. Easier to run 220V and copper air lines under ground to the Tuff Shed.

Don

[tikka308]

I 'hear' ya there. It's my understanding that it's all about the pump RPM. Most of the cheap, loud ones run at 1,750 rpm. I've got a CastAir 1.5hp model which runs at 990 RPM and it's very quiet; it's easy to be in a room and talk while it's running.

How about one that is too loud? I am relocating my 80 gallon 5hp compressor 30 ft further to inside a Tuff Shed. The two stage piston AC is Too loud however a quiter type rotary screw compressor is at least $6K. Easier to run 220V and copper air lines under ground to the Tuff Shed.

Don

[benji2505]

hey,

'just took a look at your garage - how high is it? Might be a tight fit when you lift that puppy onto the stand. Think about lifting it on the stand outside of the garage and then drive the complete set into the garage. - Just another useless thought that crossed my mind

benji

[BlueFin]

Any recommendations for an aluminum and/or steel (low carbon) roughing end mill? If not, I'll probably go OSG or Putnam

Re: wetting the x-limit switch - does this mean never get it wet (e.g. watch out with flood coolant) or is there a preventative measure I can/should take?

I use the Niagara cutter 3 flute line and for small end mills the Atrax carbides work well. My "real machinist" friend only uses OSG and swears by them. I think he said Putnam end mills were poor.

Never, ever, ever get your limit switches wet, it will seem ok for a while, then one day a quick hit of the REF ALL sends you running back across the shop to stop the thing as it sounds like a cement mixer falling down a flight of stairs. Also loosen the bottom screws on the little cover for the Y axis switch, that box will somehow fill up with flood coolant and ruin the switch. And loosen the cover and check the inside of the X axis square box that the X motor bolts onto. It can fill up with coolant and wreck the stepper motor.

In one of your videos you mention that you might not use coolant but rather use one of those mister things. I tried a mister at first, but the Tormach with a good 1/2" end mill cutting a pocket will produce a LOT of chips fast, I need to run the coolant wide open like a fire hose to keep the cuttter clear.

[Magnum164]

I 'hear' ya there. It's my understanding that it's all about the pump RPM. Most of the cheap, loud ones run at 1,750 rpm. I've got a CastAir 1.5hp model which runs at 990 RPM and it's very quiet; it's easy to be in a room and talk while it's running.

I used to have one power by a Briggs & Stratton 5HP engine. Talk about loud! And that was back when I was working on cars in my younger years. Not sure of capacity but we never ran out of air