tailstock programing question

we have a mazak qt-20 with a cam t-2 controll. my question is; when using m32 to send tailstock backwards is there a way to have it stop before going back as far as it will go (end of stroke)?

You could use a movable stop like the one used for the tailstock forward stroke. The rear stop would engage the plunger shaft to stop the tailstack body.
Good luck!

that's the only way I know to do it. There is already a stop in the back. It's identical to the one in the front. Just move it to where you want it to stop. Unfortunately there is no way to program it where to stop.

thanks for your replys. i was not aware that the tailstock itself wasnt actually programable as far as position of the body is concerned. we have been looking for a switch in the back and cant seem to find it. what we did find out is that it is a hard stop that is stoping it on the reverse stroke, that cant be good so if i can figure out where the switch goes and what kind it is i guess we will put one on.

Right. On the front of the tail stock you'll see a button that contacts the hard stop that is mounted to your tail body ways. The same thing is in the back. There is a wing nut that you can loosen on the hard stop itself and position it wherever you want. The back of the tail body has the same button as the front. Understand?

well thats the problem, i dont see a button on the front or the back and the stops are actually bolted to the ways (near the ends) with two 3/8" flat heads. what stops it going forward is a roller type switch, coming out of the side of the tailstock body, that contacts a piece mounted about 6 inches behind the turret. we have tried to move the turret and this piece back to wher we want the tailstock to stop, to see it the same switch will stop it going in the reverse direction be it will not, it just rolls over the piece and continues on until it hits the hard stop.

You must have the original Mazak QT20, which is a 10" chuck (or 12") with 40" centers. This machine later became the QT25, then the QT28, then the QT30.
I have one of the QT20's, a 1985 model. I like it because it is a box-way machine. Mazak wnet to linear guides on the QT28 and later machines.
Anyway, you will have to fabricate a stop that will clamp to the bottom tailstock guideway. The forward and reverse limit switches are the mechanical, roller-and-lever type. They are "hidden" behind rubber wipers at the bottom of the tailstock body. The stops you see bolted to the ways activate the limit switch, stopping the tailstock at max forward, or max reverse.
You should be able to fabricate a moveable stop, that bolts to the lower tailsock way, to activate the rearward limit switch, stopping the tailstock where you need.
Good luck!

Sorry about that. I didn't expect you having an old qt20. I was assuming you had the newer one with the tplus controls. They changed the numbers of the machines when they changed the controls. LOL. Oh well

CNCToolcat is right on the money with his advice. Good luck

thanks guys. that makes sence. the operator is working on a stop now. we got a part that we stick down the spindle bore and to change parts we need to move the tailstock back about 6 inches and it seemed like such a waste of time because its seems to be moving about 12-14 inches more than it needs to on every cycle.
thanks again.

my 198somethin t2 qt#20 has a small bracket on the z axis wat cover
you program a manuel move and stop where you want the body to stop, tell it to move and it does
it then holds itself there (anywhere)
call mazak
847-885-8311
les knows the older machines
(cause me and him where around when they were new)