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Using MT2 for spindle?

Spike_TDI

Plastic
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
I’m in the process of designing a tool post mounted live tooling/drilling attachment for my 9x20 lathe. I’d like to use R8 collets but I just don’t have the space. So I’m thinking of using MT2 because it will fit in the space I have. But I’ve read that using MT tapers for rotating tools is a bad idea. I’m not looking to do any major milling. I’m going to use it mostly for drilling bolt patterns, but I’d like to do some light milling with it using an End Mill Holder like this one http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/picture?&NETID=0421400810040578070&NTITEM=415415 Can someone steer me in the right direction.
Spike
 
History of machine design shows up that these type (mostly B&S though) tapers were used sucessfully for decades to hold milling cutters. They also learned that a draw bar would pretty much eliminate those embarrasing/dangerous times when the cutter fell out. A MT2 with a drawbar (if that is doable) would give complete satisfaction for drilling / light milling. Slow tapers such as these fell out of favor when it was shown that steep tapers (NMTB)were a heck of a lot less prone to get stuck.

John
 
B&S tapers held well when they were in good condition. The problem is they sooner or later wore bell mouthed and became hazards to the work and the user. There was no way to sock in the taper tight enough to hold when the wore.

When I was an apprentice we were still running B&S endmills in the older machines. I showed the boss how I could slip a 0.001 feeler in between the cutter and the spindle a halfinch deep. He shrugged. What can we do?

Well what? I set up a DuMore tool post grinder on a manual slide and re-ground the taper in my machine and ground back the spindle face to the correct gage length. No more fallout from the cutters but I did get a mild spanking for not getting permission first. "Would you have given me permission" "No" "That's why." Roll eyes "Get outta here."
 
Spike_TDI
Just as a matter of reference, the early Deckel FP1's all had morse #4 taper spindles. They used collets directly in the spindle taper with a drawbar. I have seen on e-bay morse#2 split collets for sale. they would need a drawbar, but that would work fine.
Cheers Ross
 
MT2 should work just fine for light to medium duty milling. That's what I have on my Prazi mill; it does use a drawbar, so there is no chance of the holder coming out of the taper.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm going to use the MT2 taper with a drawbar. I didn't what to use a drawbar but better safe then sorry.
 








 
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