[mountaindew]

Thanks for input mike, shred, and turbo.
That's what I noticed. Looking for the most repeatable and fast system. Using 1 tool for location and z just looks awesome and fast.
My series 3 works flawless, only has pebkac errors now and then that's about it. So probes are not a big concern.
Most of what I like to do is multisided parts that require tool changes, relocation and fixture changes with all sides and surfaces lining up and finishing out correct.
Not easy to do so far. Oh well if it was easy everyone would do it
Lane

[CadRhino]

[QUOTE=Don Clement;1404258]I use WD40 to clean and protect fixture, rotary table, vise, and mill table before mounting and during storage. To prevent pull out of TTS tools I clean the interface with alcohol and use Starrett M1 oil which I believe leaves a protective dry film unlike WD40. However flood coolant seems to always be drenching TTS tools anyhow. The best thing I did to prevent pull out was to lubricate the ¾” R8 collet, Bellevue washers, and power draw bar threads with Armite LP- 250 LP-250 & LP-250F Anti-Seize Thread & Sealing Compound

Don




Hi Don (& others),

I have a brand new Tormach 1100 with ATC and have not cut any metal with it yet. Been busy learning Sprutcam and machine setup.

I really appreciate your recommendation on the LP-250. I got some of the LP-250 from gracosupply.com
Should I pretty much put the LP-250 on all of the moving parts (PDB to collet)? Do you apply a coating to each tool post too or just the Starrett MI oil. How thick do you apply it?

Thanks,
Nathan

[mountaindew]

Hi cadRhino

I didn't apply anti-seize to the Bellevue washers. I did not see that listed or shown.
Guess I could do that next time I have the collet, draw bar up for clean and lubricate.

Wow you have atc systems with new mill. Nice option there. My programs are just now up to 3-4 tools and atc would be cool.
I'm also learning how to setup material, find edges, run programs, flip parts, measure and continue.
Tool changes are not big part of my operations yet. I was thinking another axis would be more fun for me.

Fun stuff, I Have a bunch of scrap acrylic I laminated into various size blocks and use that to practice making precise parts with.
This is my 4th week with the tool / system and I enjoy how well it works and how precise it works. I turn out some large and small parts already.

I milled a 3/8 x 3/8 x 1/2 - 3 sided part yesterday with threads and pin located at 90 degrees and the hardest thing was not breaking it after it was done.
And yes I did break the part. so I went back to computer and designed and then milled a stronger one

thanks for the info and
Enjoy
Lane

.

[Beezle]

Another item to list is clean/ lube and inspect edge, center finders.
Or maybe the ones I have are not good quality. anyway I get real close but I see a difference in ease of use and how long it takes to get the number.

What does everyone else use?

Thinking of a haimer zero master type unit to increase accuracy and speed of touch offs and edge finding. Anyone like them or other system?

The cost is so high I will be using what I have for a while. Just want to plan for this in part design.
Lane

I use the large face analog Haimer and love the thing. I also have the digital one.

I did find that the tip on my analog liked to come loose despite never sweeping with it, but a wee bit of blue loctite put an end to that.

[Beezle]

Corrosion prevention wise, I use Boeshield T9 on the table, vises, etc. I've never had any staining or rust.

I mostly use a Fogbuster and while I wipe down the vise after cutting something, I tend to not worry about it and so far so good. I do protect the table when using a vise with aluminum cookie sheets. Turns out half sized cookie sheets fit the space to either side of the Tormach 5" vise perfect. I have nylon tape attached to the bottom of the sheets to avoid aluminum to iron contact.

They catch all of the debris and the table mostly stays perfectly clean. Makes cleaning up very simple.

[CadRhino]

Hi cadRhino

I didn't apply anti-seize to the Bellevue washers. I did not see that listed or shown.
Guess I could do that next time I have the collet, draw bar up for clean and lubricate.

Wow you have atc systems with new mill. Nice option there. My programs are just now up to 3-4 tools and atc would be cool.
I'm also learning how to setup material, find edges, run programs, flip parts, measure and continue.
Tool changes are not big part of my operations yet. I was thinking another axis would be more fun for me.

Fun stuff, I Have a bunch of scrap acrylic I laminated into various size blocks and use that to practice making precise parts with.
This is my 4th week with the tool / system and I enjoy how well it works and how precise it works. I turn out some large and small parts already.

I milled a 3/8 x 3/8 x 1/2 - 3 sided part yesterday with threads and pin located at 90 degrees and the hardest thing was not breaking it after it was done.
And yes I did break the part. so I went back to computer and designed and then milled a stronger one

thanks for the info and
Enjoy
Lane

.

Hi Lane,
Great to see you taking to your Tormach like a fish to water. I am close to cutting some real parts and getting my feet wet. This post is one I was thinking of starting when I got my new machine.
I have the Passive probe so that is what I hope to use for my major dialing. Plus I have Rhino 5 and I can convert the mesh field form the probe.
So many new tools/programs to master.
Good luck.
-Nathan

[mountaindew]

Hey Nathan
I do have well over 30 years experience drawing on both paper and cad systems.
This I think has a lot to do with how well I am adapting to the cam and mill control software.
Cad software is second nature to me after so many years. Not much different other then drawing in ways the cam software picks up the design best for mill ops.
Now using and getting proficient at all the little tools is another story. Fixtures for holding work, edge, center, surface finders, vise parallels, step blocks, sin bars, indicators are tools I have like 0.002 experience at using. I struggle with basic stuff like how tight to clamp things in vise, I don't have much feeling in hands so it hard to tell what I am doing at times. And like the heading of the thread, I want to learn good habits and practices to keep my tools in best possible shape and use them correctly.
The many people on these forums, supply a wealth of experience that can be found almost no other place. Makes much of this experience and learning much less painful.

Anyway lots of fun stuff to learn and I look forward to time spent at computer and mill.
Thanks again for reading and any input you have!
Lane

[mountaindew]

I use the large face analog Haimer and love the thing. I also have the digital one.

I did find that the tip on my analog liked to come loose despite never sweeping with it, but a wee bit of blue loctite put an end to that.

I would like the digital Haimer, because of easy reading on tired old eyes. I do have an ongoing battle with batteries and how they fail when I need them most.
That said the analog one you love so much is what I will purchase for the above reason.
Oh, and some fresh blue Loctite. Need that for a few reason not just the tips.
Thanks for input, very helpful!
lane

[Beezle]

I would like the digital Haimer, because of easy reading on tired old eyes. I do have an ongoing battle with batteries and how they fail when I need them most.
That said the analog one you love so much is what I will purchase for the above reason.
Oh, and some fresh blue Loctite. Need that for a few reason not just the tips.
Thanks for input, very helpful!
lane

I find the dial much easier to read for my old eyes. The LCD on the digital is small and you have to bend down to see it clearly.

[CadRhino]

Yesterday I went to fire up the Tormach after sitting for a week (sad, I know) and the tool that was in the R8 Collett holder was really hard to get out. I am beginning to see whey the anti-seize is important for smooth functioning of the PDB as well as ATC. I will put it on today.
-Nathan


[QUOTE=CadRhino;1424226]

I use WD40 to clean and protect fixture, rotary table, vise, and mill table before mounting and during storage. To prevent pull out of TTS tools I clean the interface with alcohol and use Starrett M1 oil which I believe leaves a protective dry film unlike WD40. However flood coolant seems to always be drenching TTS tools anyhow. The best thing I did to prevent pull out was to lubricate the ¾” R8 collet, Bellevue washers, and power draw bar threads with Armite LP- 250 LP-250 & LP-250F Anti-Seize Thread & Sealing Compound

Don




Hi Don (& others),

I have a brand new Tormach 1100 with ATC and have not cut any metal with it yet. Been busy learning Sprutcam and machine setup.

I really appreciate your recommendation on the LP-250. I got some of the LP-250 from gracosupply.com
Should I pretty much put the LP-250 on all of the moving parts (PDB to collet)? Do you apply a coating to each tool post too or just the Starrett MI oil. How thick do you apply it?

Thanks,
Nathan

[CadRhino]

As Mike says its a matter of personal preference and workflow. I've tried all the methods that I know of and have ended up loving my analog Haimer 3D. Living in Europe I ordered directly from a German distributor. What I saved on the device payed for a couple of replacement tips (I'm on my third tip).
Step

Hi Turbo,

Of all the 'methods' you tried, did you also use the passive probe as well? How did that work for you? I have heard such great things about the Haimer but went the route of the probe for potentially more uses.

Thanks,
Nathan

[Scott_M]

Yesterday I went to fire up the Tormach after sitting for a week (sad, I know) and the tool that was in the R8 Collett holder was really hard to get out. I am beginning to see whey the anti-seize is important for smooth functioning of the PDB as well as ATC. I will put it on today.
-Nathan

Hi Nathan

From that quote it sounds like you plan on putting anti-seize on your tool shank. Don't . The anti-seize goes on the outside of the collet. The inside of the collet and the tool shank should be clean and dry.
If you have not read the report on "Preventing Collet Slip" I would suggest it. http://www.tormach.com/uploads/163/T...lding-pdf.html

Scott

[CadRhino]

Hi Scott,

Thanks for the quick response. I was just about to do just that and you stopped me. I will re-read the white paper.
It is great to have so many mentors on this site when one is learning to fly my their Tormach.
-Nathan

Hi Nathan

From that quote it sounds like you plan on putting anti-seize on your tool shank. Don't . The anti-seize goes on the outside of the collet. The inside of the collet and the tool shank should be clean and dry.
If you have not read the report on "Preventing Collet Slip" I would suggest it. http://www.tormach.com/uploads/163/T...lding-pdf.html

Scott

[mike sr1]

I put it on every sliding part except the tool shank and inner collet surface, I use a graphite based concoction, works well but is messy, I cut a finger out of a stretchy cloth glove, and put that over the bellevilles so it doesnt sling it all over inside the spindle enclosure, so far it works well.

[CadRhino]

OK, now that I finally made my first part, is there a best practices on cleanup? I ran flood with KoolMist 77 (1:12 solution).
It says it doesn't rust but should I take my vise off and clean up everything or just leave it? My vise if paralleled so it would be nice to leave it but don't want rust.
I could also wipe everything down and put way oil on the table.
Thanks,
Nathan

[mountaindew]

Good questions CR!
Cleanup is another struggle, no good way to do it yet!
I pulled vise after it set for a week in same place, and it did leave a patina mark "stain" on the metal. No big deal so far, I live in a desert so I hope dry air will help some.

One of the members here recommended vise keys for easy vise removal and reset. They work great, and position vise pretty well. I still indicate and tweak it a little but still its simple, easy and fast.

I vacuum and sweep out milled material from work area and way covers before use. Way covers do not look very durable. Wipe precision surfaces with wd40 or clean way oil rag.
And general clean machine, its new and I would like to keep it that way for a while anyway.

Cadrhino, One thing that has helped me also being new to cnc operations is a dry erase board and bulletin board from walmart. I placed them near work area and use one to pin service bulletins and g-m- codes lists on and I use the dry erase board to make quick notes, draw diagrams, g-code routines, and short lists of things to check.
Also handy for quick reference when you perform irregular service, like anti-seize to collet and pdb. Easy to forget such things so I make it easy to remember.

Good to see your also making progress.
Enjoy and keep us posted
Lane

[Don Clement]

One of the members here recommended vise keys for easy vise removal and reset. They work great, and position vise pretty well. I still indicate and tweak it a little but still its simple, easy and fast.

I don't have to indicate or tweak with vise keys. I make sure the mating surfaces are clean and before tightening down push forward on the vise to take up any play between the keys and t slot.

Don

[mountaindew]

HI Don,
Thanks for hint. I will try that!
I noticed when I tighten right side it pulls it a little as shown by indicator. All I would do is tap forward and tighten on right side and its on.
I am amazed at the fit of them. They are tight and I don't see how they move much. Just the indicator shows a little.

Lane

[CadRhino]

Are you talking about the T-nut locators in the bottom of the vise, right? If so, I watched the Tormach video on vise setup and the instructor said he didn't like them (but didn't say why). I didn't get them when I ordered my 5" Tormach Machinist vise. If they work well, I will get a pair.
Lane, thanks for the advice on the vise stain, I took my vise off the bed and there was no stain.
Best,
Nathan

[Don Clement]

Vise keys work extremely well for me on my Tormach using a Kurt D688 vise as I don’t need to indicate or tweak after reinstalling the vise. The keys worked so well with the vise in fact that I bought a second set of vise keys and installed the keys on an angle fixture. So now I don’t have to indicate on either the D688 vise or angle fixture wrt to the X-axis. When installing or removing the Kurt vise, angle fixture, or Rotary table I always spray WD40 on mill table, vise, rotary table, and angle fixture. I have no problem with staining or rust when using a preventative coating of WD40. In my experience WD40 is a rust and stain repellant. YMMV

Don