[kstrauss]

Tormach is now taking orders for the RapidTurn. It tells me that the shipping weight for the 37216 - RapidTurn™ Upgrade Package (1) has an item weight of 615 pounds. You've got to be kidding! My PCNC770 weighs 662 pounds...

[soymilk]

It says 115 shipping weight for me. Still needs to be freighted it seems. Seems like that have a 4th option now too. One with just the rapidturn spindle for 1595. Makes sense if you don't need/want the 5c 3jaw check and "stabilizing post"

[kstrauss]

The website now says 100 pounds without the chuck or 113 pounds with a chuck. If the chuck is decent then paying $100 for it is not bad. Shars has a 5c mounted 3-inch 3-jaw chuck for about $101.

I just checked the confirmation email again and it definitely says 615 pounds!
37216 - RapidTurn™ Upgrade Package (1)
Weight: 615.000 (Pending Shipment)
Quantity: 1
Subtotal: $1,695.00

35167 - QC Motor Connection Kit (1)
Weight: 1.000 (Pending Shipment)
Quantity: 1
Subtotal: $135.00

[soymilk]

Keep us posted. I'm curious to see what that tool stabilizer is. I wish tormach would provide a bit more info on this whole thing.

[MichaelHenry]

To those interested in the RapidTurn, Tormach is having their annual Open House on July 23 so that would be a good time to check it out in person if you can make it to Madison then.

[tmarks11]

100#? Even if 20# is the crate, that is still pretty heavy to be holding out at arms length. They should have put an eyelet on the top so you can lift it in place with a hoist.

Guess that is why they mentioned "with a side-mounted spindle motor that could be easily removed when moving it on or off of the mill". Removing the motor will cut the weight almost in half.

[kstrauss]

As I get older I find it difficult to lift things. I've mostly stopped using my 6-inch vise in preference to a 4-inch Kurt D40 due to the weight. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to add something to facilitate lifting with the hoist.

[mountaindew]

As I get older I find it difficult to lift things. I've mostly stopped using my 6-inch vise in preference to a 4-inch Kurt D40 due to the weight. Hopefully it won't be too difficult to add something to facilitate lifting with the hoist.

Looks to me like you can add a lifting eyes between motor and spindle. "About center I hope" Anyway I installed a small trolley winch "max lift 300-400 lbs" a couple years ago for moving super a spacer 4th axis to table. Works very well and I have no idea how any one person could ever set one without some sort of hoist. The rapid turn accessory looks like it would be easy enough to figure out a decent safe lifting system be it small straps or well placed eyes. Easy setup and use is important for me or the tool will collect dust! One would hope Tormach has considered this and provided lift point locations for users that require it

[kstrauss]

I decided to order a RapidTurn. I hope that is the right decision!

I got an email from Tormach earlier today saying that 42 units are arriving and 21 have been ordered and paid for. Their expected customer ship date is the first week of July.

[soymilk]

it was interested for me to find out there are separate models for the 770 and the 1100, I assume this is why the weight is different from the 770 model and the 1100.

I think it would have made a lot more sense to pair up the motors so you don't need a "programming key". 1hp motor for 770 and a 1.5hp motor for the 1100. From the perspective of a 1100 owner, the rapid turn lost a bit of its appeal with having to mess around with the programming key. Makes alot more sense to get the rapidturn for a 770 imho.

[kstrauss]

I have a 770 so there is no VFD programming required. I just checked the Tormach website and they list the weight at 113 pounds for both the 770 and 1100 version and the costs are the same. Curiously, the quotation for freight lists it as weighing 135 lbs and the crate as 40" x 24" x 26" (L x W x H). The programming key couldn't weight more than a few ounces.

I wonder when the version of PP with RapidTurn changes will be released.

[jttoner]

I went on Tormach's website but couldn't find much information, such as torque, hp, power requirement, and will it do threads? Maybe I just missed it, and the video was useless.

[soymilk]

I went on Tormach's website but couldn't find much information, such as torque, hp, power requirement, and will it do threads? Maybe I just missed it, and the video was useless.

looks like its the same motor for the 770, so I would assume its the same specs. and yes it can do threads.


Around 48 seconds in you can see that it has conversational threading

[jttoner]

One hp and threading! Don't know how I missed it. I'll blame it on a distraction from my dear wife. In all, it looks pretty good. When I need CNC turning, I just Mickey Mouse my Dumore with a 3/8-24 drill chuck and a tail piece from an indexer. Of course, the Dumore just spins and only works for small stuff. I already had the Dumore, so the price was right. I might have to save up my allowance for one of these.

[kstrauss]

If I can get gang tooling to work it should meet most of my needs. It is a lot cheaper than a SlantPro plus I have no room in the workshop for another large item.

[jttoner]

For the same reasons I'm interested in the Rapid Turn.

[MFchief]

Kstrauss,

I'm looking forward to hearing about you experiences with it, since I'm in the same boat with space limitations. I can't see from the limited videos how you could avoid having to re-set zeros for every tool change with the spindle clamp mount that is pictured.

Terry

[kstrauss]

The tool mount in the video is a 60% size clone of an Aloris QCTP as used on normal, manual, lathes. I have used these same holders for years on my Myford S7 manual lathe. The tools are mounted in individual holders (the same concept as TTS except the QCTP uses dovetails and a stop screw to locate instead of the 3/4-inch TTS shank and locating surface). In my experience the tooling is relocated within +/-0.002 when tools are removed and replaced; I would like better. Also, tool changes are completely manual in this mode. My plan (hope?) is that I can attach a multi-tool carrier to the spindle. Proper functioning will depend on the ability to specify 3-axis offsets for each tool in the tool table. My understanding of the LinuxCNC documentation implies that this is possible but that the third offset cannot be changed via the GUI.

[MFchief]

Thanks for the explanation of their setup. I share your concerns about the repeatability, If one takes the trouble and expense to acquire CNC machines you would like more accuracy than that. Since, as I've stated previously, I'm a hobbyist doing mostly one offs, I could live with manual changes, but a .002" error would ruin a lot of parts.

Terry

[Tbkahuna]

I have just upgrade to PP 1.96 and no longer see a "Duality" button to change from mill to lathe software. It is now a "Rapidturn" button. I figured it would have both. I see no Y tool offset in the tool table. I still just plan to insert the Y position manually in the Gcode at each tool change until PP supports it or someone figures out how to get to it.

I am working on spindle mounted gang tooling for using the Rapidturn. However, I planned to test it with my Duality but I am not sure how that will work since the Duality and Rapidturn have different spindle control, encoder, and even connections. I may have to go back a version in software to test it. I am going back and forth on how many tools and how flexible I want it, but I am working on a simple solution just to test it. The tools are oriented in the horizontal position with a Y position for each tool. For turning with the Duality I use the same tool to face and OD turn, and then use a profile tool and a threading tool. Just those three will do a lot of what I want. Drilling and boring may be a change-out module.

Has anyone else done any experimenting with gang tooling for the Rapidturn?

I have also installed the QC spindle kit so I am ready for plug and play with the Rapidturn when it arrives.