[cuetipper]

I would like to add cnc capability to my lathe.

To be clear - I do not want to convert my lathe to cnc, I want to add a cnc router to it. I know what I would like, but have no idea on how to design it.
Even basic like motor type confuses me.

So I am looking for a mentor. Some one that I can email or even call to discuss my needs and aid in its design.

Basically I will need to have it travel left to right more or less 38",
in and out 2", and up and down 2". The parts I will be cutting at first are only tapers in wood. they will have several points of adjustment.

As by way of example - lets take a 1 inch wood dowel - cuts are as follows:
.75 for 1"
then
a taper of .01 over 5"
then
a taper of .025 over 5"
then
a taper of .05 over 5"
etc till the last 2" which will be a straight dowel.

I want to be able to mount this "TAPER ROUTER" behind the carriage so I can continue to use the lathe for other projects. It would also be nice to remove the entire assembly when not in use.

Is anyone interested?
[email protected]

Thanks for whatever help you offer.

[awerby]

I read all that, but I can't see why you'd want to get a router involved with your lathe. What do you think it's going to do for you, exactly? Building some kind of super-structure that hovers over your lathe will cost a lot, but won't do anything that the lathe itself can't do. But it won't be nearly as rigid, it would make a lot of noise, and you'd have to buy endmills for it.

Why not just retrofit the lathe for CNC? The sort of moves you're talking about are standard CNC lathe operations. You can use double-shaft motors and put cranks on the ends, if you still want to be able to operate it manually (for some reason). Or just set up a tracer attachment that will cut your tapers from a template, which sounds like what you really want: Tracer Lathes, set up and uses

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[louieatienza]

I don't think you'd even need a CNC for this. You could just simply make a pattern for your router to follow.

If you DO still want a CNC lathe I think it will be a hassle and a time killer to setup and breakdown, as you;ll have to realign everything every time you install it. I would just add more travel so that you can move the router away when not in use. If you want to do inlay work you'd need an indexing plate at the very least to index the butt of the cue manually.

[victorofga]

you can put your woodlathe on your router... guessing, you have sufficient room for...

and you can use simple lathe cutters.. of course some thing will apply...
like turning a long and thin object like a cue that will be tricky a little..

bu tyou can turn simple shapes..

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...r_lathe-2.html

even with a simple steel block, as this user made

if you dont have cnc router, only a lathe, or you want to use the lathe independently, then you can try one more thing...

write an email to technocnc... they have quit good parts...

Techno Linear Motion |Ball Screw Driven Linear Slide; Standard Duty

this part is sufficiently rigid and you can put across on each other one...
like a gantry and a Z assy..

[ger21]

Basically I will need to have it travel left to right more or less 38",
in and out 2", and up and down 2"

If you're not going to be controlling the rotation of the spindle, then you don't need it to move up and down, as it will serve no purpose.

I wouldn't make it removable, as it could possibly take a lot of time to align it when installing it, unless you have a method of installing EXACTLY in the same location every time.

Basically, you need something similar to a gantry beam on a router, rotated on to it's back, with a Z axis attached to it.
Just 2 linear rails with a screw between them to move the router, and another axis attached to these rails to move the router in and out.
You want to design it so that the spindle centerline is perpendicular to the lather centerline.
If you can make it a little longer than your lathe bed, you can park it past the tailstock when not in use, rather than removing it.

[victorofga]

gerry

what he posted not clear really he wants only rounded shapes or wants to mill onto...

either way i think the rails, or assemblies best placing behind the lathe.. and yes for simple wrapping the centered routerbit works..

but lathe spindle need to work on both way, conventionally, as driven with a simple motor, or driven by stepper-servo to making a wrapping...

i think placing a timing pulley on the end of spindle, and just removing belt when simple turning coming up the simplest way for..

as i mentioned on another topic the simple turning juct way faster than using the wrapping method..
not to mention corners are always remaining rounded by ball endmill..

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cn...r_lathe-2.html


in my meaning, using lathe cutters for turning rounded shapes

and using wrapping from programs, only when need to mill a relief, or patterns on a cylyndrical object..


edit

i just reread you wrote gerry... ""rotated back"" yes that what i also tried to say..,,

what i thinking extra.. the two axis basically could work, for turning and for wrapping too..
but, for practical reasons some minimal 3rd axis movement could comes handy..

imagine a capital of a column...
you could turn the basic shape...
wrapping the fluted part of (i know 2d layout also works for)

and, indexed machining for the known scrolls and leawes on the capitol top..

so of these i think the most complex would be a short axis that goes toward and back behind the lathe... a gantry placed on this, and a regular Z , but the router spindle could be set horizontally..
so in case indexed machining the horizontally placed spindle could go up n down on the ""Z""" axis..

[cuetipper]

Thank you all for your input.
CNC is what I need.
The example was simplified and as i said it is just the project at hand.
There are others in the works as well.
There is a lot to consider. After I read thru all the links and think a bit more on this I will revisit this post.

Again thanks a lot to you all.



P.S.
Someone mentioned an indexing plate for inlays.
That is something I might like to experiment with.

Any suggestions with that?

[cuetipper]

Several of you have mentioned that adding a detachable assembly would be problematical. I think you may be right.

I like the idea posted by "awerby" may be the solution.
Perhaps all I need to detach would be the spindle / router.

Adding double shafted motors could work.
Can any one help me by elaborating on how to accomplish this?
Would the motors be permanent or could they be removed when not in use?
What components will I need?
Where is the best place to purchase them?

Also suggestions on free or low cost software would also be appreciated.

[victorofga]

it is not necessary to be detachable.. yet you can make that way...
if setup, rails and slides placed behind lathe you dont have to...

that is not necessary to be detachable..


thats what you can se on the setup i posted..

the 3 red arrow in the picture shows where tool can move...

you just move back to safe distance the cutters and you can use from front normal way your lathe..

gerry suggestion also about this.. setting your rails BEHIND

i could add the 3rd axis, even its doesnt looking necessary at the first work..
also if you make it only for the lathe , then milling spindle would be better horizontally..

please note i made for two cutter.. for left and rigth hand cutter
they are set on two different level , so when one in cutting, the other is above or below the rotational centerline

by the way, my setup simply placed on router table, and some plywoodstrips hold aligned...
about 5 min setup..

lot simpler than you think first..


i think send simple email to techno isel, and they will offer you a fully enclosed railsystem that you dont have to worry on chips..

lower cost would be some company like cncrouterparts, or fineline automation..
but these wont be enclosed, and flying chip will cover everything..

another solution, buy a simple chinese a 24x36 for that price, just doesnt worth to build yourself..

i cant upload picture.... i got 25 times internal error message...

so i try this link, please click on this link, it is a picture on cnczone...

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/attach...1&d=1352007559