Bob La Londe
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2012
- Location
- Yuma
One of my machines uses a tool holder with a flange that actually is pulled up against the spindle face as it is locked in the spindle. This makes it dead easy to measure tool lengths off the machine with a height gage. I can measure on the machine with an electronic height setter or measure on the surface plate with a height gage and as long as everything is cool they measure within a couple tenths. Good enough for the work I do, and far better than the machine itself is capable of.
On another machine I never set the tool lengths because they vary beyond the Z travel, and its just faster and easier to crank the table down and then crank it up until the tool zeros my 2" height setter. The machine is always machine (home) set with Z-zero at +2" work offset. Atleast in the G54 offset. I may use other values when using additional work offsets. Its not as fast as a tool table with a bed mill, but its fast enough.
My main work horses have 24K spindles with until recently ER spindle noses. I had to use the height setter after every tool change. Sometimes quite creatively. Recently I changed one out to an ISO20 spindle. Just being able to push pull the 5 port air valve to swap tools saves me a lot of time already, but I want to start setting up the tool table and using M6 G43 to apply the tool height offset just like I do on the machine in paragraph one.
However I have a problem. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around how to measure the tool length off the machine. I am wondering if its even practical. An ISO 20 does have a flange, but as near as I can tell its only purpose is to provide a way to hang the tool in a tool changer. From what I understand the tool is only reference by how firmly it is pulled into the spindle taper. To me that says I can only measure the tool length offset on the machine its being used on. Am I missing something? I guess I could have a physical tool zero instead of using the spindle face, and have an iso 20 ground "socket" I placed on the surface plate to put tools in to measure. Seems to me that would result in different measurements of the same tool just depending on how firmly I set the tool holder in the "fixture" setting on the surface plate.
This becomes more interesting because I have a second machine I plan to upgrade to the ISO20 quick change spindle. Already have it on hand. Just haven't had an afternoon to spare to make the change. If possible it would be nice to use some of the same tools on both machines. If I could get reliable relative tool lengths off (not in the spindle) of the machines I could just measure once, and plug the value into both machines saving me time.
I am a one man shop who started out as a hobbyist, and now pretty much run continuously as my primary business. Taking time now to figure out how to save time later is a cumulative gain. Five minutes setting tool lengths might save more time over a year then shaving 20 minutes per part off a 50 piece order.
I sincerely would like some help, guidance, or confirmation.
On another machine I never set the tool lengths because they vary beyond the Z travel, and its just faster and easier to crank the table down and then crank it up until the tool zeros my 2" height setter. The machine is always machine (home) set with Z-zero at +2" work offset. Atleast in the G54 offset. I may use other values when using additional work offsets. Its not as fast as a tool table with a bed mill, but its fast enough.
My main work horses have 24K spindles with until recently ER spindle noses. I had to use the height setter after every tool change. Sometimes quite creatively. Recently I changed one out to an ISO20 spindle. Just being able to push pull the 5 port air valve to swap tools saves me a lot of time already, but I want to start setting up the tool table and using M6 G43 to apply the tool height offset just like I do on the machine in paragraph one.
However I have a problem. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around how to measure the tool length off the machine. I am wondering if its even practical. An ISO 20 does have a flange, but as near as I can tell its only purpose is to provide a way to hang the tool in a tool changer. From what I understand the tool is only reference by how firmly it is pulled into the spindle taper. To me that says I can only measure the tool length offset on the machine its being used on. Am I missing something? I guess I could have a physical tool zero instead of using the spindle face, and have an iso 20 ground "socket" I placed on the surface plate to put tools in to measure. Seems to me that would result in different measurements of the same tool just depending on how firmly I set the tool holder in the "fixture" setting on the surface plate.
This becomes more interesting because I have a second machine I plan to upgrade to the ISO20 quick change spindle. Already have it on hand. Just haven't had an afternoon to spare to make the change. If possible it would be nice to use some of the same tools on both machines. If I could get reliable relative tool lengths off (not in the spindle) of the machines I could just measure once, and plug the value into both machines saving me time.
I am a one man shop who started out as a hobbyist, and now pretty much run continuously as my primary business. Taking time now to figure out how to save time later is a cumulative gain. Five minutes setting tool lengths might save more time over a year then shaving 20 minutes per part off a 50 piece order.
I sincerely would like some help, guidance, or confirmation.