Slant Pro 15L - Some more thoughts.

Hi Folks.

Some more thoughts on the Slant Pro in this video.

Please add your thoughts to this thread.


Cliff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rCwHyq80hE&t=55s

I'd agree with all of your conclusions Cliff.

A couple of questions, if you have the time:

1. How did you mount that blade-type parting tool in the turret? I have the older style turret and can't see a good way to mount a blade-type parting tool holder.
2. Are the X- and Z-axis zeroes repeatable when you reference the lathe? My late-2015 model lathe can be off by nearly 40 thou in X, somewhat less in Z. That means manually touching off on a master tool in X and Z every time there is power cycle or an E-stop., which is a bit of a PITA. My 2006 PCNC 1100 repeats to within a thou or so on all axes.

Like yourself I was willing to compromise for pretty much the same reasons as you point out but have been disappointed in some not so obvious compromises.

First & foremost I think it's a design mistake to push the saddle using a cantilever off to the side of it. You can't help to cock the saddle when pushing it this way. While setting up the machine this became obvious while monitoring Z motion. No matter how I adjusted the gibs I could not eliminate the jerking motion in Z. Tormach's response was to get the optional turret & the extra weight would help smooth out the motion. So this was not compromise I had expected & is very disappointing.

During my first few facing operations on some test AL I noticed that when the machine retracts in CSS mode to begin the next cut the spindle speed is still way to high. In fact, the spindle speed was still coasting down during the first half of the cut, then would start speeding up again as you move towards zero X. Tormach's response was the braking resistor must not be working or is not connected. After trouble shooting this myself I finally determined the resistor was wired correctly but the VFD is not programmed to enable the use of this resistor. Tormach then conceded this was done for some technical reason that did not make sense. After hacking the VFD programming I finally did get the CSS mode to work better by enabling use of the braking resistor, but, the VFD just does not have the capacity to slow down the spindle fast enough - especially when using the 3-jaw chuck. So this was another compromise I had not expected.

Finally, I get a lot of coolant splash between the catch basin & the reservoir resulting in coolant all over the floor. I finally added a plastic sock like so:

Attachment 418238

to help control this. Not a big problem but one of those little compromises...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MichaelHenry

I'd agree with all of your conclusions Cliff.

A couple of questions, if you have the time:

1. How did you mount that blade-type parting tool in the turret? I have the older style turret and can't see a good way to mount a blade-type parting tool holder.
2. Are the X- and Z-axis zeroes repeatable when you reference the lathe? My late-2015 model lathe can be off by nearly 40 thou in X, somewhat less in Z. That means manually touching off on a master tool in X and Z every time there is power cycle or an E-stop., which is a bit of a PITA. My 2006 PCNC 1100 repeats to within a thou or so on all axes.

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Hi Mike.


Thanks for your fedback - good to know I am not the only one!

1 I made a sort of 'T' section mounting block for the parting blades. But you can buy them - https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/Parting-Blocks.

2. Re ref accuracy. In that department my machine is a prototype and so it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this stage - you could try asking Tormach though.


Regards Cliff

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rdsi

Like yourself I was willing to compromise for pretty much the same reasons as you point out but have been disappointed in some not so obvious compromises.

First & foremost I think it's a design mistake to push the saddle using a cantilever off to the side of it. You can't help to cock the saddle when pushing it this way. While setting up the machine this became obvious while monitoring Z motion. No matter how I adjusted the gibs I could not eliminate the jerking motion in Z. Tormach's response was to get the optional turret & the extra weight would help smooth out the motion. So this was not compromise I had expected & is very disappointing.

During my first few facing operations on some test AL I noticed that when the machine retracts in CSS mode to begin the next cut the spindle speed is still way to high. In fact, the spindle speed was still coasting down during the first half of the cut, then would start speeding up again as you move towards zero X. Tormach's response was the braking resistor must not be working or is not connected. After trouble shooting this myself I finally determined the resistor was wired correctly but the VFD is not programmed to enable the use of this resistor. Tormach then conceded this was done for some technical reason that did not make sense. After hacking the VFD programming I finally did get the CSS mode to work better by enabling use of the braking resistor, but, the VFD just does not have the capacity to slow down the spindle fast enough - especially when using the 3-jaw chuck. So this was another compromise I had not expected.

Finally, I get a lot of coolant splash between the catch basin & the reservoir resulting in coolant all over the floor. I finally added a plastic sock like so:

https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...6&d=1555637644

to help control this. Not a big problem but one of those little compromises...

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Thanks for your feedback rdsi. Yes I dont like the cantilever leadscew design either - it really amazes me how well the weight of the turrent reduces the racking. Perhaps an unplanned for bonus, but I will take it!

Really the Z slideway is too short but is made this way because the bed is too short. A short slideway with an off centre leadscrew looks like it will rack - and you confirm it does. With the heavy turret, probably the bottom dovetail edge can be set slightly clear and the weight is enough alone to hold it in place. So the jam type racking is eliminated.

Thanks for the facing feedback - I have not done much large diameter facing so have not noticed that, or maybe the setup on my machine is better.


Re coolant on the floor - did you see my enclosure video fixes earler on this Slant Pro page?


Re your dissapointmets, I understand. I keep reminding myself that a fully resolved design takes years and mega $ ... and a lot of sales to get a return, and Tormach just dont have that - even Haas take several years and iterations to get the design fully resolved. Still, it is dissapointing I know.


Cliff

Dry coolant become sticky, now, I clean the limit switches before homing, solved my problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by keen

Re coolant on the floor - did you see my enclosure video fixes earler on this Slant Pro page?

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As always another great post. I fixed my post to show the picture of what I'm talking about. Since I don't have the turret I don't have the full enclosure but have added things to control coolant on the top side.

Anyway, I'm talking about coolant that drains from the machine into the coolant reservoir. Coolant tends to splash up and out of the reservoir box so the plastic skirt helps to control this. Here's another shot of what I did:

https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...d=418246&stc=1

I had thought about just putting a drip pan underneath but then you could not roll the reservoir out from the machine. The plastic & tape is just temporary until I can get some flexible material to mount permanently. I'll probably add some slits to the skirt to facilitate rolling the reservoir out.

While you're looking at that picture you might notice that I put the oil skimmer such that it draws out of the first chamber. Here is a better view of my installation:

https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...d=418248&stc=1

Tormach's installation instructions suggests putting it into the second chamber where the pump is mounted. Again, I think this is wrong since most of the tramp oil is trapped in the first chamber & is prevented from getting into the second chamber by the baffles between the chambers. Leaving oil in the first chamber is just inviting growth to occur. Things like this suggest to me that Tormach is lacking in the experience department

Good video and informative thread as always cliff.

RDSI, forgive me for being dense, but is the skimmer a new option from Tormach?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottDW

RDSI, forgive me for being dense, but is the skimmer a new option from Tormach?

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No, you're not ... It looks like Tormach no longer stocks it -Oil Skimmer Kit P/N 35244. This was a kit for the PCNC 1100, 770, 440 and the 15L Slant-PRO. The installation document TD10382 seems to have disappeared also - see attached.

The new kit seems to only support the 1100M & 770M however it looks the same: 39298 - Oil Skimmer Kit for 1100M and 770M

Anyway, you can buy the skimmer directly from the manufacturer here: Skimpy Oil Skimmers for less money.

Don't know why Tormach did this???

Thanks Cliff. I'm an idiot and just realized that the top separates from the blade holder, which should give access to the clamping screws on the OD turning/facing holders on the turret. With the top on, I couldn't see a way to get to the clamping screws.