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Please forgive a Grizzly SX3 user intruding on the Tormach forum, but I thought you guys might like to watch this. I'm using my Mill/Drill as a lathe to cut TTS-style toolholders from 1-1/2" diameter drill rod. Cost was a little under $5 each, and they are a fun project to make.
I recognize the value of the genuine Tormach holders - I own several; but with my homebrew pneumatic drawbar I found I wanted every tool I own in a 3/4" shank holder. I'd go broke buying the real deal, so for the non-critical stuff I make my own.
You PCNC owners ought to be able to make them just like I did, using an R8-mounted 3-jaw chuck and a lathe tool in the milling vise. If nothing else, it's a lot of fun to watch.
Hope you enjoy these.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2w8cYXt5_o"]YouTube - Tormach TTS-Style Toolholders on the SX3 Part 1[/nomedia]
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-cAnQqpXs0"]YouTube - Tormach TTS-Style Toolholders on the SX3 Part 2[/nomedia]
Very nice work I am waiting on a new collet holder for our mazak lathe to make some of my own I have bought them but want larger sizes and the current collet set we have in our quick turn will only do one ops otherwise can be off as far as .002 thats just to far. Good job.
Very nice videos. I have made a few TTS holders for special purposes. I made mine on the lathe.
However, I noticed that you didn't cut the relief on the shoulder that is one of the main features of the TTS system. The relief allows the holder to reference the spindle face for repeatable Z positioning.
Len <><
Thanks for the comments.
You're right, I haven't bothered with the relief in the shoulder because it isn't easy to cut without an adjustment in the tool angle or using an entirely different tool. I find that I don't use that feature anyway - I just use the Mach3 Z-finder macros to set the Z axis with whatever tool I'm using at the moment. I'm sure others have a different workflow, and the repeatable tool registration feature is probably essential to them; but for me it was an extra step in cutting that I didn't use anyway.
I have a lathe, but it isn't CNC at the moment, so I found it easier to cut these holders on the mill. During the course of making this video, I made a dozen holders in about 4 hours for a total outlay of about $55. There are times when I really enjoy manually cutting metal on the mill or the lathe, but this was one time when I could really appreciate the benefits of automation.
Nice video!
I've done many TTS holder like this, it's cheap and you can do the style you want. I would not use a reamer for the tool fit, but use a boring bar. I've buy a very small boring bar from harvey tool to make 1/8 shrink fit holders (they are my favorites holders...).
How do you like your Grizzly sx3? I plan to buy one (not CNC).
Are you by any chance willing to share your Gcode?
Can you give some specifics on the 3-jaw chuck you are using - more specifically the insert that goes in to the spindle?
Freddy Bastard:
Nice points - I think I'll try a boring bar sometime and see if it gives me a better tool hole. I also like the idea of shrink fit, particularly for things like spot drills and drill bits. I've got a dedicated toolholder for a #7 bit for 1/4-20 tapping, and a shrink fit might hold better than a setscrew. How much do you allow for expansion/contraction? Say, for a .250 hole, how much would you undersize it to make for the best fit?
As for my SX3, I love it! I moved up from an X2 mini-mill which was in most cases underpowered and under-travelled for me; but I didn't have the space or the money (or frankly the need) for something like a Tormach. So the SX3 is just about right. I like the SX3 over the X3 because of the belt drive and the electronic spindle control and speed display, but I've never used the tapping feature and I removed the Z DRO. The stock SX3 doesn't allow for spindle speed control under CNC, although I have modified it to allow start and stop; and I am considering replacing the motor/controller with something more Mach3 friendly.
I don't know how much I'd like it without CNC, though. Even if I didn't CNC the whole mill, I would definitely do the Z axis. I can't imagine cranking that head up and down. I have a two-way toggle switch mounted right up with the switch for the pneumatic drawbar to jog up and down, and I use it ALL the time. No way I would ever go back to hand cranking the Z. I used the kit from CNCFusion to convert mine - I'll bet you could talk Michael into just selling you the Z axis parts (ballscrew, timing pulleys/belt, and motor mount) and either drive it with a stepper under the free version of Mach3, or even a geared DC motor with a reversing switch.
McPhill:
Here is a link to a chuck on Ebay that is exactly like the one I got:
R8 SHANK 4" SELF CENTER 3 JAW SCROLL CHUCK LATHE .001 - eBay (item 260429579109 end time Dec-07-10 13:33:38 PST)
I don't remember paying that much ($110) for it - I think it was closer to about $70 - but it works great in any R8 spindle (including the PCNC I would expect).
I presume the insert you are talking about is the Tormach TTS special R8 collet:
Tormach Tooling System - Miscellaneous Tools | Tormach | We provide personal small CNC machines, CNC tooling, and many more CNC items
This isn't required for the lathe chuck - it mounts directly into the R8 spindle. But I used the to mount the holder after I had cut the 3/4" shank (and for all other TTS tools).
You're welcome to the GCode - Ordinarily GCode is so tool dependent that it's hard to share. But in this case, all you need to do it locate to tool to the bottom and the outside of the stock, and set your X and Z zeros, and it should cut fine on any machine.
Dave,
JTS Machinery has a 3" R8 Chuck for $70.00
r8 chuck items - Get great deals on DRILL CHUCKS items on eBay Stores!
Jeff...
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
devers6, I would say .0005" max.
Fantastic video and great production! I know how long it takes to create videos like that. Your effort is appreciated, Tormach or not.
David
With no relief your tools are not really TTS because they don't have the double contact characteristic of a TTS holder. I have made several TTS holders and always include the relief. I mount the completed TTS holder in a ¾” 5C collet on my lathe and take a final facing cut on the side that contacts the spindle nose to insure the ring with the relief is perpendicular. Here is an example of a modified TTS ring with relief for an insert thread milling tool: http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...cationrear.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...dification.jpg
Don
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