Change R8 spindle to 30 taper for Lagun ft2

[Jduke]

I have a Lagun ft2 that currently has an R8 taper. Also have a VMC with a 30 Taper, I believe it’s a BT, could be iso.

I’ve considered switching the Lagun to a 30 taper of some sort to accommodate quick change tooling.

Are there any kits out there to do this, or would I just have to find a donor machine to rob for parts?

Any for see able problems ?

 

[Bill D]

I believe it is index that will do this for their machines. They should be able to quote how much to do your make. last I heard the cost was about $300 with shipping. 100$ just to clean up existing spindle bore
Bill D

 

[Limy Sami]

I have a Lagun ft2 that currently has an R8 taper. Also have a VMC with a 30 Taper, I believe it’s a BT, could be iso.

I’ve considered switching the Lagun to a 30 taper of some sort to accommodate quick change tooling.

Are there any kits out there to do this, or would I just have to find a donor machine to rob for parts?

Any for see able problems ?

Just FYI There are R8 quick change tooling ''systems''

 

[Jduke]

Just FYI There are R8 quick change tooling ''systems''

I’ve seen some of the R8 systems.
I also have a CNC VMC that uses the bt30 tool holder and it would be very nice to use tools between machines.

Where could I get a Lagun spindle with a 30 taper to drop in my mill?

 

[FredC]

I converted my FTV2 to Erickson quick change about 25 years ago. I got the spindle from Erickson or Lagun. It has been long enough I do not remember.
We did modify a few of the BT 30 holders used in our small CNC mills to fit the Erickson holders, the modified holders fit both machines how. Our CNC mills do not have automatic tool change, not sure if there is enough angle left that they could be used in a tool changer.

I would try Lagun first for the new spindle.

 

[FredC]

I believe it is index that will do this for their machines. They should be able to quote how much to do your make. last I heard the cost was about $300 with shipping. 100$ just to clean up existing spindle bore
Bill D

Does this conversion use a drawbar instead of a quick change nut? Important to know before sending the spindle off.

 

[Bill D]

I believe they regrind the inside spindle bore too a new taper. So you use whatever drawbar works. I have no idea how a cat 30 works. Does it use a drawbar similar to R8 Or MT3?
Bill D

 

[Jduke]

As I understand it, and someone correct me if I’m wrong.
NTMB30 uses a drawbar for retention
BT30 and ISO30 use a pull stud
BT30 has tabs that are absent on ISO30 that keep it from spinning in the spindle.
Erickson 30 (which was a factory option on the Lagun FTV2) has some sort of other locking mechanism that allows use of some but not all 30 taper holders.
They all share the same taper.

I’d like to use a drawbar with tabs so BT30 would be ideal, but I don’t know if there is room inside a spindle on the Lagun to make it work.

 

[FredC]

The threads in a BT holder are probably metric for the pull stud.
All my Erickson qualified holders have a 1/2 13 thread for a drawbar and have the driving notches. Those notches and the taper are the same for the BT holders.
I assume you could use a threaded drawbar for BT holders in an Erickson spindle. The length would need to be about an inch longer with the correct 12mm threads.

 

[Jduke]

Any suggestions on where to get an Erickson taper spindle?

 

[Peter from Holland]

The R8 taper is almost identical as that of NT30 I had a bridgeport once with NT30 tooling in a R8 spindle
Peter