Re: cutting threads on lathe

David,

You want to thread the full 12"?

1. A CNC lathe wouldn't have much of an advantage for this job over
a machine you could build for full length threading since it would
have to be a die head job. CNC's are good at single point
threading, you can't single point 12" of thin wall tubing, though.

2. If you're threading the full length a "small" CNC wouldn't do
it, they don't have that much travel. Yes, you could auto feed raw
tube stock, thread, cutoff, and feed out again. If you only need a
short thread on one or both ends a "small" CNC lathe could do that
by single point threading one end, feed out 12", plunge thread the
other end, part off.

Can't you buy this material already threaded? I would think you'd
have to get into horrendous quantities to justify the expense of a
CNC machine.

Not sure exactly what an Automat is, I suspect it's similar to a
Hydromat which could do this type work, we're talking very, very,
big bucks.

Incidently, in my shop we do lots of end threading on 21" long
rods. This is done on a small CNC lathe with die head using manual
loading. We've got the process down to four a minute for a 1" long
1/4-20 thread. Since these orders are usually for about 3,000 parts
I've looked at all sorts of auto loading mechanisms and haven't
found any method as reliable as manual loading.

Doug








--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "fineartlight" <yahoo@d...>
wrote:

> I am a small lighting manufacturer with one CNC mill running and

now

> considering building or purchasing a lathe to thread 12" long

3/8"OD

> 1/8 IPS tubing. Could be thin wall steel, brass or aluminum.
>
> Questions are:
>
> 1. With a lathe is CNC the way to go for threading and cutting?
> 2. Is a small cnc lathe with a auto feeder a realistic possibility?
>
> What are my other options for threading the tubing? I have seen
> something called an Automat ? What is it?
>
> David.Munson@F...