[307startup]

Why oh why won't Tormach make a nice CNC lathe? Not a flat bed...but a nice little 30* slant bed. Something that would have a 1.5" through bore and a high-speed spindle option. Think Wabeco 6000e high-speed...on steroids. Not a full-on production lathe...but more than just a retro-fit. Something in say a 12x36 size? Personally I have no desire for anything with up to 40" center to center...but maybe up to a 13" swing? The user could decide if they want to use gang tooling or a sweet little tool changer. It would still be a benchtop design...hopefully with a nice Tormach stand and an enclosure like the Wabeco. I have it kinda/sorta designed in my head, and some napkin sketches. It would be a pretty simple machine. A U shaped bed...a headstock assembly, and a 30* slant plate that bolts to the back to mount the x axis. A tailstock with pneumatic control would be nice and an air-operated chuck. I have already been working on a simple, elegant bar-feeder design that would work with most CNC'd workshop/hobby lathes. It's not brand-specific, but comes with adjustable legs to match the centerline of the lathe's bore. Sorry I don't have any CAD skills. I'll see if I can whip something up in Adobe to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

[307startup]

Does anybody know how I can post a pic on here?

[307startup]

Here it is...I hope it worked. Please don't make fun of me...it took me like 15 minutes to make it and is my first Adobe Illustrator drawing, so...

[MichaelHenry]

That would be nice, but I don't think that they are done refining the mill yet.

Mike

[307startup]

Try this one...

[philbur]

The market is possibly not big enough. A CNC mill has a much wider appeal than a CNC lathe, just checking the relative traffic on the various forums will confirm this.

Regards
Phil

Why oh why won't Tormach make a nice CNC lathe? Not a flat bed...but a nice little 30* slant bed. Something that would have a 1.5" through bore and a high-speed spindle option. Think Wabeco 6000e high-speed...on steroids. Not a full-on production lathe...but more than just a retro-fit. Something in say a 12x36 size? Personally I have no desire for anything with up to 40" center to center...but maybe up to a 13" swing? The user could decide if they want to use gang tooling or a sweet little tool changer. It would still be a benchtop design...hopefully with a nice Tormach stand and an enclosure like the Wabeco. I have it kinda/sorta designed in my head, and some napkin sketches. It would be a pretty simple machine. A U shaped bed...a headstock assembly, and a 30* slant plate that bolts to the back to mount the x axis. A tailstock with pneumatic control would be nice and an air-operated chuck. I have already been working on a simple, elegant bar-feeder design that would work with most CNC'd workshop/hobby lathes. It's not brand-specific, but comes with adjustable legs to match the centerline of the lathe's bore. Sorry I don't have any CAD skills. I'll see if I can whip something up in Adobe to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

[307startup]

wow...I guess it's so small of a market that people are CNC'ing their lathes just because they have the parts laying around.

I understand it's not that big of a market...mostly because nobody has put anywhere near as much effort into an affordable CNC lathe as they have with a CNC mill. Just like GM thought there wasn't a market for the Camaro and Firebird...but it's amazing the response they got after they killed it...and again when they did the new concept car. I think that an affordable high quality CNC lathe would sell better than it is being given credit for.

[philbur]

Degree of confidence in a business proposition is often inversely proportional to the level of personal investment required.

Go for it.

Regards
Phil

I think that an affordable high quality CNC lathe would sell better than it is being given credit for.

[InspirationTool]

Small CNC lathes come up on eBay fairly frequently and fairly cheaply.

Look for the Emco compact 5 and others.

Personally, I expect I will do the lathe/mill trick eventually.

-Jeff

[kerryveenstra]

For me, even a manual lathe would be good to have. (Am I allowed to say "manual" in the CNC Zone?)

I just added another eBay search. It's time to start looking at the market for these things.

[307startup]

Degree of confidence in a business proposition is often inversely proportional to the level of personal investment required.
Go for it.
Regards
Phil

Actually if I weren't up to my neck with a mortgage and car payment, and a personal business venture of my own I would consider this option. I've never been afraid to risk my own money for the sake of doing the "impossible". If I ever get the CAD drawings done, I'll show everyone a combination CNC machine that I have been spec'ing. It has a decent size work envelope (30"X by 20"Y by 20"Z) and incorporates a vertical mill with a horizontal mill that doubles as a lathe and live axis...

Small CNC lathes come up on eBay fairly frequently and fairly cheaply.
Look for the Emco compact 5 and others.
Personally, I expect I will do the lathe/mill trick eventually.
-Jeff

The only problem with an EMCO 5 is that they are CNC mini/micro lathes...cool for training, not much use for most hobbyist use. Unless you are into turning zillions of .75" or smaller parts. I trained on one at school...the average guy is going to want to turn something in the 1"-1.5" range occasionally and even turn some bigger stuff...swing is important as is a larger thru-bore. Hobby equipment shouldn't mean toy...it should mean that it is capable of supporting the hobbyist's interests.

[dammachines]

The only problem with an EMCO 5 is that they are CNC mini/micro lathes...cool for training, not much use for most hobbyist use. Unless you are into turning zillions of .75" or smaller parts. I trained on one at school...the average guy is going to want to turn something in the 1"-1.5" range occasionally and even turn some bigger stuff...swing is important as is a larger thru-bore. Hobby equipment shouldn't mean toy...it should mean that it is capable of supporting the hobbyist's interests.

Yeah, I think my Dynamechtronics DM3000H is pretty much the ultimate "hobbyist" lathe.

It weighs about 1200 lbs, and runs off 220v single phase. It's got a power 5C collet chuck, or a power 3 jaw chuck, and a 6 station tool turret. 0-4000 RPM software controlled spindle speed. I'm not sure the size of the spindle bore, but I'd guess at 1.25" - I know there is more room when using a 1" collet. The longest part you could probably comfortably turn is about 7" at about 4.5" diameter. And the diameter could go a bit larger with some inventive tool mounting...

The Ah-ha retrofit controller isn't the greatest, but it works. Eventually I'll change it all over to Mach3, but probably not until one of the more expensive control boards goes...

Dave

[307startup]

I'm trying to get their website to open. It is sloooooooooooooooooooooow. And it's not my access either. How long have you had that machine? What is the price range, if you don't mind my asking?

[dammachines]

Sorry, guess I should have mentioned it a used machine. I think it was made around 1992. I've had it for almost a year now. Had to fix it up a little when I got it, but it does really good now. I know there is someone else here who has one with the original Dyna controller on it - he says it is in almost new condition. Mine was well used when I got it. I probably paid too much for it when I bought it. I think they went new for around $35K or so...

Dave

[dammachines]

WYLD,

Check out this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110040243295

This is the one I was looking for before I found the Dynamechtronics. This is about what I paid for mine and it isn't in nearly as nice condition as this one. Not to mention this one about an hour from me vs. the other that I had shipped up from Florida...

New they sell for over $30k, but Denford can only sell to educational institutions due to some software licensing issues.

Dave

[307startup]

If I weren't closing on my house on the 7th, I'd bid on that one. A little paint, and she'd be good as new. Hopefully....

[nervis1]

What they should make is a gang tool chucker with a 10" swing, 'bout 10" in Z would be more than enough. maybe 1k lbs that could sit up on a stand, enclosed. 2hp, 3-4k rpm. CSS and threading. Option air collet closer. keep it under 10k. I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

So when will they be ready?

Dave

[BobWarfield]

Nervis, does it have to have 10" swing? How about 8 1/2"?

A Lathemaster 9x30 like Ron111 just converted with a gang tooling slide like I am designing would get you there for way under $10K:

http://www.thewarfields.com/cnccookb...GangSlide.html

I've got to finish my basic CNC conversion before I start the gang tool plate, but I will eventually get to it and post some pix.

If you're in a hurry, check out Omni-turn's Hardinge chucker conversions. They fit your spec almost exactly.

You could churn out a lot of parts with a simple machine like that.

Cheers,

BW

[edferg]

Bob, I have an OmniTurn CNC retrofit on a Harding lathe. It's a nice machine - I paid $5,600 on ebay.

Before buying it I was looking for a new, decent sized (i.e. 5C collet spindle), cnc lathe aimed at the home shop machinist. I could not find such a machine.

I have to agree the market is probably too small. On the one hand you have the Sherline sized hobby market, on the other hand you have folks who need to make money with their lathe ( accurate, fast cycle time, rugged, dependable).

For the home machinist market, how about devising a way to mount a stationary lathe spindle to the Tormach mill frame? Then bolt a gang tooling plate to the mill table. Remove the lathe spindle when using as a mill.

Kinda like a milling attachment for a lathe, only this is a lathe attachment for the mill May not work as well as a real lathe, but may work for light duty.

Ed

[snapman]

Why couldn't you use an R8 shank lathe chuck or simply chuck the piece you wanted to work on in an R8 collet in the spindle, and have a gang tool setup on the mill table? I have been playing around with this idea and in my drawings it seems to be doable. Granted, you are limited to a relatively short work piece without a tailstock, but it would still work. I think.

I am going to try this out at some point- using lathe cam software and shop made gang tooling installed on a pinned plate for use on a sub plate- that way I should be able to switch setups fairly quick should the need arise.

I just realized how long it has been since someone posted...a little late to the party I guess...