[jdholbrook]

Getting my ducks in a row while my finances are aligning themselves. One more week and I should by ready to drop the hammer.

My goal is prototyping and light production of aluminum, plastic, steel and stainless (303ish)
I have experience with them all in a manual lathe so shouldn't be such a big learning curve.
I will work towards making a bar feeder, even if it's only a few feet of material, to speed up production runs.

Final goal is PCNC 1100, SlantPRO, good drill press or maybe mill/drill as well as my laser cutter and a small CNC Router to flesh out my mini workshop (two car garage)
Existing equipment is CNC Taig mill, Taig lathe, Jet 9x20 lathe and various odds and ends. (grinders, polishers, belt sander etc..)

Just going over the site I chose this lineup.

34444-T - 15L Slant-PRO™ CNC Lathe with Turret

Lathe Turret: 33273 - Turret Kit for Tormach 15L Slant-PRO
Lathe Controller: 34388 - Lathe Controller
15L Slant-PRO Oiler: 31374 - Automatic Oiler (230V)
Lathe Enclosure: 34713-T - Full Enclosure Kit for 15L Slant-PRO
Additional Lathe Options: 33269 - Lifting Kit for Tormach 15L Slant-PRO, 34381 - Extended Warrranty for 15L Slant-PRO
Owner's Kit: 34398 - 15L Slant-PRO™ Owner's Kit
$17,162.50
33156 - 3-Jaw Reversible 6" Lathe Chuck (D1 Type Direct Mount) $276.25
34902 - 6" Aluminum Soft Top Jaws (2" Tall) $34.80
34903 - 6" Aluminum Soft Top Jaws (3" Tall) $44.70
33283 - 5C Collet Closer (Lever-Action) $985.00
34727 - 5C Round Collet Set (35 Pcs.) $235.00
34799 - Metric 5C Round Collet Set (9 Pcs.) $99.50
34798 - Metric 5C Round Collet Set (13 Pcs.) $99.50
34105 - MT-3 Live Center $28.95
33336 - 4-Jaw Independent Reversible 6" Lathe Chuck (D1 Type Direct Mount) $239.50


Questions:

1. Is the three jaw a good one? Better off getting a Bison? (I want precision)
2. Same question about the 4 jaw?
3. Has anyone fitted a bar feeder? Ideas?
4. Tormach tool holder recommendation?
5. Any use for the QCTP if I'm getting the turrent?
6. In the video it sounds as if the spindle RPM's are going up and down. Is this a constant surface feed / minute feature?
7. How much does the turret reduce carriage travel?
8. Can a pendent like the VistaCNC P4-S be used?

Welcome any more words of wisdom, hints, tips or tricks.

Thanks for looking

[MichaelHenry]

Just some random thoughts here.

Unless I missed it in the list you aren't getting the tailstock now, so why buy the MT-3 live center?

My understanding is that a 3-jaw chuck is not a good choice if accuracy is the main concern. An adjust-tru model 3-jaw can help with that but they have to be re-adjusted for each diameter, so a 4-jaw might be better there.

The QCTP sounds like a good option to me for those occasions where you are out of turret positions and need a different cutter for the odd job.

AIR, the controller does support CSS.

[bhurts]

After using a adjustable Chuck for many years I would not own a lathe without one. You can set up your parts to within .0005 tir in under a minute. It really comes down to your tolerance requirements.

Ben

[jdholbrook]

Just some random thoughts here.

Unless I missed it in the list you aren't getting the tailstock now, so why buy the MT-3 live center?

My understanding is that a 3-jaw chuck is not a good choice if accuracy is the main concern. An adjust-tru model 3-jaw can help with that but they have to be re-adjusted for each diameter, so a 4-jaw might be better there.

The QCTP sounds like a good option to me for those occasions where you are out of turret positions and need a different cutter for the odd job.

AIR, the controller does support CSS.

I didn't include the tailstock in the list because it's showing out of stock and can't be added to the shopping cart.
I'll manually add it to my list.
I definitely want the tailstock. Thanks for reminding me

Good thinking about the QCTP.

I used some Chinese chucks on the 9x20 and was very disappointed with them.
I would rather spend the extra cash upfront if the Tormach chucks are not as good as a Bison or Gator.

Thanks for the info

[jdholbrook]

After using a adjustable Chuck for many years I would not own a lathe without one. You can set up your parts to within .0005 tir in under a minute. It really comes down to your tolerance requirements.

Ben

Hi Ben,

I see the value you're talking about.
Sadly I fought with the cheap chinese chuck on the 9x20.
My part was 3" x 6" stainless and I never could get it to hold correctly with the 4 jaw. Finally gave up and had it machined at the shop.
I understand the principle and watched the videos on aligning parts. I am confident I was doing it correctly but not confident in the chuck.
I think the 9x20 was worn out at that stage, combined with the cheap chuck was just too frustrating.
I could see the part deflecting as I was cutting it!

My main concern is.. Do the Tormach chucks stack up against the likes of Bison or Gator?
If not I would rather spend the extra now and be done with it.

The shop I used to work at had an old Clausing and it was a dream to work with compared to that 9x20!

[bhurts]

I think maybe you misunderstood my post. The adjustable chucks I use are very high quality 3 and 6 jaw set tru chucks. Shars sells a cheaper version of the same type chuck.

https://www.shars.com/product_catego...iversal_Chucks

Ben

[jdholbrook]

I think maybe you misunderstood my post. The adjustable chucks I use are very high quality 3 and 6 jaw set tru chucks. Shars sells a cheaper version of the same type chuck.

https://www.shars.com/product_catego...iversal_Chucks

Ben

Thanks Ben,

You are right. I took adjustable to be 4 jaw.

Bison 6 1/4" 3 Jaw "set tru" with adapter $1200
Gator 6" 3 jaw "Tru adjust" with adapter $900
Shars 6" 3 jaw Adjustable with adapter $500

I don't mind paying more for Gator or Bison.

What are the pros and cons of using a 6 jaw?
I can see less marking on the part as one.
Good for holding thin wall I would think.

[bhurts]

In general you get less chance of forcing parts out of round with a 6 jaw. This only really applies to hollow parts and soft materials of course. It will also allow chucking some unconventional shaped parts but that can be considered a bad habit.

Ben

[jdholbrook]

I see the term "Semi-steel" on Gator chucks of lower price.
Any reason to shy away from Semi-steel?

Reading about it I see that it is well suited to lathe chucks and at a few hundred bucks less. Appealing.

[MichaelHenry]

I've bought Bison chucks and been happy with them but the price seems to have creeped up quite a bit in the past few years. A year back I wanted a 3-in, 3-jaw chuck with a 5C mount and ended up with a Bison 5C-mount and a Fuerda Gator 3-jaw from New England Brass and that has worked out very well for me.

Brass And Tool - Machine tools from Garvin, Bison / Toolmex, Fuerda, Lyndex and Fowler

Mike

[adamvs]

I bought a Gator 6" chuck and and very happy with it. It's not heavy, and has good repeatability, run-out's about .0025, which is OK for 3-jaw. A lot of jobs start with oversize stock anyway. For odd sizes, that need special attention, I'm a big fan of soft-jaws, and at the price Tormach is offerring, the money spent on a big fancy chuck can buy a lot of soft-jaw sets.

[kirk_wallace]

"AIR, the controller does support CSS."

CSS should be available on the lathe using G96.

[jdholbrook]

The Gator adjustable sounds like a winner.

What about power 5C collet closer?
Bar feeder?

Anyone have some ideas? Rigged up something?

Found bar puller.. $1800

[jdholbrook]

Digging around for bar pullers I stumbled on Royal Products.



$1100 ish with cut off tool but no insert. - Correction, comes with one insert.
3/4" shank, uses standard insert.

[MichaelHenry]

There are quite a few bar pullers on the market that should work with the Tormach turret. If there is any interest I'll see what I can find on my home PC.

Have you considered an air chuck? I picked up a used one made by Northfield last year, but they are very pricey when bought new. I'd eventually like to get an air-operated 5C collet closer but the lever-operated one that Tormach sells would hold me for a while. I wonder if Tormach will provide an kit to upgrade the lever closer to an air-operated closer?

Mike

[jdholbrook]

There are quite a few bar pullers on the market that should work with the Tormach turret. If there is any interest I'll see what I can find on my home PC.

Have you considered an air chuck? I picked up a used one made by Northfield last year, but they are very pricey when bought new. I'd eventually like to get an air-operated 5C collet closer but the lever-operated one that Tormach sells would hold me for a while. I wonder if Tormach will provide an kit to upgrade the lever closer to an air-operated closer?

Mike

Seems natural that an air operated collet closer would be in the works.
Why have a CNC lathe if you can't have it mass produce parts?
Need a mini bar feeder, bar puller and air collet closer.

Listening Tormach?

[tmarks11]

Listening Tormach?

Tormach has already promised an upgrade to the 5C collet closer to make in pneumatically operated, and a bar puller is a no-brainer at the same time. They showed it in operation in one of their early videos, IIRC.

We will also offer an upgrade kit to make it a power 5C collet closer, but that’s a later option.

Tormach Lathe Update: Winter 2014

[jdholbrook]

I'm ready to order.
What time frame can I expect from order till delivery?
I'll need to coordinate some strong backs and also a fork lift and pallet jack.
I've installed a sub panel and will need to route some conduit and outlets but that won't take long.

Suggestions on tooling?

To start I'll be cutting a lot of Delrin and will make my own out of HSS.
What other tools should I look at?

[LeeWay]

Did you wind up getting this lathe? Just curious about the shipment timeline and how everything went.

[tmarks11]

Looks like the OP bought a Haas TL-1 instead.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/haas-m...ml#post1700636