[SPGTech]

Hello All,
As the title says, I am getting an Arrow 500 and have a lifetime supply of BT40 holders which I would like to continue using. If it's as easy as changing the fingers and adjusting a mysterious height parameter, that would be cool. If it costs more for parts than it costs to re-tool, I guess I'll stick with CAT40.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!
-Sean

[gwood]

Need a new spindle and tool fingers. CAT is better, you can orient a boring bar, or back-facing tool.
Did you get a photo of the serial plate yet?

[SPGTech]

Surprised about needing a new spindle but you would know.

I should be able to visit the machine (3 hours away) tomorrow to get that info. Will the locations be obvious or do I need to hunt for it?
Thanks!
-Sean

[gwood]

Riveted to the outside of electrical cabinet door.

[Kwirk]

Need a new spindle and tool fingers. CAT is better, you can orient a boring bar, or back-facing tool.
Did you get a photo of the serial plate yet?

Interesting. What does differ?
I have used bt40 in my cat40 but i bought the different lenght pullstuds for them so the tension is same. (Not tool change)

As far as i know only the taper lenght is different bt40 to cat40?. Bt40 wont bottom out in my spindle atleast.

I have a dirty plan to use both bt40 and cat40 in the machine. I know the magazine needs some modification.

[gwood]

CAT 40 used a blue gripper with different dimensions than the BT-40; BT 40 is a BLACK gripper different dimensions than the CAT-40.
Tool Change height is different due to dimensional differences. Off the internet or tooling website, get two prints; one of the CAT & one of the BT Standards and you'll see the difference.
CAT 40 has a shallow notch and deep key notch as to orient a boring bar or back-facing tool in canned cycles.
Theoretically the BT spindle has two drive keys and not just one. Both are precision balance for MAX RPMs.

[Kwirk]

Thanks

Yes i know these differences but i cant see what it could hurt to run bt40is in the spindle, it seats nicely and with right knobs the drawbar wont know any difference.

But as you say bt40is usually have 2 keys.
But wont be running it balls to the wall
anyways.

[gwood]

Kwirk,
Regarding the ANSI CAT 40 Toolholder versus the BT 40 Toolholder

Reference Only:
https://www.kemmler-shop.de/en/jis-b...l-information/
https://www.kemmler-shop.de/en/din-6...l-information/

Yes
Different TOOL-STUDS, lengths are different
Different Dimensions for the Tool Grippers in the DRUM,
Different Key Depths,
Different AUTO Tool change Z-Machine Coordinate values.

The only thing that is the same is the Taper-per-Foot.
IF and ONLY if you are going to HAND LOAD the tool; then you can interchange this tooling.
Otherwise you will damage the tool grippers or tool drum which is costly.