Wally Evans
Aluminum
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2004
If you are using a CNC lathe, headstock on the left and a toolpost in front of the work, what command gets the spindle to spin such that a conventional tool, mounted edge up, will cut?
Ok maybe that question has too many words. After years on a cnc mill, I thought that M3 was spindle forward, and M4 was spindle reverse. Those definitions work for a mill.
If you are looking at a Bridgeport for example, and look down on the work, the cutter spins clockwise (typically).
I always learned to look at a lathe chuck spinning from the tailstock end, and the spindle turns counterclockwise (usually) in a normal engine lathe configuration.
Then my buddy tells me to wise up, and that the lathe is actually turning clockwise- when viewed from behind the headstock. I was like ok, so what, then he shows me the top of the bport head.... Both spindles spin CW when viewed from the back.
So now I've worked myself in a circle, and am wondering what is the convention of spindle fwd/rev on an engine-style lathe? I no longer trust the one in front of me... Does M3 = forward, or does M3 = clockwise ?
TIA,
confused as heck,
Wally
Ok maybe that question has too many words. After years on a cnc mill, I thought that M3 was spindle forward, and M4 was spindle reverse. Those definitions work for a mill.
If you are looking at a Bridgeport for example, and look down on the work, the cutter spins clockwise (typically).
I always learned to look at a lathe chuck spinning from the tailstock end, and the spindle turns counterclockwise (usually) in a normal engine lathe configuration.
Then my buddy tells me to wise up, and that the lathe is actually turning clockwise- when viewed from behind the headstock. I was like ok, so what, then he shows me the top of the bport head.... Both spindles spin CW when viewed from the back.
So now I've worked myself in a circle, and am wondering what is the convention of spindle fwd/rev on an engine-style lathe? I no longer trust the one in front of me... Does M3 = forward, or does M3 = clockwise ?
TIA,
confused as heck,
Wally
