Inexpensive touch probe option for 2d on a router??

[ScotY]

You have a few options on good to awesome probes, tormach sells a relatively inexpensive wired probe as a good starting point, or if you have time to wait watch ebay for renishaw probes like an lp2 wired probe and make an adaptor for yor spindle, i believe i got mine on ebay for $150. If you really want to spend bucks watch for the optical probes ever once in a while you can find a smoking deal on one you just need a receiver for it too. Hope it helps.
Alan

I searched eBay for the LP2 probe and am unclear on what else is needed to make it work. Most of the items I’ve seen look like a probe “body” with a stylus tip and it’s threaded on the end that goes toward the spindle. If it’s just a physical mount that needs to be made, that wouldn’t be hard to do. But I see no wires and mention of optical/radio devices confuses me. Is there a part number for a wire interface? What’s the minimum that’s needed to make it work with an Acorn?
Thanks!

[ScotY]

Before anyone gets lured in to the idea that a cheap find on eBay will be easy, let me say what I’ve discovered so far. I could be wrong, so certainly do your own research to confirm.

The LP2 probes (at least all the ones I’ve seen thus far) do not come with a spindle adapter. That doesn’t sound too bad but I believe the mechanism for setting probe concentricity is part of this spindle adapter. Now that is beyond the fabrication of a simple machined adapter. Also, you may need to buy a stylus and also the hard wire adapter necessary to use with the Acorn. All this is a bummer.

Not cheap, but I am considering the purchase of the Hallmark ITTP. Seems to be a high performance version of the typical touch probes and also features durability to crashes. Sounds like a smart idea for me. Quite spendy though.

[AMHKnives]

Yes there is some work involved, spindle adaptor is a quick lathe job away and you need a mi8 board to hook it up to the acorn but you have a solid renishaw setup once your done.

[ScotY]

Does the spindle adapter need to have the ability to adjust concentricity? If so, how did you do this?

[AMHKnives]

It should be able to be a adjusted or you need to put it in the same position in the spindle each time, my lp2 is just a shaft, my omp400 is adjustable.

Its designed from renishaw prints for a cat 40 holder i designed it to run in a er20 collet and be fully adjustable.
Its a on going project right now in between making blades.
Alan

[ScotY]

Thanks, Alan. Would you be so kind as to list all the parts necessary to make one work with the Acorn, both options LP2 or OMP400? I have been researching but hard to make sense of this stuff. I see the LP2 available but it looks like another part is required, the part the wire comes out of. I’m not getting it.

[AMHKnives]

For the lp2 you need the probe itself, the probe socket where the hard wires from the probe come out mine is the fs2 model and an mi8 board to control the probe and use as the control for the acorn. The omp400 you need the probe, and optical eye omi-2h im using to control the probe and supply the output to the acorn board.
Alan

[ScotY]

How about a video showing how your LP2 is adapted to the Acorn? I saw one of your videos and it looks like you made a spindle adapter with wires coming out of the side. Would Ben nice to have a closer look.

[Bob Huntbach]

Not wishing to upset this thread but just want to say that I am using the Wild Horse probe for simple part setup and it works well on the pro licence sure I would like some of the extra routines plus more than 10 tools autoset but I can easily survive as I am.
I am using the tool setter on input 7 probe detect and the Wildhorse input 6 unused because it is working for me apart from unplugging the probe when setting tools but still it works.
Regards Bob.

[martyscncgarage]

Not wishing to upset this thread but just want to say that I am using the Wild Horse probe for simple part setup and it works well on the pro licence sure I would like some of the extra routines plus more than 10 tools autoset but I can easily survive as I am.
I am using the tool setter on input 7 probe detect and the Wildhorse input 6 unused because it is working for me apart from unplugging the probe when setting tools but still it works.
Regards Bob.

Bob,. You will be happy to know that with today's release of CNC12 Version 4.12:
6.) Automatic Tool measurement in Mill and Lathe Pro now activated for all tool numbers

Marty