Ignoramus5053 wrote:

On 2011-01-19, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:
"Pete C." fired this volley in news:4d35d419$0
:

There really isn't any
reason to power the knee unless you plan to lock off the quill and use
the knee as your Z.


Well, Pete, actually there is a good reason.

I don't know what Iggy does, but I do a LOT of work where I have to find
the center of existing old parts to machine new features in them. Many
are plastic, which means I have to use a centering indicator instead of
an edge finder.

Being that my centering indicator is more than 4" taller than my longest
cutting tool, that puts me in the mode of _continually_ cranking the knee
up and down to make headroom for it, then going back to my usual machine
Z for the cutters. It gets wearisome. I will eventually power my knee,
but I see no reason for DROs and the like. I just go (as was said) for a
touch-off of a known tool, and done.

Yes, as soon as the difference between tool lengths is too great, it
means constantly going up and down and touching off. Gets tiring very
quickly.

i

No problem, just sell me your Interact with it's inadequate Z travel for
a decent price, and then go find yourself something like a Mycenter 1
with longer travels, more horsepower, ATC and a footprint that isn't a
lot larger I'll help you with the rigging and moving...