sieg SX4 Mill Drill question

[ROB 123]

Hi

Iv just ordered an SX4 and have a question if anyone has one or the SX3

Its regarding tapping, can you tap blind holes with it , im wondering how you stop it from bottoming out as im sure you wont be able to reverse it before it hits the bottom of the hole .

Rob.

 

[velocette]

Hi Rob
Digital readout will make this job easier Set the display to Zero at the depth you wish to reverse and slow speed this will not difficult.
Clear the chips out after each tap pass. (Taper, Second, and Bottoming )
Or tapping head and a stop on the quill set to depth and when it touches the stop lift the quill and that will engage reverse on the tapping head.
Set the clutch on the tapping head to slip in case of a jamb. Just tight enough not slip when driving the tap but will slip if the Tap bottoms in the hole

Eric

 

[rodw]

I've purchased a complete set of these ER32 torque limiting tapping collets for my SX3.
http://www.ctctools.biz/er32-tapping-collet-with-torque-limiter-l152/

I experimented with an M10 one and then purchased the whole set. So this solves any blind tapping issues.

I will say the Seig tapping feature is very handy and will be even better when I have the ability to confidently tap blind holes with these collets.

 

[Jan_Rune]

I recently turned down the shank(from 25mm to 19mm) on a Edalco compression/tension/declutching CNC tapping head to fit my TTS collet on the SX3. It works perfectly with the tapping feature.

Havent really tapped more than 20-30 holes with it, but havent broken any taps yet. Done sizes from M5 to M10 in steel and alu. Both blind and through hole. 20-30 holes w/o the tapping head would have been atleast 5-6 broken taps

 

[ROB 123]

Thanks, all good and interesting ways of working, It just shows how there is quite a few ways to do things, my Mill should be here Wednesday and it will be nice to drill and Tap on the same machine rather than having to go from one to another as I do now.

Rob.

 

[rodw]

You don't need to worry about clutches when tapping with the Seig. I have done heaps of tapped holes from M3 and up without one and have never broken a tap. I have a tapping head but I have never thought to use it since I purchased my mill. You just need to be able to hold the tap without it slipping. A collet usually does the job. I just wanted to be able machine tap blind holes. Its not hard to do them by hand on the mill though. Just use a centre in the mill chuck as shown here.

 

[ROB 123]

I should have said I have 600 to do this time ,they are 12.9 shoulder bolts that need drilling 9mm deep then tapping out with a 3/8th thread down to 7mm .

I do have a large tapping head fixed permanently to one of my drill presses and this does work great but I have to drill on another drill then go to the tapping drill ,I'm hopeing to ALL the work on the SX4 as it has a slower speed hence my question .

Rob.

 

[rodw]

I should have said I have 600 to do this time ,they are 12.9 shoulder bolts that need drilling 9mm deep then tapping out with a 3/8th thread down to 7mm .

I do have a large tapping head fixed permanently to one of my drill presses and this does work great but I have to drill on another drill then go to the tapping drill ,I'm hopeing to ALL the work on the SX4 as it has a slower speed hence my question .

Rob.

I feel your pain. I used to make 200 parts at a time with one countersunk and one tapped hole. Then I sent it out for laser cutting and they cut the holes and I just had to tap and contersink. That saved some time.

Then I broke my wrist and was stressing about how I was going to do the next batch until my laser cutter phoned me and said he'd noticed the drawings had tapping and countersinking on them and would I like to try out the new machinery they just bought! So my SX3 never got to do this job even though it was one of the reasons I bought it for.

Not sure the min speed your machine runs at but mine is 90 rpm. It is almost slow enough to reverse out by eye. You don't need a full blown tapping head for it so thats why I thought the ER32 torque limiting collets I linked to were just made for it. Plus, tapping heads need a lot more Z axis room and would be harder to get under.

 

[ROB 123]

I got the Mill in place using an engine crane /hoist, I grinded down an mt4 morse taper with an M20 thread on it leaving a 2" stud behind the thread this was then fitted and pined into an R8 to MT3 adaptor this screws into my JSN 20 tapping head It gives me 3" to play with between the tap and the bolt hole I need to tap .

I have done 273 10mm deep blind taps in 12.9 shoulder bolts all taped first with a second tap then a plug tap .

I did break 2 taps but I do think it is all a success the sx4 has plenty of power and drives the tapping head with ease .
Rob.