Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Quick change spindle setups

Les,

Thanks for that info. You provided one critical parameter, the push in
force. For what I was thinking of doing, I think that's pretty
excessive. One idea I can't quite get out of my head, is a tool turret
like a Burgmaster drill press. However, on the size machine I'm building
I think I'd be doing good to get 4 spindles into a turret without
getting into a turret so large it began to interfere with parts of the
machine. So, since I do run jobs that require more than 4 tools,
the turret itself would have to be quick change. Then there's the
problem of building 4 10,000 rpm capable spindles into the turret, and
figuring out a way to positively drive them but still allow for
indexing.
I think it's an interesting little problem, and frequently spend
(waste?) time trying to solve it.

As for turning, I realized after posting, with a gantry setup I can't
hang a headstock at one end as I'd only have one axis to work with.
Depending upon your parts and machine travel envelope, you could run
considerably more than three tools. Would be neat to watch!
BTW, there are highly automated vertical lathes for the auto wheel
industry that work sort of like this, and the spindles themselves travel
beyond the tool holders pickup and drop off points, acting as their own
loaders!

Jon