Got probe?

I was talking to my HFO rep yesterday, and he was telling me that he has seen the Renishaw Tool Setter mounted in dozens of ways. He mentioned guys making fixtures, raising them, etc.

I have a new Super Mini 2 in my home shop, and I have to say, the probe was the best $5K I have ever spent. However, I really havnt found any other way to mount it, other than leaving it in the top right portion of my table.

I have looked for pictures, or ideas, but I have found nothing.

Anyone have the probe and tool setter? If so, where is it positioned on your table? Have you seen or heard of any different ways to mount it?

Any pix or info would be appreciated!

Thanks

Sorry I can't help but I would love to move mine. Therefore I'm very interested too.

Looking forward to ideas.

Athack

I'm not sure what the mystery is here? It mounts in a T slot, so make a spacer or other mounting thingy with a T slot in it and put the tool setter wherever you want. Re-level and re-calibrate, and you're done.

That's not the issue. Apparently people have mad fixtures to raise the setter, or mount it out of the way of the fixturing on the table, etc. I was just wondering if anyone had any examples. I would love to possible elevate it, but didn't know if anyone else had done so.

No pictures, but I have made several riser blocks of different heights. All you need to mount the tool setter to the new block is a 1/2-13 tapped hole to secure the tool setter base and bolt the riser to your table or subplate. Recalibrate and good to go. Like Matt said, no mystery method or procedure. You can mount the tool setter at any location or at any height as long as you recalibrate.

Blackdiamond said:

That's not the issue. Apparently people have mad fixtures to raise the setter, or mount it out of the way of the fixturing on the table, etc. I was just wondering if anyone had any examples. I would love to possible elevate it, but didn't know if anyone else had done so.

Click to expand...

It's not really rocket science to just raise it up. You can mount the thing however and wherever you want to. I would personally not want to raise it up though as that would cause more issues with coolant lines or whatever getting close to hitting it if you are nearby with short tools. The only issue with having it at its normal height is covering it with chips...but that is an easy thing to deal with.

Has anyone hung it off the table? Either side on the Y axis. If so any problems with touching off big tools?

Athack

athack said:

Has anyone hung it off the table? Either side on the Y axis. If so any problems with touching off big tools?

Athack

Click to expand...

Hanging it off either side of the y-axis will most likely have clearance and/or travel issues. Easy to check though, just jog the table and see what you have.

How do you locate the probe if it can't reach it? I guess you could mount the base on the side and have the carbide pad within reach? See, pictures just work better! Haha but I still can't find any examples.

It kinds is rocket science if your tool setter is off.... Major issues

Blackdiamond said:

How do you locate the probe if it can't reach it? I guess you could mount the base on the side and have the carbide pad within reach? See, pictures just work better! Haha but I still can't find any examples.

Click to expand...

I don't understand why you need pictures??? It just mounts on your table ANYWHERE. On a 123 block, in a vise, on a custom riser plate, ...all will work (not all are good ideas imo)...Obviously it has to be within your travel limits. I don't think anyone is suggesting you mount it somewhere you can't reach it

BTW - if it is working in the right back corner of your table (same place as mine) then what is the issue? Yeah, you lost a couple inches of table space...but you gain exponentially what you lost in having the probe there.

Blackdiamond said:

It kinds is rocket science if your tool setter is off.... Major issues

Click to expand...

It shouldn't be "off"...lol - no matter how you mount it. You do have to check it periodically to ensure it is within .0001" flat though. These styli tend to wear out quickly also...they have a horrible tendency to "dish".



Anyway....2 seconds on google and here is your picture.

tc1999 said:

I don't understand why you need pictures??? It just mounts on your table ANYWHERE. On a 123 block, in a vise, on a custom riser plate, ...all will work (not all are good ideas imo)...Obviously it has to be within your travel limits. I don't think anyone is suggesting you mount it somewhere you can't reach it

BTW - if it is working in the right back corner of your table (same place as mine) then what is the issue? Yeah, you lost a couple inches of table space...but you gain exponentially what you lost in having the probe there.




It shouldn't be "off"...lol - no matter how you mount it. You do have to check it periodically to ensure it is within .0001" flat though. These styli tend to wear out quickly also...they have a horrible tendency to "dish".



Anyway....2 seconds on google and here is your picture.View attachment 56973

Click to expand...

What is this "Google" you speak of?

TC,

How did you get so smart? I wanna be like you when I grow up.

Blackdiamond said:

TC,

How did you get so smart? I wanna be like you when I grow up.

Click to expand...

Funny!

So let me see if I have this straight:......



OP asks HFO rep question

HFO rep gives precise answer to question.

OP has no idea what HFO means so decides to ask on forum

Forum echos what HFO said over and over by multiple members

OP still doesn't get it

Now OP is so confused he wonders how you locate your probe if the machine can't reach it

OP seems to believe that you can completely remove the probe from the machines working area

Forum member (who is most likely a smart a$$) decides to try to "help" in his smart a$$ way and blatantly attempts to see what the OP is really needing

This same forum member decides that since nobody is supplying the requested photos, that he will oblige and posts a picture from a quick google search

OP gets feelings hurt and replies with 3rd grade retort.



So....to hopefully close this string here is the answer.

Your probe has to be somewhere that potentially is in the way of fixturing. Since your tools have to access it for height and diameter checking there is no way around this.

However, you can raise it up as high as you like. In whatever manner you like. I realize that is somewhat vague, but as a machinist, it is what we do every day - - - mount parts in various ways within our machines. This is just another "part" you are trying to mount in one way or another.

Once mounted, the styli gets indicated and calibrated and you are off and running.

I can't really explain it much simpler than that.

We had to move ours on day 1 because we bought a 4th axis indexer and the tool setter was in the way of it. The one thing I would like to be able to do is turn the tail of it to the left so only the stylus encroaches into the machining envelope of the table. The Haas tech did not recommend this since the receiver may not get enough signal and something bad could happen. The picture that was posted has gotten me thinking about mounting the tail toward the back of the table now. I looked at it that way before, but decided it was too risky with minimal clearance from Z axis covers. A custom offset riser could be the answer if the stylus is not too close to the tailstock when it's mounted. Gotta love tiny machines. LOL

--Gary

Aww TC,

Thanks for clearing that up. Sorry you had to waste your time writing that. I feel much better.