Re: Electronic Lead Screw & Power Cross Feed | Poor Man's CNC ?

I actually like this option because I think you want BOTH a "bionic"
lathe and a CNC lathe. As I mentioned in my write up, being able to
either operate as a much better manual lathe and feed CNC would be
fabulous and it should be doable if planned for from the outset.

In fact, it ought to be possible to take things even a step
further. What if you could "train" the machine in manual mode and
then have it crank out repeats? Sort of mid way between cnc and
pure manual.

In any event, my point is that there are merits to both camps.
Let's not just assume a pure CNC machine is automatically better,
easier, faster, and tastes like chocolate!

Best,

BW

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Jon Elson <elson@p...> wrote:
>
> Vaso wrote:
>
> >Bob:
> >
> >You've done an excellent review of the entire issue. Full CNC is
> >clearly far more complex than electronic lead screw - and
requires far
> >more learning time. CNC leads to a different lathe machine
altogether
> >- where "machining" is replaced by "programming" - even for simple
> >one-off pieces. I understand - once converted to CNC - a "CNC
lathe"
> >cannot be a good "hands-on" manual lathe - except maybe with
expensive
> >electronic handwheels.
> >
> >
> Not necessarily true. We have a Bridgeport/Romi CNC lathe at work
that
> can be used manually as if it only had a DRO. You might notice a
slight
> drag on the handwheels, that is about the only sign. I don't see
why a
> CNC setup that preserved the handwheels couldn't be used manually.
> It would need either low-cog stepper motors or servos. If the
servos
> had feedback to the computer, then it could act as a DRO when not
in
> CNC mode.
>
> Jon
>