[replicapro]

Do these exsist for making your own tool change table.

Im looking for a collet that allows you to mount multiple endmills on the side of your table and simply have the software tell the mill to go over, drop of one endmill and pick up another.

So I guess its got to have a spring loaded release and pick up mechanism.

Any one know where to get one?

[Ken_Shea]

replicapro,
It is a big world so I will not say there are none but I have never found them.
It is one thing to design a machine to incorporate a ATC and quite another to retro fit one that is not designed for it. There is just nothing with the manual BP knee mill type that lends itself to a ATC without a serious amount of re-engineering and expense.

Ken

[ViperTX]

Look at the Tormach stuff....

[cadman]

Yes, there is a quick change collet system for R8 spindles, like those on Bridgeports. I used to have it but don't remember who made it. The receiver had an R8 shank and stayed in the spindle. You turned a spring loaded collar by hand to insert the collets. It wasn't rigid enough to do heavy milling but it could do the job and back then I belive it was the only system available. Do a Google search, they still make them.

CM

[kaloalex]

I've been searching along the same lines lately. I suspect this is what the alst poster is referring to:

http://www.hightechsystemsllc.com/in...es/Page837.htm

Also, on the slightly more expensive but also more rigid side of life:

http://www.tormach.com/Product_TTS.html



Now all I need to do is figure out how to change my Taig spindle to an R8.
Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Kalo

[roonster71]

I think you were talking about this ???http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/machine...ickchange.html

[Ken_Shea]

I really like the unit shown on the angelfire site roonster71, this apperars to be about as close to what replicapro was referring to as he may get, however, replicapro was asking about a R8 QCT but his discription is that of a ATC which I still maintain is unavailable.

Ken

[JFettig]

Here is something I started working on,
I just used the taper from the r8, added a retention lug, I made a slip in peice that has the clamping thing(not quite complete, awaiting a few holes for the ball bearings) so basicly this would use belleville washers under the drawbar holding the clamp up, push down on it, slip in tool and release. Just like you see on the big machines

I do not have a picture of the slip in lug retention assembly. basicly its a peic that threads onto the drawbar and another sleve that slides over it and into the spindle(hopefully around the key) They have a spring on them to keep them apart and up inside the spindle at all times.
This is all my design, as I was searching around, I found a very similar setup on another website which I do not have the url. They had 3/4" end mill holders for theirs so it sounds like they can potentially take the load.

Jon

[austin.mn]

hows the system comming along? i recently stumbled across this site: www.hightechsystemsllc.com i was hoping to find someone that has any experience with it. i want to replace the porter cable router on my machine with a minimill head and build a tool changer for it. i just can't stand listening to the constant whine from the router any longer. :cheers:

[JFettig]

I havent had a lot of time to work on it, I need to make a new drawbar for my machine to get it fully working. I did make he retention mechanism and got the tool poping in and out without a problem, I should get a set screw in the holder and try milling something with and see if it works well.

I think this summer, I might work on it a little more, especially if I get my new mill I want to get.

That hightechsystem setup looks pretty nice, I dont know how much it would be able to handle, but if your just using it on a router, it would probably work just fine. The only thing I could see being an issue is the quality of the tool holders, but again as long as they dont have much runout, for a router they might be fine.


Jon

[unterhaus]

I think you were talking about this ???http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/machine...ickchange.html

that system looks identical to the one that accu-rite uses on the millpwr

there was the BTC Bridgeport that used bt35 (I'm starting to make things up here) and had a tool changer. There is a btc clubhouse under the hardinge bridgeport forum.