I won’t be compatible with the Tormach. Right now I think it’ll only work on the swift, but we could add a fourth axis to the iQ with a bit more accessorizing.
I should add we’re quite open to a 4th-axis proposal for the Tormach, especially if it’s funded 
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The rotary sled is now at Asmbly. I have included some screws to attach the guide rail once the rail is in alignment. My pocket cut was a tiny bit off. The sled is a tiny bit out of alignment. There is enough slack to make it correct with the table dogs. There is some instructions on the guide rail itself. The tail could use a machined and tapped nut plate instead of the ones that I had. Enjoy
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Thanks for getting this put together @JoeN. Once we get the finishing touches done, we’ll work on getting the class devolped.
The rotary will have a prerequisite class required before use is allowed.
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no problem. It was a cool challenge. I wish I could post videos. I think it is a cool design
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So the 4th axis needed a mounting plate made. The part got some router treatment. Then it got finished on the lathe. It has been chamfered and awaits some testing. It will be ready in the future. I don’t control that.
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Checking in on this project. It looks like Joe has done some amazing stuff over the last year and it’s almost ready to roll? Would any volunteer work here help push it along? Happy to do anything to help - including learn it and then teach it if that is an impediment. I’m currently doing a lot of stuff that is manually tedious to do without it.
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Thank you. It is a cool project.
I would get with @jamesfreeman. He is working on some testing. I don’t know much more than that.
@jamesfreeman also curious if there’s anything we can do to help push the rotary project along?
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Part of the issue we ran into with the last test is that the 4th axis we have is a 3 jaw chuck which assumes your material is already round. We mounted a test piece on a hanger bolt and had some success with that but it has a couple draw backs. If the 3 jaw chuck is holding a nut with the hanger bolt screwed in, the back and forth motion can slowly untwist the bolt from the nut during a cut and move your material a by a few millimeters. If the chuck is holding the hanger bolt directly, the bolt threads become deformed from the tightness needed to hold it stable and then you can’t really use the bolt for anything afterward. I’m not sure if getting a 4 jaw chuck is feasible but it would make things simpler. @jamesfreeman maybe we could set up a sig meeting for the 4th axis to talk over what needs to be done to get a class up and running since there’s some new interest from additional members?
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4 jaw independent chuck is by far the most useful. Rectangular cut stock is probably the most common scenario. It will still take round stock too, and more accurately than a scroll chuck.
The adapter face plate @JoeN made works great. The rotary is functional, but a class still needs to be developed for it. If anyone has had experience with the CAD and CAM side of rotary programming, I’d love to meet with you.
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Helping @jamesfreeman is helping everyone! Let’s get some hive mind going so we can get through the last few steps
Howdy James. I don’t have first-hand experience with rotary CAD/CAM, but I’ve been watching a lot of the Vcarve rotary videos and am happy to learn to be able to eventually teach.
@csader I welcome the help. One thing I’ve run into, but havent had lits of time to research- it seems Aspire is more geared toward the rotary, and VCarve is mostly just for creating cam of an imported model.
From what I’ve seen Vcarve can do a lot on a rotary, but Aspire is required for doing multiple 3D models at once or creating/modifying 3D reliefs. I’m happy to do some experimenting and see what’s possible and what’s not, but wanted to get signoff from you before I touched it
Have at it.
yes you can
was trying to pick which class I wanted to take immediately next but now that I know I can do that, pretty sure Laguna CNC milling is next for me.
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