here is a "rebuild" of my lathe with an improved turret design

friends,
i have rebuild my lathe. The lm guides, balscrews, motors and vfd is the same. All is mounted on a newly casted iron bed , a new headstock and new bearings and a new enclosure with external controls for feed hold, spindle, cyclestart, coolant and estop. There are two mpg one each for x and z of my lathe. One switch for jog toggle and a homemade joystick for fast jogging.

The new thing in this lathe is its toolchanger. completely electric deisgn. a 200watt reversible motor, a worm gear, 8 photodiodes an atmega16 is used to drive it. The best thing about the toolchanger is that it locks the toolplate with the turret base using a screw and nut so there is absolutely no deflection on the tool what so ever load is due to heavy cuts. Watch the video and pics and you will get it.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3ImCmnPPQ]100_6802.flv - YouTube[/ame]
jasminder singh

Jasminder,

- Can you post more detailed pictures of your lathe tool changer?
- I'd like to understand how you are using the worm-gear drive.
- It sounds like a marvelous idea to increase your ability to resist cutting forces

Thanks!

Joe

Dear Joe,
Unfortunately, i have no pics or cad design for you. The turret was good in operation but tricky. It was slow in indexing but clamping, rigidity and repeatability was very good. I hope you would have seen tool post type four station turrets. if not then just google for them. They have a small motor and a worm gear in them. I took the idea from them and made a vertical turret that's it. But if someone wants me to build something better i will go for the "German revolver" plan as made by dumpster. (He is popular here and on youtube). You know, pneumatic clamping, a stepper for indexing that is quite easy to make and operate. I have made that one too in the past. Very easy and rigid and no wear at all.


regards,
Jasminder Singh

I'd love to know more about your new cast iron bed as well.

Thanks!