- Joined
- Feb 23, 2016
- Messages
- 424
I am interested in making a tool touch-off part for my mill. Acorn has an easy interface which basically is a one-wire input; you use a standard height (I use the KP-3 probe) and then reference everything off it as a relative height. Although you can buy a factory made tool touch off system, they are pretty expensive and that's why I want to explore the home-made option. So I made a crude prototype, basically a piece of wood from an old bed and some 1/8" alu plate:
And it works!
After touching off all my cutters, the surface got marred and the height might vary a little between tools. Of course soft wood is also a poor base as it yields a little when the tool is pressed into it. I was wondering if a harder metal (SS or should I just use plain carbon steel?) might be better. Has anyone made a tool touch off system like this? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
And it works!
After touching off all my cutters, the surface got marred and the height might vary a little between tools. Of course soft wood is also a poor base as it yields a little when the tool is pressed into it. I was wondering if a harder metal (SS or should I just use plain carbon steel?) might be better. Has anyone made a tool touch off system like this? Any advice is greatly appreciated.