What do YOU make with your lathe tracer?

["Three-Jaw" Chuck]

Hello All!
I am trying to get our '79 Whacheon lathe back in working order. On a sea crate expedition to find the lost half nut attachment I discovered a whole pallet of Mimik parts! (No luck on the half nut). I only snapped some pics of the pile and spec. Plates so I don't know if it's a whole working unit or not. I don't know why our shop had it or if was ever used. No one currently there knew wtf it was, I had to ask the internet.

Which leads me to the question of WHAT exactly can you do with this thing?
Is it something we should keep? Is it more work than it's worth? The website that looked the most helpful says they won't be supporting the old stuff anymore, so where can I go for parts or help? Can this be used to do millwork on the lathe, because that would be slick.

I'll try and post pics of my pile, but I'll add the tag info here if anyone can has some knowledge to share.
Raymar Electronics and Controls Ltd.
Mimik Model no. PT 45 (it is definitely a P, not a U, which has me confused)
Proj no. 79 548

 

[DDoug]

Ditch the " '79 Whacheon lathe" project, and buy a CNC teach lathe.

 

["Three-Jaw" Chuck]

Ditch the " '79 Whacheon lathe" project, and buy a CNC teach lathe.

If a CNC teach lathe is the current generation of what this Mimik does, that still brings me back to the question of whether it's capabilities are something useful to us or not.
WHAT can you does with these types of machines?

 

["Three-Jaw" Chuck]

Ditch the " '79 Whacheon lathe" project, and buy a CNC teach lathe.

I have a short list of things to get the lathe to a point where it's either going to work for our needs or look into a new one.
1. Steel plates under it
2. Level with a machinists level
If its looking good then it needs
3. Jaws on Chuck replaced
4. Trav-a-dial replaced

 

[DDoug]

I have a short list of things to get the lathe to a point where it's either going to work for our needs or look into a new one.
1. Steel plates under it
2. Level with a machinists level
If its looking good then it needs
3. Jaws on Chuck replaced
4. Trav-a-dial replaced

Why quote me when you did not listen ?

Oh that's right ..." I'm not stupid, I just don't always know what I'm looking at."

 

[neanderthal mach]

Tracer attachment for engine lathe.... anyone here use one ?

I've got one that fits a Schaublin 135 lathe. The template holder bolts to the lathe bed backside (can use round stock between small centers or flat template) You slide the main unit on the dovetail of the backside of the cross slide and secure it. Main unit has it's own little compound...

www.practicalmachinist.com

 

[john.k]

I have two HIC hydraulic tracers......one is mounted on a dedicated slide with 12" stroke .......the other as yet unmounted (incidentally HIC is the brand used by DSG).....you make a profile from nearly anything for a one/two ........with a run of parts ,then a steel /brass /ally profile...........the machine also takes cylindrical originals and copies them.......My main use is profiling the curve in engine valves. Ive also used it extensively for profiling waisted studs.

 

[john.k]

Didnt answer the question........the Mimiks capabilities are to advance and retract a lathe tool,following a pattern which works a sensitive hydraulic valve circuit....(may also be electric) ......the pattern may be flat or cylindrical ......hence the copy ....it can copy a cylindrical workpiece. when fitted to a lathe........It does not mill,shape ,plane by itself ,althought a similar attachment can be added to a mill,shaper,planer..............as it contains sensitive valving ,its best not to dump in a heap with scrap iron.

 

[johnmontrose]

There is a Keith Fenner video on YT called Trace it! which is a good showcase of the technology. Also on YT, the first couple of minutes of the Colchester lathe company video shows how it can work with a turret.

Note that because the slide is at 45 degrees to the lathe axis, it can face as well as turn.

In the UK, the popular model was Hepworth (copier or tracer). One of the larger Colchester lathe manuals has a short section in it.

 

[john.k]

Yes,I have two of them.......DS&G fitted the copiers in place of a taper attachment. at one time........DS&G also owned HIC.

 

["Three-Jaw" Chuck]

There is a Keith Fenner video on YT called Trace it! which is a good showcase of the technology. Also on YT, the first couple of minutes of the Colchester lathe company video shows how it can work with a turret.

Note that because the slide is at 45 degrees to the lathe axis, it can face as well as turn.

In the UK, the popular model was Hepworth (copier or tracer). One of the larger Colchester lathe manuals has a short section in it.

Thank you, I'll check that out!

 

["Three-Jaw" Chuck]

Didnt answer the question........the Mimiks capabilities are to advance and retract a lathe tool,following a pattern which works a sensitive hydraulic valve circuit....(may also be electric) ......the pattern may be flat or cylindrical ......hence the copy ....it can copy a cylindrical workpiece. when fitted to a lathe........It does not mill,shape ,plane by itself ,althought a similar attachment can be added to a mill,shaper,planer..............as it contains sensitive valving ,its best not to dump in a heap with scrap iron.

Thank you, I think this could be a good fit for our needs based on your description. I'll have to pull it out of the sea crate and dust it off.