Quote Originally Posted by Robin2 View Post
How do you preset the tools in the quick-change toolpost?
The same as you would in a normal toolpost
I thought all a QCTP did was to install the tool at the correct height? Can't you rotate the toolpost holder to change the angle of the cutting tip?
Once a tool is setup in a QCTP holder, it's just a case of swapping the holders, and the tool should remain in the same position.
I presume if you take a skim cut it is essential not to move the tool until after you have measured the effect?
Yes.
Using a QCTP, you'd setup each tool in it's own holder, take a skim cut with each tool, and store the offsets for that tool within the software. Then it's just a case of telling the software what tool is installed.
The only issue is on startup, you need to reference the X-axis, which can be done in one of two ways.
Either you setup one tool as a master tool, which all other tools have their offsets stored from, so when you startup/need to recover from loss of position, you take a skim cut with any tool, measure and use the measurement to set the axis position;
The alternative is install a home sensor (highly recommended as it makes starting up or recovering from crashes easy), and then it's just a case of homing the lathe at startup/after loss of position.
With apologies to everyone who already knows all this ...
No need to apologise. Setting up lathe tools initially can be a bit intimidating, but once you've got a couple setup, things start to make sense.