Tombstone tailstock designs

[snipepod]

Hello, I purchases a HAAS 5c fourth axis form my MM2. I want to build 4 sided tombstone about 6-9 inches in length, 3-4" square. I will need to build a tail-stock for support. I will be holding material/parts with mitebite pitbull clamps. I have seen several tails stock designs but none of them look like they allow quick removal of the tombstone so that the operator can remove parts and place more material in the tombstone on a workbench. Most I have seen look like the operator does the material/part swapping inside the mill. Does anyone have pictures of quick disconnect, bearing designed tombstone tailstock? Or is it better to just work on the pitbull clamps inside the machine?

Thanks in advance

[Geof]

I have never seen a quick release tailstock such as you are suggesting.

I have made many HRT210 mounted "horizontal tombstones" that are used in production work on our Haas machines. They are not really tombstones but are rotating carriers that accept removable fixtures that hold several parts; one fixture is reloaded on the bench while one is machining on the carrier.

Our parts are too large to load multiple sides of the fixtures but for small parts you could load three sides of a tombstone-like fixture that attaches to the carrier on the fourth side.

I have started several threads showing my stuff, you can get a list by clicking my name and going to my info page.

[snipepod]

Thanks Geof.

I have viewed several of your 4th axis tombstone designs in the forums. They are the best that I have seen, and have given me thoughts on how to proceed.


With the mitee-bite pitbull hold down clamps, working inside the MM2 will be pretty quick and painless.

But it would be better to have a tombstone rotation so I could pre-stage the second tombstone with material on the bench. At the end of cycle, swap the finished parts/tombstone with the raw material/tombstone and hit cycle start. Then remove the finished parts on the bench and restock it with raw material. Could keep the MM2 busier.

If I come up with something, I will pass it along.

[Shotout]

If you mount everything to plate you could make the entire tailstock removable with the tombstone and use ball lock pins to locate it and lock it in.
Link to ball lock components here

Thanks Geof.

I have viewed several of your 4th axis tombstone designs in the forums. They are the best that I have seen, and have given me thoughts on how to proceed.


With the mitee-bite pitbull hold down clamps, working inside the MM2 will be pretty quick and painless.

But it would be better to have a tombstone rotation so I could pre-stage the second tombstone with material on the bench. At the end of cycle, swap the finished parts/tombstone with the raw material/tombstone and hit cycle start. Then remove the finished parts on the bench and restock it with raw material. Could keep the MM2 busier.

If I come up with something, I will pass it along.

[Geof]

If you mount everything to plate you could make the entire tailstock removable with the tombstone.....

There's an idea.

You would need to figure out some quick release system attaching the tombstone to the rotary; maybe a chuck would work but that would probably increase your length too much.

Weight would also be an issue but if the tombstone alone is heavy enough to need a hoist then adding the mounting plate and tailstock does not alter things much.

I heartily endorse the advantage of bench loading. We have several machines which run cycle times of around 35 minutes processing multiple parts, swapping a new load into the machine takes maybe a minute then the benchtop reloading is done 'for free'. That coupled with being able to perform operations on three sides of the parts has enormously improved our productivity.

[fuzzyracing1967]

This works very nice for one of are parts. A Plate mounted to the face of indexer ( hrt210) 4 pins protruding out with tapered ends locate and drive the tombstone. Tombstone made with 4 holes in end to locate on indexer,the pins are just short enough that when the live center is backed out fully the tombstone can be taken off and on.The live center when tightened holds the tombstone on . Warning must be light maching or could cause problems, are job is in a plastic,so no real heavy loads.