[David Bord]

Guys,

Whats your process for numbering tools? I really havent thought of a great method... just trying to give some room in the table between common sizes but not sure how much room to leave as my tool and holders grow.

With roughers, carbide, HSS, EM, Ball, egnravers, drills... etc. Just not sure if there is a better way.

Any suggestions from those on this fine forum? Any examples or worksheets you have found helpful?

David

[twocik]

I'd say it's more of a personal thing, depending on what you cut and the job at hand. Here's how I have mine setup, works very good and keeps me organized. I made a new tool tray to fit everything and seems that I already need to make a bigger one.

[Don Clement]

My system is simple: Tool #1 is a TDI http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...uff/TooNo1.jpg All other tools numbers are not really important. I do try to group some tools like all quick change taps for my TTS mounted Procunier tapping head might be grouped together such as 4-40 tool#31, 6-32 tool #32 8-32 tool #33 10-32 tool #34 1/4-20 tool # 35 1/4-28 tool #35 M6-1 Tool #36 etc. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...erQuickPro.jpg But there is no reason to be pedantic about it. I might not even follow that rule.

Don

I found a durable method to clearly mark my tools. A description is printed to size on the laser printer on plain white paper stock. This is cut to size and held in place with clear polyolefin heat shrink tubing then shrunk using a heat gun. I have done this on several tool handles but need to get a larger size for the TTS barrels which are 1.25" diameter. The largest heat shrink I have is 1". They make 1.5" clear heat shrink and next time I go down to Fry's I get some for my TTS tools.

[pete from TN]

I have a tormach dial indicator test tool for tool number 1, then I setup my drill bits in tools 2-20, my endmills in tools 21-40, and specialty cutters in tools 41-60. I just got my tension Compression tapping head and due to some noise and computer issues that I just resolved I have not had a chance to try it out. For the taps I intend to setup all of my taps in tools 61-80. Of course I only have about 28 toolholders so many of these tools are just there so I can insert the offset at the machine and allows me to not have to run back and forth inside to measure and load the tools into my cam software. I am still working all of this up but what I have in place already seems to work great... Peace

Pete

[R.DesJardin]

T0 is my touch off electronic edge finder, the rest where numbered as I needed them to build my parts. Just that simple. You will always want more to add in somewhere,

[pete from TN]

Thanks RS... I usually have my touch tool set for number one. I am actually gonna go out there and set it to tool zero because honestly I get tired of forgetting to set the tool number to one when I first start a part as I usually wind up setting zero with the default startup tool number which is zero. Then I have to go back and set it to number one. If you use tool zero it is gonna start there and help me to not have to redo stuff again. I realize this does not make me sound like the sharpest crayon in the crayola box here but it never occurred to me before you just said that. Thanks for saving me a bunch of redo's on tool zeroing my good man.... Peace....

Pete

[Magnum164]

Thanks RS... I usually have my touch tool set for number one. I am actually gonna go out there and set it to tool zero because honestly I get tired of forgetting to set the tool number to one when I first start a part as I usually wind up setting zero with the default startup tool number which is zero. Then I have to go back and set it to number one. If you use tool zero it is gonna start there and help me to not have to redo stuff again. I realize this does not make me sound like the sharpest crayon in the crayola box here but it never occurred to me before you just said that. Thanks for saving me a bunch of redo's on tool zeroing my good man.... Peace....

Pete

I thought for some reason with Tormach you had to use T#1 as the probe for it to work? At least for me I do.

As for tools I no longer try and keep TTS tools in any order. I moved a tool to another location and failed to make the change in SC. So that is what was causing me some problems.... Would be really nice if I could sync SC with M3 for tooling automatically.

[Don Clement]

Have any of you actually used tool #0? There is a reason for using tool #1.

[R.DesJardin]

Have any of you actually used tool #0? There is a reason for using tool #1.

Please explain.
I have all my tool in a Tormach Tool Library in Sprut. I have all of those tools offsets saved in Mach on my Tormach, T0 is my Edgefinder that I use to touch off X, Y, & Z of my part for each item I machine, then I set all the axis' to zero then click the Edit/Save Table button, then click Apply. All of the tools reference off of it.

[Don Clement]

Please explain.
I have all my tool in a Tormach Tool Library in Sprut. I have all of those tools offsets saved in Mach on my Tormach, T0 is my Edgefinder that I use to touch off X, Y, & Z of my part for each item I machine, then I set all the axis' to zero then click the Edit/Save Table button, then click Apply. All of the tools reference off of it.

Really. Must be a different version of Mach III Doesn't work for me.

Don

[R.DesJardin]

If I remember right this process only works with Tool 0, you can't do it with any others. My Mach is the one that came with my Tormach Series II a couple years ago. Sounds like a good tutorial Tormach needs to do?

[Don Clement]

If I remember right this process only works with Tool 0, you can't do it with any others. My Mach is the one that came with my Tormach Series II a couple years ago. Sounds like a good tutorial Tormach needs to do?

Well if the process only works using Tool 0 then there is something amiss or a miscommunication here because I use tool #1 and zero. All other tools are referenced to tool #1. I do measure all my tool heights offline on a surface plate with height gage. Perhaps we are talking about different methods. I use an edge finder for edge placement and don't use any particular tool number for that. Only compensate for the 0.2" diameter with the edge finder. BTW the edge finder is a plain old Starrett 827A.

Don

[pete from TN]

That is exactly what I do, I use a tormach dial indicator holder for the Z zero setting and currently it is tool number one. I use a starrett edgefinder in a collet holder for the X and Y zeroing and it does not have a tool number nor a tool length offset. I am considering getting the Tormach edgefinder electronic to make a probe out of it and setup a cable back to the controller to be able to do probing of edges, centering of holes Id and OD, and possibly a slow feed on Z setting. I have not had a chance to go out in the shop and see if a tool zero is even possible but if it is, I will use it for the test tool and reference everything from there. Rather I am currently just using the same method for height measurement as depicted in the Tool setup video Tormach did on youtube. Basically measure every tool in the fixture and inputs it's overall height and measure the test tool height with the plunger depressed to a specific repeatable depth. Peace

Pete

[R.DesJardin]

I bet we are doing it different. I do have Starrets but with the electronic I can do Z also.
I use Tool 0, it has the Elec. Edge finder, I find all my edges and top and reset all axis'. Then save as I said before. This way all the tools are referenced off of T0, and when I change part locations or thickness I just retouch off T0, reset all the axis' and go. I don't keep track of tool heights with my suface plate and guage, I just set T0 on the part top then bring down the new replaced tool to the top of the part and then zero my Z.

[kevperro]

Tool #1 is my Haimer reference for X, Y, & Z. The rest I just number from there with groups together (drills, EMs, CS, taps etc.. etc..). I keep a master list with measured standoffs in my office so that while I'm using the CAM program I have access to my current tool table. My Z measurement platform and extra tooling are in the office too because if I need to change tools to machine something new I'm usually in the CAM program so I change, measure and update the tool table.

I do keep a parts tray of all my bits that are not mounted in a TTS holder. Some are replacements/extra bits and others are tools I'm not currently using. I write down the part number, price and such details so that I don't forget what I have and so that I know where to repurchase if I need a replacement.

[Tbkahuna]

I keep a list, and sometime take a picture of my tool rack so I can pick the right tool numbers when I am in the office making programs with CAM or by hand. I keep my standard end mills as tools number 2,3,4,5, in the front row of my tool rack, drill chucks are most of the second row, and the top row is other various tools. I use a Starrett edge finder in a collet or sometimes an electronic edge finder but I don't keep them in my tool list and they don't have an offset.

I use T0 when I am using the mill in manual mode like if I am using an end mill holder with a large end mill, a fly cutter, or just doing one or two operations. I zero that tool, do my work, and I am done. I use T1 for the reference.

I do have the probe but it is always T99 and I have the calibrated diameter for the probe tip entered for T99.

[David Bord]

Thanks guys... looks as though I do it basically the same as everyone else does using different numbers but the similar basic process. As normal, I suspect Ive been over thinking it a bit

David