RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Monarch 10EE lathe

Comments within...

Thanks,

Ward M.

wardmerk@... <mailto:wardmerk@...>



#)-----Original Message-----
#)From: Marcus & Eva [mailto:implmex@...]
#)Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2001 7:13 AM
#)To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
#)Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Monarch 10EE lathe
#)
#)
#)Hi Sven, Chris and Ward:
#) Thank you all for your help on this.
#)I turn both plastic prototypes and tool steel mold inserts for a living.
#)The Monarch machine has been reconditioned with reground ways and I'm not
#)sure what else.
#)I will check it over very carefully with my "tenths" indicator
#)and chuck up
#)a block for some test cuts.
#)Regarding its capacity, a really large core for me is machined from a 4x4
#)square P20 bar and might be 6" tall.
#)On my current lathe, I can't take cuts of more than 0.025" per
#)side without
#)severe problems, so the current machine is almost unuseable for that
#)purpose.
#)I need something with a bit more beef than that, but I am unlikely to ever
#)take on a job where I can't hold the core in one hand to get it in the
#)machine.
#)I am also very limited for space, so a typical 16x60 gear head
#)machine won't
#)quite go in my shop. Even a 14x40 Nardini is really pushing it for space.
#)That's why I'm looking for the beefiest smallish lathe I can get my mitts
#)on.
#)It sounds, from what I've seen of the machine specs, that this machine can
#)take a reasonable cut if asked to.
#)Ward, if you were to set up a 3" dia bar of 4140 with a positive rake
#)carbide insert cutter 0.032 nose radius, and did a 0.100" deep
#)test cut, 3"
#)from the chuck jaws, could the machine take it without strain? (I'm not
#)asking you to do it, just if you think the machine is capable of it)

I would feel safe making this cut. The machine has excellent rigidity and
handles even negative rake tooling well. (I like Cermet inserts for this)

#)Would you feel comfortable roughing down a square 4x4 bar 6" long to 2.5"
#)diameter round over 5" with it if you had tailstock support?

Yes, this shouldn't be a problem.

#)Would you still do it if you couldn't get tailstock support?

Yes, but only in a good quality chuck and probably not with a 0.100 depth of
cut. A tool digging in and pulling the work out of the chuck can do bad
things to this fine machine, not to mention ticking off the machinist. (or
worse)

#)Would you feel sympathy for the machine if you had to do this
#)more than once
#)or twice a month?

No, they are tough machines. Look at the size of the ways and carriage for
this little machine, pretty massive in proportion!

#)Would this machine make a decent platform for 2 axis CNC?

With a proper auto-lube setup, probably. With older CNC lathes going so
cheap though, it probably wouldn't be cost effective. A retrofit to an
older CNC lathe would be best. The enclosure, lube system, ballscrews,
encoders and tool changer would already be there. Besides, the Monarch 10EE
is a fine quality manual toolroom lathe, it would be somewhat of a shame to
no longer be able to manually operate it. They're truely a pleasure to use.

#)Could the DC spindle motor be used as a servomotor (with an encoder, and
#)servoamp) or are servomotor guts completely different from this rig?

While the DC drive motor could be powered by a servo amp, the motor itself
is pretty massive and would not be too responsive to rapid speed changes as
a servo motor should be. With the addition of an encoder, the motor would
be fine for CNC threading as-is since the X and Z servo motors are synced to
the spindle position and speed, not visa-versa.

By the way, I have been able to get schematics for several revisions of the
10EE drive electronics, if you get this one and need schematics I can try
scanning what I have for you. Please let me know.

#)Thanks again for all your help
#)Cheers
#)
#)Marcus
#)
#)