[307startup]

I'll start the ball rolling...

(Besides a REAL PCNC Lathe)

I would love a shaper attachment! An honest to goodness horizontal option...That and a dedicated rotab/head for gear cutting...

Anyone else?

[compunerdy]

Coolant tank with gauge and oil skimmer.

[ez3022]

Multi-head coolant nozzles
level indicator for coolant
rigid tapping (not really an upgrade?)
slide out drawer for the coolant tank
electrically driven power draw bar

Mark

[R.DesJardin]

X3 on Coolant tank location/access improvements, oil skimmer.
Having the tank on drawer slides maybe, or just make it sit on the floor on a wheeled cart beside the machine.
Having a coolant level tube on the side would be nice too.
A check valve in the coolant line so the coolant doesn't all run out of the hose between tool changes.
Splash guard/enclosure.
??????

[BlueFin]

Software based spindle load sensor, when you mill a pocket the first cut is full width, then the other cuts are what you specify in CAM (I.E. 60% stepover). This would allow Mach3 to only push the 1/2" end mill hard enough to just start to bog the motor and then back off, when cutting with only half the end mill, increase the feed speed till the motor bogs again. Only useful with big end mills, but would be nice for all of the roughing work. A feed speed governor.

Tyson

[rowbare]

Software based spindle load sensor, when you mill a pocket the first cut is full width, then the other cuts are what you specify in CAM (I.E. 60% stepover). This would allow Mach3 to only push the 1/2" end mill hard enough to just start to bog the motor and then back off, when cutting with only half the end mill, increase the feed speed till the motor bogs again. Only useful with big end mills, but would be nice for all of the roughing work. A feed speed governor.

Tyson

That is an interesting idea. Do you know if that exists on any VMCs?
bob

[MichaelHenry]

A repair kit to seal the coolant leaks from the coolant tray.

Mike

[BlueFin]

That is an interesting idea. Do you know if that exists on any VMCs?
bob

I never heard of such a thing, but one time when I was making parts from bar stock in the vise I switched from the usual pre cut rectangles to the last piece from the bar that was too short for the bandsaw to have it match the others. I thought it wouldn't matter at all until the extra length caused a full width (1/2") cut at a speed I had set for the usual 50% cut. it slowed and then stalled the end mill while the table was still pushing into the cutter. It chipped a tooth on a 2 day old Niagra 3 flute cutter. I was bummed. All that because my raw stock was 1/4" longer than usual.

[twocik]

More HP
2nd the slide out tray for the coolant tank (great idea)
the larger tank (10 - 15 gallons)
Skimmer would be very nice
Oh and maybe a 3/4" arbor to hold the FM45° Glacern face mills

[compunerdy]

If you have the deluxe stand then you have plenty of room to stick a much larger coolant tank on the ground under it. This might be the way to go. Anyone know of a company that sells a tank setup for a skimmer, etc that would fit under there?

[Freddy Bastard]

-TTS tooling: 3/16 size for endmill set screw holders.
-TTS tooling:long reach endmill set screw holders.
-TTS tooling: shrink fit end mill holders.
-Mach3: be able to do a seach in your program. (ie: seach for next toolchange.)
-Toolchanger: To have a cheap option for toolchanger, (ie: tool tray toochanger on the table with the correct logic in mach3)
-A spindle lock for thoses with the drawbar.

[mayhugh1]

If you have the deluxe stand then you have plenty of room to stick a much larger coolant tank on the ground under it. This might be the way to go. Anyone know of a company that sells a tank setup for a skimmer, etc that would fit under there?

Here is a photo of one I did for my PCNC1100 several years ago. It is made from a $99(when on sale) kit (motor plus reservoir) from Enco. It sits in a home made cart and slides into the cabinet through the door I modified. Capacity is, if I remember correctly, 10 gal. Unfortunately I never could tame all the leaks in the cabinet and so I went with Micro-drop coolant instead. There are a number of other photos of mods I made to my machine over at the Tormach forum in a photo folder named "Mayhugh's Stuff." - Terry

[David Bord]

Here is a photo of one I did for my PCNC1100 several years ago. It is made from a $99(when on sale) kit (motor plus reservoir) from Enco. It sits in a home made cart and slides into the cabinet through the door I modified. Capacity is, if I remember correctly, 10 gal. Unfortunately I never could tame all the leaks in the cabinet and so I went with Micro-drop coolant instead. There are a number of other photos of mods I made to my machine over at the Tormach forum in a photo folder named "Mayhugh's Stuff." - Terry

I have the same one! Great setup and great price.

David

[twocik]

Here's one I've searched and couldn't find for the tormach. I don't have to time right now to make one, but in a heart beat would buy it. Does anyone know if they make a 90° spindle drive attachment ?

The drive would mount into the spindle and the housing around the tormach's nose. Not sure how much torque or spindle speed I'd lose, but think it would be worth it for multi flip PIA parts that we have no choice ...


Found this one, but looks to be a 5th axis, man that would be great !!






http://www.productionmachining.com/a...axis-cnc-mill2




.

[rwexec]

That is an interesting idea. Do you know if that exists on any VMCs?
bob

I ran a Toshiba VMC in the mid eightyies that had a G code for this.
The feed rate was governed by the spindle torque.
You could assign a maximum torque.
We were cutting cams from a disc which gave a varying cut depth due to the profile. As the cutter ramped into the part it would feed based on the torque setting ( faster) then as it reached the full cut it would max out the assigned value and continue until the torque started to drop again then would start to increase again.
Cool feature,gotta pay attention to your cutters though.

[rwexec]

Linear slides,
Lets get away from the gibs.

[Phishaholic]

Metal Way Covers for the Y & Z axis. Mine keeps popping off and collect tons of chips.

Larry O

[Cairns]

Metal Way Covers for the Y & Z axis. Mine keeps popping off and collect tons of chips.

Larry O

+1 There's got to be a better way.

[hall6ppc]

Software based spindle load sensor, when you mill a pocket the first cut is full width, then the other cuts are what you specify in CAM (I.E. 60% stepover). This would allow Mach3 to only push the 1/2" end mill hard enough to just start to bog the motor and then back off, when cutting with only half the end mill, increase the feed speed till the motor bogs again. Only useful with big end mills, but would be nice for all of the roughing work. A feed speed governor.

Tyson

The High Speed Pocketing toolpath from Volumill will do this . It's knows when the tool is taking a full width of cut and slows the feed rate down . If you go to there web site you can read more. I thinks it can be purchased as a add on for most Cad/Cam systems.

[Willyb]

(1) Metal Way Covers.
(2) Economy Probe & Tool Setter.
(3) Simple Tool Changer. (A few Tools on end of Mill Table)