[dwalsh62]

Well, I just assembled the first five of my new BT15 ATC spindle.

Specifications:

• Tool Holder size ISO15 or BT15 with 15deg retention knob.
• Body - 60mm OD.
• Bolt pattern - 8 x M4 on 70mm DIA
• Flange - 80mm OD.
• RPM - 6,000, 8,000, 12,000, 15,000.
• Petal-Clamp, black nitride coated.
• BelleVille Disc Springs 225lbs to 350lbs (as required).
• Run-Out - 0.0005in or better (ISO specifications allow 0.0008in).
• User replaceable bearings.
• Weight - 2KG (4.5lbs)

I did some checking and this is what I came up with, BT30 price is $2870.00 plus shipping, BT25 price is $2384.00 plus shipping, BT20 price is $1842.00 plus shipping, I couldn't find anything for a BT15 so I guess I'm the first to offer it.

If I follow this convention the BT15 would come in around $1375.00 plus shipping so I'm thinking $800.00 plus shipping is a reasonable price (excluding the 15,000RPM due to cost of ceramic bearings).

This is something I will be producing and selling myself so it should be available for quite some time.

I've attached pictures of one spindle and a handful of the petal clamps so you can see what's inside and one showing the tool holders.

Added a picture of an assembled spindle, I didn't shorten this shaft because the purchaser may require a 1.000in belt instead of the 0.375in belt.

Added a picture of a sherline mill head with ISO15 ATC Spindle conversion kit installed and another spindle cartridge with dual pulleys.

[asuratman]

You better put your spindle price here, so that it will attract many people here include me. Just like business as usual. I am afraid to email you if I do not buy it. Do you plan to make a lot of them ? This is a nice spindle.

[dwalsh62]

You better put your spindle price here, so that it will attract many people here include me. Just like business as usual. I am afraid to email you if I do not buy it. Do you plan to make a lot of them ? This is a nice spindle.

I've got 25 of them right now, 17 are currently assembled and most are already sold.

Price added to first post.

[BobWarfield]

Extremely cool, dwalsh!

Best,

BW

[dwalsh62]

You better put your spindle price here, so that it will attract many people here include me. Just like business as usual. I am afraid to email you if I do not buy it. Do you plan to make a lot of them ? This is a nice spindle.

To bad you were afraid to contact me, you might have gotten it for less than the listed price.

I will probably produce this for quite some time, volume is good right now, as numbers drop the price will go up so for now the listed price is what it is.

If some people are not comfortable buying from me it's OK, it will probably be available from some online vendors in the next few months, of course it will be significantly higher priced since my price is not retail pricing.

[dwalsh62]

Based on the question in PM's and e-mails I've received I guess a more defined price list is in order to avoid frivolous/repeat questions.

PRICE:

• 6,000RPM = $800.00 (P6/V1 - steel)
• 8,000RPM = $875.00 (P5/V3 - steel) (most popular so far)
• 12,000RPM = $950.00 (P4/V3 - steel)
• 15,000RPM = $1075.00 (C7/V5 - ceramic bearings, rated at higher RPM but I can only test to 15,000)

[dwalsh62]

Due to the number of inquiries regarding information related to assembly and bearings, here's a generic image of the assembled spindle cartridge, all bearing are P5 rated.

[dwalsh62]

Here is the assembly drawing for the HSD-HD spindle.

FEATURES:

High Torque.
Supports 3.7KW (5HP) motor.
24,000 RPM with steel bearings / 40,000 RPM with ceramic bearings.
HTD 32-5M-20F pulley (for 3/4in or 20mm wide belt).
1/8th BSPT for blow-out port.
Adjustable bearing preload.
User serviceable.

Cost is $1,500.00 / $1,900.00

[dwalsh62]

For those thinking about inquiring if they can purchase the spindle body, this is not an available option and if you're already considering making your own shaft you might as well make the body.

I might consider selling the petal-clamps as sufficient stock is available and it has significant advantaged over a finger-clamp.

The travel from open to closed is 0.61mm where a finger-clamp must travel 2.5981mm (minimum) from open to closed and the coarse stroke after closing is 2.5mm to 5mm depending on the design (a finger-clamp will be around 7.5mm total stroke to lock-up, the petal-clamp 3.1mm to lockup).

Please do your own research, I don't have the time to do it for you and designing a turnkey ATC solution for you involves more time that I have and you would do better to start a thread asking for help and get better results than asking me.

[dwalsh62]

Here's the assembly drawing, the price isn't cheap but if you need the features it's the one for you.

It sports a 16mm tail-shaft and HTD-32-5M-20F pulley, rear bearing isolation and adjustable preload, adjustable front beairng preload, ceramic bearings, internally sealed, coolant through spindle, drawbar dampener, positive drawbar stop, drawbar seals, 377lbs BelleVille Disc Springs, 40,000RPM and is user serviceable.

Cost is $3,400.00.

[dwalsh62]

I just got offered a deal for some really good NTN angular contact bearings, speed 60,000RPM, 25deg contact angle, sealed, 700xCD/P42 and 790xCD/P42 for the dealer cost of 30,000RPM (29,700RPM) bearings, of course I have to buy several hundred of each size but since I use angular contact bearings a lot, it makes sense to have the inventory rather than ordering them every couple of weeks if I'm going to produce this spindle.

Before you ask, P42 (JIS class 4 dimensional accuracy and JIS class 2 running accuracy) is a hybrid ceramic utilizing high speed grease with a V4 or better rating.

At this time, it makes no sense not to use these bearing in the spindle because it reduces the cost, no fancy shaft seals are needed, only a felt wiper to prevent debris from entering the bearing area in the nose.

The 2600 Series spindle is almost the same as the previous posted pic of the 40,000RPM capable spindle but it sports a 25mm rear shaft, keyway for the pulley, has air blow-out, total height is about 230mm, body OD is 65mm, body length is 157.5mm, the disc springs are internal (I had to increase body and shaft length by 40mm to hide the 120mm free height of disc springs) and looks more like a typical spindle cartridge and it's fully user serviceable.

It doesn't include the coolant through spindle valve, seals and gate because the ones I have are for 60mm/34mm (OD/ID) body and this body is 65mm/42mm so it doesn't fit.

I'd spend the time making a new gate if it was economical but this spindle doesn't have a sealed drawbar so just adding the valve and gate isn't enough, you need some special seals and the ones for a 25mm shaft aren't cheap at $117.00 factory cost per set (ID and OD seals).

Someone suggested looking at a NIPPON auto AC compressor because it has a similar style positive pressure seal for the shaft but these were small ID and I couldn't find one with a 28mm ID or even larger than 18mm so I gave up on them.

The deal I was offered on bearings drops the price considerably and while I wont balance it for high RPM to further reduce the purchase price, the user can have it balanced for 60,000RPM if he has the need for speed and it's a financial solution that fits the majority of users budget at $1699.00 with 10 tool holders and matching air-cylinder.

Of course if there isn't sufficient interest in this product I don't have to produce it but it does pack a big bang for the buck and I think it's reasonably priced considering you get everything needed but collets, motor and air-source.

Attached is a generic facsimile of the assembled product, I should have 25 fully functional units in about 26 days or less so if you want one, now is the time to contact me by e-mail with a subject of "2600 Series Spindle".

[dwalsh62]

Sorry guys but I have to limit spindle quantity to 2pcs, I have quite a large list of people who want them and I can't be forcing them to wait because you want 5 or more pieces and I can barely keep up with the production schedule as it is.

[dwalsh62]

Several have asked for a photo of the inside (shaft assembly) of the updated spindle cartridge because I told them there are design changes so I took a moment, broke it down and snapped one.

The second shaft is an ISO15 shaft, it doesn't have the dogs so spindle orientation isn't required for tool changing.

The BellVille Disc Springs (100 of them) are inside the shaft with a pressure of 370lbs, the rear bearings are floating with constant preload compensation by wave springs, the bearings are 20deg angular contact with dual rubber seals rated P42 (P4 rated with P2 tolerances) and this spindle has all the features that a larger spindle cartridge has.

Gross petal-clamp/drawbar travel is 0.275in (7mm), max travel to knock/lock a tool holder is 0.118in (3mm), I have this one adjusted for 0.078mm (1.98mm).

The air cylinder delivers more force than required to ensure positive action/reaction and the belt and pulleys are standard HTD-5M.

The body has increased in DIA by 5mm to 65mm and the body length has increased by 20mm to 141,5mm to allow for bearing relocation and preload compensation wave springs.

Hopefully this is enough to satisfy those wanting to see what's inside.

While more costly to produce due to the expensive bearings and additional machining and tighter tolerances, the only advantage here is internal springs are self-centering and this helps to reduce imbalance conditions created from shifting.

The previous style with external disc springs is still available for those budget-minded, if you examine and price out the bearings you will see that there is over $700.00 in bearings in this spindle so obviously it isn't selling for $850.00.

I may offer an inexpensive version of this spindle using cheaper P5 bearings that should meet most hobbyists needs but if you want to do some serious work then you need a serious spindle.

I guess next on my list of "ToDo's" is ISO20/BT20 which will round out my available spindle cartridges to include ISO15/BT15, ISO20/BT20 and BT30.

[dwalsh62]

Here's a picture of the assembled new designed BT15.

Disc springs are internal, air blow-out, 15,000RPM.

This cartridge makes it easy to implement for those seeking a serious ATC spindle solution.

Now in the works is a BT20 spindle based on the same design.

[TOTALLYRC]

Very nice.

Mike

[dwalsh62]

This is my idea of a sherline mill on steroids.

This one is made from cast iron (HT210 or HT250 for production pours) for rigidity and weighs about 75lbs (the sherline only weighs 32lbs).

If there is sufficient interest (at least 10 people want one), I can have the factory pour some iron, would take about 60 days, cost would be about $800.00 and would include the drip/chip tray, motor and controller (basically what you see in the picture).

Column tilts left/right and converting to CNC should be fairly easy/simple based on the material and design.

[TOTALLYRC]

What are the approximate travels?

Mike

[dwalsh62]

What are the approximate travels?

Mike

If you look closely, it resembles a Sherline Mill in size and shape but made of cast iron instead of aluminum for greater rigidity so the travels would be pretty much the same.

[dwalsh62]

My associates have been busy, this will be available in ISO15/BT15 and ISO20/BT20.

A price has not yet been set so don't inquire at this time.

[asuratman]

They look very rigid, thick table.