[TrickyCNC]

Hi all

I have just taken on an order for 50 turned handles-money up front. The idea was, I'd use the money to built the lathe attachment for my existing CNC. Then make

What I need to know (have forgotten) is what is involved software wise ?

I'm using EMC/LinuxCNC. Vectric Pycam Inkscape etc. (no mach3)

I fugure I need to make a new config file to drive the X,Y,Z differently/swap the axis about.

Anyone here already doing it ?

Just thought I'd ask, before figuring it out for myself

Cheers
Rich

[awerby]

Who told you you could use your CNC router as a lathe? Are you talking about putting a piece of wood in the spindle and fixing a tool to the bed? That won't work for a number of reasons.

Or did you mean that you're adding a rotary table for a 4th axis? That won't make it a lathe, although you can make radially symmetrical parts that way. In that case, the simplest thing to do is to put a clamp on the Y axis so that it won't move, position it at the center of the A axis, lock it down, and transfer its cable to the motor on the rotary table. The new configuration would be XZA.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[TrickyCNC]

Hi Andrew

nearly ! instead of the 4th axsis in it's true sense, I was going to mount a head and tail stock to the bed and just spin the work piece - just like a lathe. But have the x control the depth of cut, and y move along the work for end to end. the router/spindle, would be redundant, and I would mount a cutting tool to the Z , perpendicular to the work

does that make sense ?

Richard

[mcphill]

Who told you you could use your CNC router as a lathe? Are you talking about putting a piece of wood in the spindle and fixing a tool to the bed? That won't work for a number of reasons.

Or did you mean that you're adding a rotary table for a 4th axis? That won't make it a lathe, although you can make radially symmetrical parts that way. In that case, the simplest thing to do is to put a clamp on the Y axis so that it won't move, position it at the center of the A axis, lock it down, and transfer its cable to the motor on the rotary table. The new configuration would be XZA.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

??

Pretty commonly done, actually...

Just one example:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...cal_lathe.html

[skray775]

It should work fine.

Here is a video of mine that shows what you want to do but on a mill.

Mill as Lathe Optimize - YouTube

[victorofga]

rich

you can use virtually any cam, wich one can calculate pocketing,,,,
that filling routin should work..

or draw manually the the toolpath..
for wood is not so critical like for metal..

DCMT11T304

this is the carbide insert could work for you.... need toolholder yet..
type in google and choose one which has undercut..

pending on the rigidity of your router you can quickly turn one part..
going forth n back with a ballend mill definetely slower..

[TrickyCNC]

rich

you can use virtually any cam, wich one can calculate pocketing,,,,
that filling routin should work..

or draw manually the the toolpath..
for wood is not so critical like for metal..
.

Thanks

That's the sort of info I was after ! Pocketing ... hadn't thought of that

Hardware is easy for me,
software too ... but need a starting point !

Rich

[TrickyCNC]

rich


DCMT11T304

this is the carbide insert could work for you.... need toolholder yet..
type in google and choose one which has undercut..
.

Buy Indexable Carbide Inserts DCMT11T304-TP1500 Carbide Insert Seco 2600996 online from RS for next day delivery.

yes, I can buy them locally
I could also make a tool holder pretty easily too

Thanks

[awerby]

The Original Poster was talking about using his router as a lathe, not a mill. The spindle on a mill can be run slow enough so that this can work (to a degree) but you wouldn't want to try putting your workpiece in the spindle of a router and spinning it at 20,000 RPM or so.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[victorofga]

at paul

you need more advertising for your warpdriver.. thats some great invention

in my approach, no changing on axises...
the z movement migth set 0.1 mm depth and rapid plane migth lift over the largest diameter..

my concern was the tool is fixed onto Z axis, and using the pocketing fill routin, the tool moving along the rotating axis, forth n back while approach toward the center..
step over set in the pocketing, that will define the depth of pass

i made my setup as exported toolpath to dxf, import back and some node editing ... and go

edit

ok... i just read back... well for miniature parts the sndle also could work... i dont want to try that version... i have a small 7x10 metal lathe too so for metall i would try.. but i dont think it would work really... for metal need more rigidity than my routergantry has..
for wood its worked..

i think it afford when series coming up..i made some setup... next time i make pictures..
i using the harborfreigth wood lathe..
it was about 270 a 12x33 inch cast iron lathe..

[PaulRowntree]

at paul

you need more advertising for your warpdriver.. thats some great invention

I am glad that you like it! It isn't as good as Aspire, but it does add some tricks to VCP or any other 2.5D gcode output.

Cheers!

Paul Rowntree
WarpDriver, SkewCalc available at PaulRowntree.weebly.com

[TrickyCNC]

I'm wondering now if I could use a router bit as usual, and just approach the work side on ?

[PaulRowntree]

I'm wondering now if I could use a router bit as usual, and just approach the work side on ?

I was just wondering the same thing! The nice thing about using the Z motion of the CNC to cut towards the centre of the spinning stock is that the step-over (step down?) is set by the cutter tool etc, but it could be relatively large. If you use the edge of the cutter, cutting the material from the side, then the step-over has to be less than half the tool width.

I would stick to Z motion cutting the variable diameter of the piece.

Either way, you have to be prepared for some very high relative velocities between the tool and the work. Even a lowly 700 rpm turning speed can translate into thousands if inches per minute. Better buy strong bits (and several of them!).

[skray775]

The Original Poster was talking about using his router as a lathe, not a mill. The spindle on a mill can be run slow enough so that this can work (to a degree) but you wouldn't want to try putting your workpiece in the spindle of a router and spinning it at 20,000 RPM or so.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

Good Point! LOL

[victorofga]

paul

in the name of hobbyist, thank you to put in your avatr both program..
well, its true they cant replace a program like aspire that developed since 20 years ago..

but hobbyist as they hardly got trogh to building a machine, they will praise your name for this.. they migth dont have to buy program on first day for thoushands

nah... for you ... i made some cut with my lathe... i know you interesting on it..

paul

made photos you, to seeing how i placed cutters..
my concern is simple...

for these sharp inner edges, need 1/16 bit, diameter 42 mm means ~120mm perimeter... means about 800 pass forth n back counting with 300 ipm... in luckily case you migth get the finish pass about 3 pass...
on the diagonal was about 60 mm and deepest point is about 30 mm dia so at least two pass

means 800x14inch multiplied by 2
means 22400 ich cutting length divided 300 ipm says approx 74 min

to turning it, i made 5 roughing pass with 850 mm per min, and one pass finish 450 mm per min.. about 7 min...

thats a difference..
by the way, it worth only for series.. invidual pieces, 2-4 pieces i cut by hand..


as you can see tools are set behind lathe, and facing downward.. so after cnc finish, i can make some cuts with handtools(chisels) or just simply sanding off..

the post has two tool.. i think can be set 4 and each tool lowered to workposition for proper toolpaths..

i dont have description about toolpath generating, but used the pocketing fill routin..
also can be drawn easyly with draftsigth, a free cadprogram..
dxf can be sent to mach3 and mach converts to toolpath.

cutters are harborfreigth stuff..
very wellworth, because the 5 tip already worth more than 25...

5 Piece Indexable Carbide Tool Set

theres larger tool also available..
i tried to show this method long time ago for other users... however their ""professional""" advisors told them it is not possible with router, and with vectirc programs..


vectric programs are not supporting lathework... this was several times question, and vectric expressed it..

paul, if you interesting more, i can send you in email more pic...

best regard
viktor

[TrickyCNC]

Hi Viktor

that set up look about exactly what I had in mind. Good to see it works

Thanks for posting

Richard

[PaulRowntree]

Hi Viktor;
And if that is exactly what TrickyCNC was thinking, it is exactly different from what I had been thinking ! My mistake! I was still thinking of a rotating cutter and a rotating stock.

That looks very good. Would it be possible to swap the stock motor for a stepper to do wrapped work? More photos are always good!

I hope you enjoy the warping process ... I hope to release a second version Real Soon Now ...

Cheers!

[jdebott1]

Hi Victor, I know this is an old thread, but I need some advice and help on stationary tool holder like yours.

fordav11 has helped me to understand that my ShopNotes conversion CNC lathe is really a XZC setup since I have "live tooling" with the Porter-Cable on my Z-Axis and a rotary-indexer C-axis (Y set to zero, and Y stepper moved to run the lathe stock.

I saw your post about your adding a two tool seat and Harbor Freight cutters to your lathe, and I am wondering if I could do the same with my ShopNotes CNC. Could you tell me where you got the two tool seat, and also if you are running the lathe chuck with a stepper or a servo? Or are you running it with the lathe motor or belt setup?

I don't have a motor or belt setup for my ShopNotes since it was a hand crank machine originally, but I'm wondering if I could attach a servo and run the stock at high enough speed to use stationary cutters like a regular wood lathe controlled by computer.

Thanks for your advice,

Joe DeBottis

[Drools]

I remember a build thread here on the zone that had the Y-axis (gantry) extend way over the table on one side. IIRC on the over-hang side he mounter a wood lathe, I can't remember it completely it was some time ago but the idea was to use the lathe as a rotary axis without the controller, with the X-axis moving the length of the lathe and the Z holding the tool.
Like I said it was a long time ago, I might have it wrong.

[TrickyCNC]

I remember a build thread here on the zone that had the Y-axis (gantry) extend way over the table on one side. IIRC on the over-hang side he mounter a wood lathe, I can't remember it completely it was some time ago but the idea was to use the lathe as a rotary axis without the controller, with the X-axis moving the length of the lathe and the Z holding the tool.
Like I said it was a long time ago, I might have it wrong.

I've seen it done in several similar but different ways.
I've seen a router mounted on the end of a gantry.
Khalid (sp) had a setup he just bolted to the bed.
I designed over the end of bed cutting into mine,, so I have the option to permanently mount something 'off the edge' too. Although I think for these small turnings, I might go with bolting something to the bed.

Paul - the Z cutting will still have a lot of sideways action going on, from the work turning. I might set the Z with the bit on the horizontal center of the work, have the work turning so it is meeting the bit on the up stroke, and carefully cut side on for now. up down Z cutting will be limited by Z travel and work size, until I can get a setup off the edge, and when I do that, I'll go with a proper 4th axis.

I'll get something fudged together over the weekend. I just got stuck on an easy way to control it. I think the pocketing is just such a simple idea. Each pass will be sett by what you tell the cam program the size of the bit is.