On Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:38:13 -0500, "Existential Angst"
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
I posted a while back that I might be buying a Fadal mill and running
it from a phase converter.

Don't use a ****ty out-of-the-box converter (even name brand), as they use
start caps that are never switched out, causing a wild leg that can be 30 V
over line V.

Separate the start caps from the running caps, which will be lower value
caps between both L1-L3, and L2-L3 (L1-L2 = line).

Also make sure the voltage taps on the Fadal are set for your local
voltage.


Well, I'm buying it. I'll write the check tomorrow.

What year, whadja pay?? What's yer location?

It's a model VMC-15 and has rigid tapping so I guess I'll
need that parameter changing info. Also, just what is the advantage of
rigid tapping over tapping heads?

There are *complete* online manuals, good qual. pdf's, I think from MAG.
*Identical* to the hard copy, ceptin now you can search'em. Free.

Tapping heads on a drill press? Their advantage is torque control, for less
breakage.
Don't know much about other tap methods on VMC's.

But the rigid tapping is fast, clean, accurate, you'll be spoilt forever.
Also, I believe rigid tapping can handle roll taps better, which I now use
on alum almost all the time.
I'm rigid tapping as we speak.

Post to alt.machines.cnc (what's left of it), and also the
PrecisionMachinist forum, which has forums in various categories. No Fadal
forum per se (iirc), but lots of fadal users there.
Year 1996, $18,500, comes with4th axis, Whidbey Island WA. The phase
converter I'm runing is a good one that has proven itself for years
running CNC machines. How is rigid tapping faster? Do you program the
machine to back out faster than going in? As far as form taps go, I've
never had a problem with them being used in tapping heads.
Eric