Re: 5-axis Taig Mill

Message: 4
Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 15:06:53 -0800
From: "Scott A. Stephens" <sstephenssprint020@...>
Subject: Re: Re: 5-axis Taig Mill

I don't know if this will help....But I hear on the MaxNC group the the
MaxNC has an air spindle....It's not in the catalog but since the MaxNC and
the Taig both use the same spindle assemble...It might be easier to adapt
to your use. Hope this helps.

[The air spindle you're referring to was a pencil-type 1/8" air die grinder
which MaxNC no longer supplies because they can't seem to find any more.
It's pretty much the same as one I've seen in the Enco catalogue for $59,
though. These use quite a bit of air, so if you don't have a large
compressor it probably won't be able to keep up. The fact that the Taig and
MaxNC use the same spindle won't be much help, I'm afraid, since this
replaces the whole spindle assembly head- MaxNC uses a couple of pieces of
machined aluminum to hold onto it. But it shouldn't be a major problem to
mount one of these to the sliding Z-axis block of the Taig, in place of the
stock spindle assembly and motor. ]


At 01:44 PM 1/20/2002 +0000, Rab wrote:

>The work envelope is only a few inches at extreme angles because the
>tool tip is about 3 inches away from the center of rotation of the
>5th axis, if I was to mount the spindle so that the tool tip was at
>the centre of rotation and put a spacer block between the Z-axis
>support and the mill body to make up for the thickness of the
>Sherline rotary table then the work envelop would be that of a normal
>4-axis Taig mill at shallow angles and be limited to the spindle
>hitting the 4th-axis headstock and tailstock as the 5th axis angle
>increases.

[I'm trying to picture this in my mind, but not having much luck. Do you
have a photograph posted somewhere? Usually, a 5th axis will tilt the tool
through a range of about 90 degrees, so a rotary table would seem like
overkill- all that's needed is a sturdy pivot. This would also tend to weigh
a lot less. But maybe I'm missing something?]

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

>Still trying to work out the best choice for a compact spindle and am
>looking at a 21,000rpm 90-degree die grinder made by Chicago
>Pneumatic, picture and specs at link below:
>http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/product2261.html
>
>The size and weight of this may allow mounting 2 or 3 of them on the
>5th axis for auto-toolchanging at the cost of some of the work
>envelope.
>
>I'd really like to hear from anyone with experience with this or a
>similar tool in a CNC application.
>
>Rab
>