# Using a CNC Mill as  Lathe



## Mike N (Jan 5, 2022)

I played around with using my CNC Mill as a Lathe.  I mounted a right angle head on my vertical mill.  Put my toolholder in the vise.  After doing a X Y mirror of my program (the part moves, not the toolbit!) I machined a few sample test parts.








						New video by Michael Nepsund
					






					photos.app.goo.gl
				











						New video by Michael Nepsund
					






					photos.app.goo.gl
				



Turned out pretty good.
The handles fit a Hardinge Lathe.


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## rklopp (Jan 5, 2022)

Beautiful work! I've done similar using the horizontal spindle of my Deckel FP2NC. I hold the stock in an ER collet and mount a Habegger (Swiss, Schaublin clone) cross-slide on the table and holding a tool. My application has been to the ball ends on engine pushrods. I always have a hard time wrapping my head around the coordinate transformations when the tool and work roles are swapped from milling to turning.


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## chrsbrbnk (Jan 9, 2022)

awesome Mike!  I tried it making some polycarbonate  lens for an optical center punch doing that  , couldn't get the finish I needed


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## Carbuilder (Jan 10, 2022)

I've been wanting to try this and have looked at dozens of videos on how to do it. But they are all a bit vague on how the programming is done. Or maybe I am just after more detail than the authors think people need. I would not be using a right angle head, so maybe that make it more difficult to program? 

Rick


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## ownthesky2010 (Jan 10, 2022)

I do this all time with my small Emco. I like to gang mount multiple lathe tools and set a datum on each (G54, G55 etc) at the centre of the spindle.
For the programming it's X and Z just like a normal CNC lathe but you program X in radius instead of diameter. 
Even the canned cycles like g83 work normally. 
It's an excellent way to produce lots of identical small parts with very little effort. 
Here is a short video


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## ownthesky2010 (Jan 10, 2022)

These are the small parts from the video above. They are stems for small cabinet knobs


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## Scott_M (Jan 10, 2022)

Here is a post on the CNCZone I did back in 2008. Also Gang tooling

www.cnczone.com/forums/tormach-personal-cnc-mill/59630-tormach-cam.html

The big thing to remember is you are working in the G18 XZ plane ( at least I was ) it could be G19 YZ as well.
If you do not change the plane you will not get interpolated moves. G2 G3 etc. Or threading.

Scott


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## solarenergyadventures (Jan 10, 2022)

ownthesky2010 said:


> I do this all time with my small Emco. I like to gang mount multiple lathe tools and set a datum on each (G54, G55 etc) at the centre of the spindle.
> For the programming it's X and Z just like a normal CNC lathe but you program X in radius instead of diameter.
> Even the canned cycles like g83 work normally.
> It's an excellent way to produce lots of identical small parts with very little effort.
> Here is a short video



 That is REALLY cool! I gotta try this.


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## kuhncw (Jan 10, 2022)

Ownthesky2010,

Thanks for posting this.

Chuck


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## Mike N (Jan 10, 2022)

kuhncw said:


> Ownthesky2010,
> 
> Thanks for posting this.
> 
> Chuck


77


Carbuilder said:


> I've been wanting to try this and have looked at dozens of videos on how to do it. But they are all a bit vague on how the programming is done. Or maybe I am just after more detail than the authors think people need. I would not be using a right angle head, so maybe that make it more difficult to program?
> 
> Rick


It should work the same, just ZX instead of YX.  The tricky part is getting it mirrored in the right direction.   I had to do a XY mirror of my program!!


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## awake (Jan 11, 2022)

ownthesky2010 said:


> I do this all time with my small Emco. I like to gang mount multiple lathe tools and set a datum on each (G54, G55 etc) at the centre of the spindle.
> For the programming it's X and Z just like a normal CNC lathe but you program X in radius instead of diameter.
> Even the canned cycles like g83 work normally.
> It's an excellent way to produce lots of identical small parts with very little effort.
> Here is a short video




Super cool!


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## Steamchick (Jan 12, 2022)

I once considered skimming some brake discs using the miller... it has the swing that the lathe doesn't have, plus low speed gear and torque for the large diameter. But there wasn't enough meat left for skimming, so I abandoned that idea...
But for limited applications it will work. Well done with yours!
K2


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