[Rytmad]

Hello all, new to the forum so if this would fit better in a different area let me know.

I purchased a 2000 VMC 3020 Bridgeport mill about a month ago, It's in the shop behind my house and I had a couple basic questions. Haven't been able to really fire it up yet as I am getting 3 phase power ran, but right now I have a small phase converter I have been running my smaller manual equipment off of.

My question is, this is my first CNC I've owned and I purchased it off eBay, supposedly it is a CAT 40 machine. I know they made theses with both cat40 and BT40 tool changers. Is there a way I can check by looking at the tool changer before I start buying tool holders? It does not say anywhere in the manuals.

I also am trying to figure out what retention studs these use assuming it is cat40. Seems like there is a lot of different style studs online.

Thanks for any help in advance!

[DarkStarMedia]

So the main difference is in the pull stud and the thread in the tool holder and the flange. If you take a few pictures of your tool holders on your tool changer I can compare it to mine which is a BT40. I seem to recall that BT40 was the standard and CAT40 was optional.

Richard

[Rytmad]

So the main difference is in the pull stud and the thread in the tool holder and the flange. If you take a few pictures of your tool holders on your tool changer I can compare it to mine which is a BT40. I seem to recall that BT40 was the standard and CAT40 was optional.

Richard

Yah, I know that the BT is a metric thread pull stud and the Cat is 5/8-11 I believe. What I'm looking for is which ones I need for the changer. Here is a picture, I pulled it out to see if there was any numbers on it but there weren't. I appreciate if you can check yours out maybe even send me a picture?

[DarkStarMedia]

My machine is down (bad triac causing tool changer to continuously spin) but I will see what I can get for you tomorrow afternoon/evening.

If you don't hear from me feel free to poke me with a pm or something.

Richard

[nlh]

Here are a couple pics of the carousel fingers on my TC1g. My machine uses BT40 holders. Notice the differences between the flange area on mine vs yours.

I was also under the impression that there was a mark on these segments somewhere that denoted either BT or CAT?

Seems like I came across that information while searching old threads in this forum. Unfortunately, I did not save it for future reference so probably would require quite a bit of digging.

Another check, which works for the Torq-cut's at least, is to look up into the spindle, if the drawbar has 4 balls that grasp the pull stud, it is setup for BT40, if it has fingers, then CAT40.

The other thing you could do, and I would recommend, would be to speak with Mark at EMI, Electro-Mechanical Integrators. Also, the guys at bptparts.com are quite knowledgeable as well. Both of these places know their stuff when it comes to these machines.

In regards to pull studs, I have been getting mine from J&M Performance Products (JM Peformance). Give them a call and ask for Dick Brimer, he has been very helpful. They have a database that has many machine/pull stud combo's. Chances are they have info on the VMC 3020.

Hope this helps!

[DarkStarMedia]

looks like you got your answer.... I could not provide better pictures.

Richard

[Rytmad]

Assuming those carousel segments are the same as mine, I'd say I have Cat40 as they definitely look different.

Maritool said that if I have a cat40 it is probably this pull stud as that is what most Bridgeport's use.

https://www.maritool.com/Retention-K...duct_info.html