Info on Scroll Threading on a 2AX Cnc Lathe?

Does anyone have experience cutting scroll threads on a 2 axis cnc lathe? (no live tooling)

The width of the scroll would be fairly small - 3mm or 1/8" to keep the tool pressure low , part material would be aluminum or possibly acetal - the parts aren't going to see any appreciable load. Part diameter would be approx 2" with a 0.75" thru hole.

While the scroll could be done on a mill, I would prefer to have them come off the lathe complete with no need for secondary ops.

I understand some of the basic issues (tool clearance with decreasing radius, SFM drop as you move toward the center, low spindle speed req'd due to large thread pitch)

What I don't know about (and could find anything on the web) is if there is ready made tooling available or if there are any guidelines regarding Doc and feeds/speeds

You didn't say how many but for a few, doesn't sound too hard. Your scroll is only about 3/4" wide and not going down to the nasty part at the center. I made a toolholder for face grooving that held 1/2" square HSS, easy to grind up a one-off shape.

If you are planning on a lot, I'd still do the same thing, knock out a few to dial it in then buy the closest available face grooving tools you can. Want to say "Manchester" here but the peanut gallery would throw stones

Qty is just a handful of parts for proof of concept - fifty to several hundred at a time in the future so long as the design works.

Any input on depth of pass? I am thinking maybe just use whatever is recommended for the grooving tool IPR and see what happens.

TheBigLebowski said:

Any input on depth of pass? I am thinking maybe just use whatever is recommended for the grooving tool IPR and see what happens.

Click to expand...

You could probably honk it up pretty good but for a few, after I spend an hour on the bench grinder getting what I want, I take pansy passes instead of risking breaking the tool