[MFchief]

Got an email today, the new 8L lathe is for sale now. Base p[rice $6500 with packages going to $10000.

Terry

[Spinnetti]

That one caught me by surprise. Looks nice, but suspiciously like some of the existing chinese stuff. Couldn't quite bring myself to spend on the bigger one for the limited needs I have, but this might be just the ticket if the details are good.

There are NO pictures of the construction and details of this thing. Are there any out there? Looks like its NOT purpose designed like the bigger one, but just a mini-lathe in an enclosure?

I don't see a collet closer or bar puller even as options - critical for actually making a bunch of little parts.

[soofle616]

The price and size of this thing definitely have my mind going. Problem is getting past the idea of a rapid turn in my mill though. Most of the same capabilities, much less money, way less space to store it when not in use. If I were in the market for a proper lathe though, the 8l would definitely win over the 15.

[MFchief]

I saw somewhere on the website that they have an automatic 5C collet closer "coming soon".

I like a lot of thing about it, but the max work length seems awfully short, even for a mini lathe. I suppose most CNC lathe work isn't done on long shafts and such, but I wish they had pushed it out to 20" or so.

Terry

[MichaelHenry]

It has a 1-1/2 HP motor, which substantially more than the mini-lathes that I've seen.

[shred]

I saw somewhere on the website that they have an automatic 5C collet closer "coming soon".

I like a lot of thing about it, but the max work length seems awfully short, even for a mini lathe. I suppose most CNC lathe work isn't done on long shafts and such, but I wish they had pushed it out to 20" or so.

Terry

It has about the same length the SL15 has, although I agree for a toolpost lathe that's aimed at hobby work, some more length would be nice.

Adding a 5C air-closer is calling up Dunham and figuring out how to bolt it to the back of the spindle.. The air-closer code is already in PP for the SL15. Without a bar puller, all it does is speed up manual stock changes which might not be all that important to many customers..

[soofle616]

It has about the same length the SL15 has, although I agree for a toolpost lathe that's aimed at hobby work, some more length would be nice.

Adding a 5C air-closer is calling up Dunham and figuring out how to bolt it to the back of the spindle.. The air-closer code is already in PP for the SL15. Without a bar puller, all it does is speed up manual stock changes which might not be all that important to many customers..

I'm no lathe guy, but I've seen a bar puller made from nothing more than a toolholder and a piece of appropriately shaped material. The arrangement requires that a small groove be cut in the stock after parting off the last piece. The "puller" then hooks into the groove and pulls the material to advance it. It's not terribly precise but following the pulling with a facing operation to clean off the groove gives you a precise 0 to start the next cycle.

[shred]

I'm no lathe guy, but I've seen a bar puller made from nothing more than a toolholder and a piece of appropriately shaped material. The arrangement requires that a small groove be cut in the stock after parting off the last piece. The "puller" then hooks into the groove and pulls the material to advance it. It's not terribly precise but following the pulling with a facing operation to clean off the groove gives you a precise 0 to start the next cycle.

Yeah, there's lots of ways to pull stock, but with the 8N, unless you make up a gang tool block, you'd have to remove the tool in the toolpost to install the puller, do the pull, remove the puller, install the tool for the first op into the toolpost and then start.

Somebody will do that work no doubt, but a lot of the customers are just going to drive the first tool to Z-zero and pull the stock up to it manually or use one of the sliding-gauge things.

I see most people using this mostly for one-offs and small batches where changing tools and resetting stock isn't a big deal.

[mountaindew]

I see most people using this mostly for one-offs and small batches where changing tools and resetting stock isn't a big deal.

The peddle operated collet would be like a pdb is on a mill. Make stock change fast anyway!

If the part is small enough and small form factor tools and gang plate setup. I dont see why you cant squeeze it in. I could see doing a custom dedicated small gang plate riser to hold 3-4 small tools. it would need to work inside that 4.5" of travel. A small enough part and with experience. I bet you could get a full automated gang setup going. Even make a series of custom gang risers blocks that are optimized in shape and tools for the parts your doing. Switch collet, gang plate and program and away you go. Just some ideas to consider. In short you not going to get to many cxa tools in that work space

[shred]

The peddle operated collet would be like a pdb is on a mill. Make stock change fast anyway!

If the part is small enough and small form factor tools and gang plate setup. I dont see why you cant squeeze it in. I could see doing a custom dedicated small gang plate riser to hold 3-4 small tools. it would need to work inside that 4.5" of travel. A small enough part and with experience. I bet you could get a full automated gang setup going. Even make a series of custom gang risers blocks that are optimized in shape and tools for the parts your doing. Switch collet, gang plate and program and away you go. Just some ideas to consider. In short you not going to get to many cxa tools in that work space

Yeah, it's doable, but I'm not sure how many Tormach customers are going to want to do it with this machine, which maybe why they haven't announced anything. A production shop is probably going to look at a SL15 or something more industrial like a GT27 or CL-1 and so on. That said, Taig makes a little 5C gang-tool lathe setup on their CNC mill base. Short parts only, but lots of X, so somebody seems into the idea.

I think tool clearance to the spindle is going to be a concern on the 8L with gang tools and limited X travel. I already see it on my Yellinized SL15. If you work close to the spindle, you have to be careful not to crash the tools you aren't using into it (he had a 5C chuck as well to get more clearance for that sort of thing).

If I got an 8L, I'd probably leave it with a toolpost and put a lever-closer on it like an old chucker. I don't do much production work, but do prototypes with curves, odd threads and angles all the time. YMMV..
.

[jwatte]

Short parts only, but lots of X

So, a disc brake rotor truer then? :-D

[mountaindew]

Yeah, it's doable, but I'm not sure how many Tormach customers are going to want to do it with this machine, which maybe why they haven't announced anything. A production shop is probably going to look at a SL15 or something more industrial like a GT27 or CL-1 and so on. That said, Taig makes a little 5C gang-tool lathe setup on their CNC mill base. Short parts only, but lots of X, so somebody seems into the idea.

I think tool clearance to the spindle is going to be a concern on the 8L with gang tools and limited X travel. I already see it on my Yellinized SL15. If you work close to the spindle, you have to be careful not to crash the tools you aren't using into it (he had a 5C chuck as well to get more clearance for that sort of thing).

If I got an 8L, I'd probably leave it with a toolpost and put a lever-closer on it like an old chucker. I don't do much production work, but do prototypes with curves, odd threads and angles all the time. YMMV..
.

I agree! I dont do production.
I ordered one because imho this is a perfect size system to get results from. The machine is 1" smaller footprint then the manual lathe i use now. Manual tool changes are part of my work flow anyway with mill and router so no big deal on lathe. I waited to long to buy a sbl15 and the cost just went above what I wanted to spend for a cnc lathe. Didnt want to make that mistake again. Just bite the bullet and do it and then use it! If I do see a need for production then I can sell and buy bigger system .
But get it making parts and get good use out of this one first!
As t-step would say it is a solution in need of a problem at this point.