[DGoncz]

I work with metal, wood, plastic, glass, paper, fabric, and stone.

I'd like to automate all 4 axes of the Super Shop. I don't own one yet, but we have the money in equity and the space by getting rid of existing tools. I do have the owner's manual and diagrams and a saw table. This can be done; I'm sure of it.

Those axes are:

1. Main Spindle Drive (1.5 HP drive/servo with encoder)
2. Spindle Feed (5 inch stroke, Drill Press or Mill Mode)
3. Long Feed (34 inches)
4. Cross Feed (8.5 inches plus)

It'd be useful to add a head mounting where the lathe tool would go which can do circular milling and profiling on up to 17x34 inch work (that full work envelope is not available; there is a wide envelope near the head and a long one extending to the tailstock), and to have a three-point rest or a tailstock that could take a chuck.

Later, I would want to automate the milling table accessory, not shown in the latest Smithy site, or another suitable table, in combination with the spindle drive and feed for 3D milling on the tilting saw/drill press/horizontal boring table.

I am just wondering how much weight, time, and money we are talking about, and how it might all go down.

Doug

[geezergeek]

Hi Doug:
I have a supershop myself and have done some thinking along the same lines as far as automating it's axis's. Were you planning on making it a strictly metal working unit or do you intend to use it mainly for wood? Smithy has a feature for the supershop which automates the carriage riding on the ways. I think it uses a 1/3 hp motor. It has been my expirience thus far that the main drive is just barely powerful enough to run the tablesaw function, if you keep a sharp 80+ tooth blade on it and slow the speed to the highest in the middle speed band. A little slower than I would prefer. It would make a great candidate for swapping out the main drive motor with a higher HP (21/2-4hp at about 4500 rpm) motor. I am sure there is a treadmill motor with the specs necessary that would also be adaptable and fit in the original motor's space. You probably have more knowledge than I regarding powerfeed motors for the other movement axis, I have next to none, but do have signifigant computer and electronics skills. Let me know more details on what you had in mind from your perspective. Best Regards, Joe.

[scmknives]

http://www.smithy.com/accessories.ph...6&code=K99-723

Kinda digging up the post, but here is a link to that powerfeed you spoke of.

-Steve