Tombstones (Little off topic...)

[Randy Morton @ Clem Industrial]

We are looking at do some tombstone setup on our horizontal mill. Now, other then what I have read from searching on here, and looking at some of the distributor sites, I don't really know much about their functionality.

 

It might sound a little off, but I wondered if anyone out there had some pictures they could either PM me or post here showing applications of them, how you use them for different things...

 

What we are looking at is doing a setup holding gearboxs. Depending on the size, but likely 2 per side of the 'stone....don't know if this will work or what. Just looking for some input.

 

Gearbox aprox. dimensions: 8.5" wide, 13" long, 4" - 8" heigh (depending on the box).

 

Thanks much!!

[Jerome]

Build a grid pattern on the faces of the tomb stones, 1/2-13 x 4x4 or what ever. mount fixtures to this. Look in the Carr lane, Chick cats. for ready built tomb stones. Make sure you think it thru. a rash discision on planning and building will haunt you every time you look at the machine. We have grid patterns on all of out tomb stons and knees. By building a grid pattern it is much easier to fit fixturres and hardware.

[Charlie Pierson]

MillingMan,

Check your mail !

 

cp

 

and what Jerome said +1000

[Jerome]

send me an email I'll send some pictures

 

[email protected]

[Jerome]

Oh yes, try to purchase all hardware from Carr Lane or Reid, it is cheaper and built to industry standards. I have seen countless hours wasted by guys building their own tooling that is not standarized or the cad files not saved. So evry piece of hardware is "custom" built. This is not what manufactyuring is all about, we must work smart not hard to compete.

My moto "work like a maytag repair man"

 

Look at Carr Lane for insight, it is my favorite book.......lots of good ideas.

[Guest]

youve got mail

[robk]

here is a screenshot of one of our tombstones. Full hydraulics on all sides along with some help from miteebite;

 

[Craig-B]

Try some of the following links.

http://www.tombstonecity.com/

 

http://www.kurtworkholding.com/workholding/toolblox.php

 

http://www.kurtworkholding.com/custom/hmc.php

 

http://www.mmsonline.com/dp/mtg/byzone/Det...?ID=5700&zone=W

[Randy Morton @ Clem Industrial]

Thanks for all the responses. It gives me a little more thought into what we would need to do, or might be able to do.

 

I also agree that rash decsion would be haunting, and would love to do it right, and easy, the first time.

 

We have already talked about mocking it up with a wooded structure on the machine to make sure we have all the clearances to clear the pallet changer doors, as well that we can machine from 3 sides on each part. I think that would be the best way. And all that would take is a little machine down time (yeah right!)

 

Thanks again!

[PeterM]

Don't forget to consider the affect that the size of your tombstone will have on the work envelope. Depending on the work that you have planned, a large part coupled with a large tombstone will give you overtravel/interference issues. Peter

[Jerome]

Do not waist your time "mocking it up" with wood.

Get the machine manual and draw the limits, pallet, tombstone. This way is much faster, more accurate, and can be used for all future jobs.

Check out the source files I sent you. use the files as examples to build on. I have most of our machines drawn in this manner and use it for most set ups. got my xxxx out of the ringer a couple of times.

[robk]

quote:

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Do not waist your time "mocking it up" with wood.

---

+1000

Holy crap Randy... Don't even think about doing anything like that. Isn't that the reason we have CAD?

Here is a shot of our rotary tables. The one on the left is pretty cool. I could reach the sides of our smallest plates.

 

[Bpin]

we build them all day every day...Lots of internal plumbing (1/4" dia gundrilled holes)

use a lot of vectec swing clamps etc...

 

see us @ engineeredtool.com