Re: Live tooling and turning centers

> Bill,
>
> Live tooling changes a lot. When you said lathe, I got hung up on
> turning. For a belt driven hobby lathe, I'd think it wouldn't be too
> difficult to put a timing pulley on the spindle somewhere for a stepper
> drive. Loosen the regular belt, add the timing belt to the stepper, and
> you have in effect a hybrid horizontal mill with rotary axis.
>
> Jon

Exactly what I'm working on right now. Taig lathe, "X" (NEMA 23), "Y"
(NEMA 23), FOREHAM rotary tool on carriage, "Z" (NEMA 34) indexing the
spindle through an XL timing belt and pulleys. We'll see how it "turns"
out (hopefully square or hexagonically :-) sorry ...). The one concern
I have at the moment is will I have to add some sort of pneumatic
"brake/clamp" to hold the spindle steady while I cut or will the
holding power of the NEMA 34 be enough (provided I take modest
cuts in wood or other relatively soft materials). I suspect I'll have
to add the clamp.

Ken Jenkins

P.S: I actually have plans to add a 4th axis where the rotary tool
mounted on a carosel can pivot through an arc of approximately 270
degrees as well but I think I'll try to get hold of just the 3
to start :-) ... so far ... 1 and 1/2 completed.