Anyone have tried "mill2lathe" setup? converting Tormach to a CNC lathe

Hi,

I'm in need for a CNC lathe to turn some handbar grips. I watched videos on mill2lathe.com and the setup was very interesting.

I tried to email them for programming advices but all emails were returned. Does anyone here have used them? how does it compare to Tormach's own "Duality" setup? I only use turning once in a while and mill2lathe looks like a simpler solution.

thanks

Daz

It seems the difference is that with lathing in a mill, the workpiece is in the spindle and the tooling on the mill table. The Duality is a lathe mounted to the mill table with the workpiece in the Duality spindle and tooling on the mill spindle. Generally, it is easier to mount a workpiece in a lathe or Duality spindle because they are designed for that. Mounting workpieces in a mill spindle usually needs special hardware. It's the same for tooling because a mill is designed to have rotating tools in the spindle, rather than stationary tools on the table. With the Duality, the tool is usually mounted to a fixture clamped to the mill spindle ram, thus bypassing the need to lock the mill spindle to hold a stationary tool. So lathe = wp in spindle, tool on carriage, lathing on mill = wp in spindle, tool on table, Duality = wp in Duality spindle, tool on mill spindle.

Basically, to turn a workpiece on your mill, you need a means to hold and spin the workpiece in your mill spindle. If your workpiece happens to fit into a collet, you should be all set. Then you need a means to hold your tooling on the table. If you have a lathe tool holder on hand you might be able to mill a block that the lathe tool holder can bolt to, then bolt the block to the table. Or, mill a block with a slot and set screws to hold a lathe tool and also bolt to the table.

The g-code should be in lathe form, except Y can be used to set the tool height if needed.

While looking for something else, I happened upon this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aCFjhFZY8o

this is interesting. i have never done any programming w/ a CNC lathe. Is it as simple as a regular toolpath programming for HSMWORKS? and how would postprocess work? obviously there is no existing postprocess made for the Tormach to work as a lathe, or, i just use the same post for regular milling and it'd generate the right toolpath?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kirk_wallace

While looking for something else, I happened upon this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aCFjhFZY8o

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The easiest way to use a mill for turning is to buy a copy of MachStdMill with Mill-Turn from calypsoventures.com. It lets you run standard lathe G-code on your mill. For lathe CAM, about the most affordable on out there is Dolphin CAD/CAM. The very few free lathe CAMs, like LazyTurn are absolutely God-awful. And that's the nicest thing I can think of to say about them. For a lathe, you probably want to get good at hand-coding, and learn how to do parametric coding as well.

No need to get fancy on tool-holding as in that video. You can simply hold the lathe tool in a vise. I've made tons of parts that way.

Regards,
Ray L.

The mill and lathe have the same axes as shown in the attached picture, except a lathe doesn't use Y. Lathe g-code would not have Y either, so you would need to add a Y move at the start to set the tool height. This should not change until the part is done. Then Y may be changed to clear the part so the machine can move to the parked position. Tool changes would need Y code added too. Other than that lathe CAM should be pretty close.

Also the Z plus direction should match both lathe and mill. The X plus direction may not match since lathes have front or rear tool modes. A lathe can also have a diameter mode, which you won't have, so think in radii.

Attachment 260880

For simple parts, just clamp tool holder in a vice and code manually. Its a piece of cake.

Wow, I have been wanting to be able to lathe mill parts on my tormach like this. Was everything able to be done in standard tormach version of mach?
Do you know if Sprutcam could handle the lathe g-code for this kind of setup?
I like how they were able to chuck up the part in a 1/2" tts holder instead of using a spindle chuck.
Basically, with a plane-Jane tormach without any special mach program, can one cut parts like this easily?
Thanks
Nathan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kirk_wallace

The mill and lathe have the same axes as shown in the attached picture, except a lathe doesn't use Y. Lathe g-code would not have Y either, so you would need to add a Y move at the start to set the tool height. This should not change until the part is done. Then Y may be changed to clear the part so the machine can move to the parked position. Tool changes would need Y code added too. Other than that lathe CAM should be pretty close.

Also the Z plus direction should match both lathe and mill. The X plus direction may not match since lathes have front or rear tool modes. A lathe can also have a diameter mode, which you won't have, so think in radii.

Attachment 260880

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I have a CNC lathe as well as a mill, and I don't have any CAM for lathe work. I have been able to use the lathe wizards that come with Mach3 to get me in the ballpark, and then make modifications to the G-code to get me to my final G-code. I have not done anything terribly complicated, and this as worked for me, but I would imagine at some point if things are complicated, you need to get CAM. As Ray pointed out, I have read Dolphin as the affordable decent choice.

I think the Gcode produced for the lathe would work just as well on the mill, since it is the same axis's you would be using in X and Z regardless, but you may have to worry about direction of feeds, not sure as I have not tried.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CadRhino

Wow, I have been wanting to be able to lathe mill parts on my tormach like this. Was everything able to be done in standard tormach version of mach?
Do you know if Sprutcam could handle the lathe g-code for this kind of setup?
I like how they were able to chuck up the part in a 1/2" tts holder instead of using a spindle chuck.
Basically, with a plane-Jane tormach without any special mach program, can one cut parts like this easily?
Thanks
Nathan

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Yes. No modifications are needed. I use Mastercam, but any cam (FingerCam or Real) can be set up to work. The only thing I have to modify on the code output is to change arc plane from G17 (XY) to G18 (XZ) and remove tool numbers (which I can solve by modifying the post processor but I just haven't)

If I have more than one tool I use G54/G55/etc (again, remove tool change call out)

Aside from just drilling holes or surfacing I never hand code except for macros and parametric formulas ETC, but hand coding for lathe work is really quite simple since the movements are primarily 2 axis only and rarely very complex.

Brian
WOT Designs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SCzEngrgGroup

The easiest way to use a mill for turning is to buy a copy of MachStdMill with Mill-Turn from calypsoventures.com. It lets you run standard lathe G-code on your mill.
Ray L.

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Ray,
Do you just hand code to use your vertical mill for turning operations?

I believe you don't have a Tormach mill but since you are a frequent poster to this Tormach forum, can you advise how to configure MacStdMill to drive the Tormach PCNC1100?
Bevin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bevinp

Ray,
Do you just hand code to use your vertical mill for turning operations?

I believe you don't have a Tormach mill but since you are a frequent poster to this Tormach forum, can you advise how to configure MacStdMill to drive the Tormach PCNC1100?
Bevin

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The parts I have done so far were simple enough that hand-coding was easy. In one case, I use a mill CAM program to generate the path for a more complex shape, then massaged it a little by hand. I tried LazyCAM, but found it so obtuse and buggy as to be nearly unusable.

MachStdMill doesn't require any machine-specific configuration. It is basically a Mach3 screeenset, and a bunch of macros. You can download and run in demo mode for, I think 30 days, and the manual is free to download so you can get a good understanding of what it does.

Regards,
Ray L.

Thanks for the insight, Brian.
Sometime my lack of knowledge of g-code makes me feel like that is what may be holding me back from such operations as mill lathe work.
Has anyone here used sprutcam successfully for lathe work on their mill?
Thanks
Nathan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WOTDesigns

Yes. No modifications are needed. I use Mastercam, but any cam (FingerCam or Real) can be set up to work. The only thing I have to modify on the code output is to change arc plane from G17 (XY) to G18 (XZ) and remove tool numbers (which I can solve by modifying the post processor but I just haven't)

If I have more than one tool I use G54/G55/etc (again, remove tool change call out)

Aside from just drilling holes or surfacing I never hand code except for macros and parametric formulas ETC, but hand coding for lathe work is really quite simple since the movements are primarily 2 axis only and rarely very complex.

Brian
WOT Designs

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I made this a little over a year ago and has worked very well. 95% hand coded. If there's one thing I would have changed/used was the mitee bite uniforce clamps instead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fu3ZCujYOk

Very cool video. Thank you for posting it.
It looks like you have a tormach with a 3inch spindle chuck.
I take it you don't have a PDB or use the tts tooling but manually chuck up r8.
Best
Nathan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by twocik

I made this a little over a year ago and has worked very well. 95% hand coded. If there's one thing I would have changed/used was the mitee bite uniforce clamps instead.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fu3ZCujYOk

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by twocik

I made this a little over a year ago and has worked very well. 95% hand coded. If there's one thing I would have changed/used was the mitee bite uniforce clamps instead.

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All I can say is WOW! I went to your website and am blown away by the quality of your machined parts. Do you do any consulting to other Tormach users? I'd love to pay to pick your brain about fixtures and processes. I also agree with the other post on wanting to learn how to code parts to run in lathe mode. Also, on the 3" chuck, do you have info your willing share on how you went about this setup?

Thanks for sharing with us. Especially those of us who are just getting started!

Andrew