CNC Lathe

[IslaWW]

Guys...
Here is a quick video of the first programmed cuts on my latest home project. It's a CNC add-on for a wood turning lathe. I think the video will give a fairly good idea of its capabilities.

I have some work to do with chip guards and macros etc., but I just had to cut something to see if it worked!

File shown was designed and toolpathed using VCPro 8 with a custom post processor. RPM as on screen, feed 30ipm, .125 (radius .25 diameter) cut per pass with the 10mm tool and .030 with the detail tool. Enjoy!

[JimmyD]

That's awesome Gary. Excellent craftsmanship, as always.

Jim

[scottp55]

Nice Gary!!

[lsvien]

V Carve Pro 8???????? When did that come out?

[IslaWW]

Isvien...
We are good now?? V8 is alive.

[lsvien]

Yup, All I have to do now is convince the spousal unit that I need the upgrade and pony up the cash. In the past there was a "What's New" document. I haven't been able to find that yet.

[DarrenS]

Very cool Gary. Really hope to meet you one day. I've seen you do a lot of great stuff over the years. I agree with you guys on the making money part. I owned a Legacy Ornamental Mill for a while. Only tool I never made a dollar with. So it went away, at a loss, even though it was fun to tinker with.

[mtylerfl]

Wow, Gary! I just noticed your post today and watched the video. Super cool!

[IslaWW]

Darren & Michael....
Thank you and hope to see you both at the Vectric gathering at Jim's

[ohiococonut]

You had to cut something to see if it worked? It didn't look like a trial cut to me.
Excellent design!
If I wasn't already working on a 4th axis I might be convinced to convert one of my lathes.

[PaulRowntree]

That is terrific Gary, thanks for showing this!
pr

[IslaWW]

Paul...
Sure could use a gadget to add leads to profile cuts.

I am interested in funding this privately, if you prefer. email in profile (lower left)

[grummy]

Gary,
Are you drawing all your toolpath lines and then running an online toolpath or offset path on them or have you drawn half your final shape and found a way to let VCP ADD toolpaths ? Care to describe how you are doing this ? How are you getting toolpaths for ball exact ball shapes when a tool has different dimensions between end and side cutting ? Care to share your Post ?

[IslaWW]

Grummy...
The insert tooling that I used for this test were 1) a 10mm round and 2) 35* finisher with a .030" radius. I toolpathed each as a conventional profile cut right side toolpath of an open vector. 1) as a 10mm diameter and 2) as a .030" endmill .001 deep. Once I had my finished profile for the turning, I added a 45* leadout and offset it once .030 for the finish cut, and then numerous times at .125 until the offset cleared the blank diameter. I placed a line 1/4" above the blank surface and trimmed the offset lines that went above it. I then made sure in node edit mode that my start points were correct and created the toolpaths. I could have used one more lead in!

Pic of generated toolpath geometry attached

The post has some proprietary code and macro calls that would only apply to this machine and I would choose not to share them, but would answer questions on general actions. They are specific to WinCNC D/A conversion and axes swapping.

[IslaWW]

Forgot to mention that there is also shown a "V" geometry that exactly represents the point of the finishing cutter that I use to ensure that I have no side of cutter conflicts.