What size parts can you work with on these machines? What's the max diameter and practical length given that there's no tailstock?
Can you control the angle of the C5 spindle? I'm interested in doing off centre drilling/threading with live tooling.
What size parts can you work with on these machines? What's the max diameter and practical length given that there's no tailstock?
Can you control the angle of the C5 spindle? I'm interested in doing off centre drilling/threading with live tooling.
Makes sense, but what is the height above the bed?
I'm not talking about pivoting the spindle, not talking about moving the headstock at all, I meant rotating the spindle as it usually does around it's normal axis but having a live tool move parallel to the Z rotation axis and drilling say 1cm from the Z axis centre, rotating the spindle say 90 degrees and drilling another hole etc. Here's an example part I'm talking about:
https://alexnld.com/product/lmf6uu-6...ring-cnc-part/
Basically, for this there would need to be a way of measuring the position of the spindle at any given time. Hope that's a bit clearer.
Normally,I'd recommend the Taig mill for a part like that, not a lathe. But I suppose you could do it on the Taigturn lathe by mounting a drill bit in the spindle and a rotary table on the bed. Then you could drill the holes by moving off center the radius of the bolt circle and indexing the rotary table for the angular hole locations (90 degrees, in this case). Clearances would be tight; you might need to use riser blocks to give yourself enough room. I don't think it would work with the live tooling on the bed, since you'd need a way to index the spindle.]
I have put a nema24 stepper on the lathe spindle. Now I can use the spindle like a rotary table. This spindle stepper is activated by a leaver. For turning I still use the original motor. I use this setup for broaching, knurling (using a threading tool), tool grinding, threading etc. I place the grinding or drilling tool in the toolpost.
You could also do a similar thing with a servo on the spindle, replacing the standard motor. Then you could run the spindle as a spindle, or position it for drilling. Might need a brake as well, for solid holding while drilling. I think you would want a good-sized servo motor for this.
Thanks guys, good ideas!