[TommySteele]

need to buy tooling for VMC1000 bridgeport cnc but cant find out what it takes **Bt40 or cat 40. bought used machine with no tooling.. HELP

[machintek]

Does it have balls or a claw inside the spindle?
Balls = BT40. Claw = Cat40.

George

[Machineblues]

[mahintek] Are you talkin about the end of drawbar. I have not seen many bt-40 taper machine and would like to know.

[machintek]

I believe the retention knob in a BT40 drawbar has 3 balls in it that actually holds the tool in the spindle.
The cat40 has what is called a collet but to me is more like a claw.
So get a flashlight and give it a look.

George

[gus]

toolchanger fingers are different cat vs bt, so if you one of the other you can check

[Machineblues]

Thanks

[KevinV_MEI]

You need to first find the tag on the machine. It should be by the door around the back left side of the machine. The groove on the tool holder is in different locations for the tool changer. Cat40 is in the center of the flange, BT is offset. You can run one or the other if you have the correct retention knob but you'll have to do tool changes manually and not use the carousel.

Then you need to find the correct retention knob. Not too hard, It's either the same one for a Haas if Cat 40 (shars.com - CAT 40 5811 45 Pull Stud Retention Knob for Haas Kitamura Miyano) or this p/n 202-5923 on the same web site.

Good luck

[TommySteele]

Thanks Machintex you have been very helpful