Author Topic: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!  (Read 268613 times)

Offline awemawson

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Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« on: February 27, 2013, 10:17:41 AM »
I've been casting around for a CNC lathe a bit bigger and better equipped than the Eagland Chipturn that I've recently rebuilt and I stubbed my toe on a Traub TND 350G with a dead Mitsubishi TX8F control. Weighing in at 4055 kgs with I believe an 18Kw main spindle, an auxillary spindle of similar power, a 12 position tool post, and even a 'C' axis on the main spindle it's quite a monster! I thought I might try replacing the controller with a LinuxCNC box, but I'll have a go first at repairing the TX8F as it seems a very capable control, if a bit obscure when it comes to finding information.

It only just squeezed into the space left in my workshop, but there is room to work round it and the loo door ALMOST fully opens <G>

If anyone knows these machines or especially the Mitsubishi controller I'd be keen to hear from you

A few pictures for your amusement
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2013, 10:24:22 AM »
A few more pictures!
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 12:57:43 PM »
Impressive bit of kit awemawson   :thumbup:

Now have machine envy  :coffee:


Rob

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2013, 01:44:37 PM »
Holy Cow!  :jaw:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2013, 01:50:00 PM »
One thing to check -- I mean this is a totally off the wall, stab in the dark suggestion --

Some old nonvolatile memory chips had an internal battery -- in the chip itself, and the battery had a service life of about 10 years -- Texas instruments made them, I think.

Check for these in whatever kind of memory section this beast has.

I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2013, 02:41:07 PM »
Impressive bit of kit awemawson   :thumbup:

Now have machine envy  :coffee:


Rob

..he...he ....  it even has an air conditioning unit built into the end cabinet to keep the electronics comfy ! Just moving the swarf conveyor into place took four of us and that with machine skates.

Rob :No need for machine envy until (if) I get it working - up to that point it's a potential liability.

To be honest it's a bit scary contemplating turning it on - certainly don't want to until I know a bit more about the controller, and how to disable the (enormous) axis drives - don't want things slamming around and self destructing.

Vtsteam: memory back up on the controller is by built in battery pack - seems boot memory is in eeproms, but I've not dug too deeply yet

Fortunately I have a floppy disk with the machine parameters in a win readable file which is a major bonus
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Pete.

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2013, 03:28:54 PM »
My first job would be to back that floppy up!

Nice looking machine - that mess of electronics would scare the life out of me :)

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2013, 04:37:36 PM »
Well if you don't manage to get it running it will make a decent pig pen..........................................
John Stevenson

Offline John Rudd

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2013, 05:02:54 PM »
Quote from: awemawson link=topic=8261.msg88603#msg88603 date=136199406

Fortunately I have a floppy disk with the machine parameters in a win readable file which is a major bonus
[/quote

Wow a floppy disc....Whats one of them? :D :D :D 

Best do a back up as suggested by Pete....
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Location:  Backworth Newcastle

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Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2013, 05:16:10 PM »
I also have the parameters on 1" paper tape AND the means to read it  :ddb:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2013, 06:01:37 PM »
Quote
Vtsteam: memory back up on the controller is by built in battery pack - seems boot memory is in eeproms, but I've not dug too deeply yet


I just mentioned the internal battery backup chips because they caused an Anilam Crusader controller to fail at a place where I worked. I figured the problem out after the mill had been used only manually for 2 years. Replaced the chips with new ones and the controller worked again

They do appear to be eeproms, but their construction is that of a battery backed up static ram.

Anyway, thought I'd mention it. Check the chip ID carefully against datasheets to make sure, if you can.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2013, 07:25:19 PM by vtsteam »
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2013, 04:51:48 AM »
Holy Cow!

That is tractor. Are you mooving in?

Does it has a chiller for coolant and machine temperature stabilization?

Even floor has to over 15 cm with two layers of rebar!

PekkaNF

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2013, 05:09:34 AM »
Fortunately a highly professional moving team shifted it - they were delivering a replacement machine to the people I bought it from and had to shift it anyway, they just put it at my place rather than their warehouse. Huge articulated lorry carrying 10 ton forklift and two very helpful and skilled chaps.

As far as I can tell the air conditioner just keeps the electronics cool, but I've yet to open all the access hatches to have a look see.

The floor is 6" of C35 high strength concrete with weld mesh embedded floating on 50mm of polystyrene insulation and hasn't moved with all the abuse I've given it in the last five years so far!
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline PekkaNF

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2013, 05:26:15 AM »
You are set then.

Local building authority here would have a field day if I lugged into my garage anything of that nature. But I only have 400VAC/25A (Wires, feed and gear made for 63A) threephase.

Is that only a "new hobby" or you are going seriously into production?

Pekka

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2013, 05:40:33 AM »
...he...he  415V three phase at 160 amps per phase here with the 11kv to 415v transformer in my wife's vegetable plot ! AND the nearest neighbour is half a mile away.

Certainly not a business - I'm retired and don't want that sort of pressure any more- just having fun in my dotage  :beer:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Pete W.

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2013, 05:44:54 AM »
...he...he  415V three phase at 160 amps per phase here with the 11kv to 415v transformer in my wife's vegetable plot ! AND the nearest neighbour is half a mile away.

Certainly not a business - I'm retired and don't want that sort of pressure any more- just having fun in my dotage  :beer:

Yes, but does the electricity meter take shillings (aka 5p coins) or is there a slot in the controller where you just plug your debit card?!?!   :doh:   :doh:


 
Best regards,

Pete W.

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, you haven't seen the latest design change-note!

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2013, 05:59:33 AM »
Well I got them to install three phase in exchange for access for re-cabling their poles & transformer so that was f.o.c. and I got them to put in a heavier supply so when eventually I re-commission my 100kva induction furnace I can run off the grid rather than run my 100kva generator as I did at the last place we moved from. Obviously the running costs are significant  :bugeye:  if used often but in reality it's fairly infrequent.  :beer:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline RussellT

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #17 on: February 28, 2013, 06:50:32 AM »
I have this vision of you sat with an enormous pile of 5p pieces trying to put them in the meter fast enough.

Russell
Common sense is unfortunately not as common as its name suggests.

Offline Tony_J

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2013, 08:17:17 AM »
I have this vision of you sat with an enormous pile of 5p pieces trying to put them in the meter fast enough.

Russell

That's what the conveyor is for...

Regards,
Tony

Offline hermetic

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2013, 02:28:55 PM »
Have you tried Steve Cox on 07836 736496, he runs landylift in West Yorks, but his other job is repairing CNC machinery.
Phil
Man who says it cannot be done should not disturb man doing it! https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos?

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2013, 05:47:02 PM »
I'm aware of him, but I didn't know his expertise in cnc repair - thanks for the tip.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Rob.Wilson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2013, 03:36:15 AM »
Quote
Rob :No need for machine envy until (if) I get it working - up to that point it's a potential liability.


I am sure you will get it up and running , do you have a plan B if you cant get the original controller to graft ? 


Rob 

Offline AdeV

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2013, 06:04:25 AM »
I'm glad it's not just me who buys crazy kit.... nice lathe there, I am suitably jealous, and wondering which of my parents I must sacrifice* in order to purchase something similar....

Good luck getting it running, I can't wait to see it turning something massive out...




* Kidding, of course. It'd have to be Mum, she's the only one with any money!
Cheers!
Ade.
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Location: Wallasey, Merseyside. A long way from anywhere.
Occasionally: Zhengzhou, China. An even longer way from anywhere...

Offline awemawson

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2013, 06:29:14 AM »
Rob: Plan 'B' is to create a controller using http://www.linuxcnc.org/ but I'd much rather fix the current controller if poss as it has lots of bells and whistles I'd have to emulate. Plan 'C' is to break it which is obviously a last resort but would probably be quite profitable (how much do 18KW inverters and servos go for !!)

Adev: I have a long history of buying silly things !!! It all started 30 years ago with a three engined three seater Hoverair Hoverhawke hovercraft http://www.landairandsea.com/exhibits/Hoverhawk which was what started me buying machines to make bits to fix it.

Yesterday I grafted the Mitsubishi controller back into the beast, and managed to locate for certain all the connections to it bar two.

This morning I've buzzed out the two unidentified connections and got them in the right places. Also connected up the swarf conveyor (3 ph motor drive, HP coolant pump, LP coolant pump) and also the hydraulic power pack and am having a cup of coffee prior to taking the plunge and connecting mains to it. If the grid drops out in 20 mins blame me !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Pete.

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Re: Oh Blimey I bought a CNC Lathe !!!!
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2013, 07:37:04 AM »
Haven't spotted any mushroom clouds on the horizon yet. Did the brown smoke come out?