Hi Mark

Triacs are well built and have a useful working envelope, some had autotoolchanging facility using BT30 or BT35 holders, without the ATC spindle was usually R8 located by drawbar as opposed to ball nut of the BT type.

Although the machine may be using old style programming it does have many cyclic operations built into the programs so may achieve all you need without converting to Mach or other operating system.

If in good working condition expect to pay from £1000 upwards, latest models with full 3 axis software and ATC will make 2k plus.

If it has been in an industrial environment it may be thrashed to death and need new ballscrews to eliminate excessive backlash, careful examination may reveal other faults but it's best to see it working cutting material if possible.

Some were 3 phase machines so check the nameplate.

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 02/10/2017 22:22:01

Mark, check in my picture album where you can view some of the variants of the Triac, link below should take you there.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/albums/member_album.asp?a=42512

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 03/10/2017 13:49:11

I have had a triac for 10 years or so. They were built for education (who invariably didn't use them) and are very well put together. If the capacity of the machine is enough for your needs I would say that you are unlikely to find anything better. As for the control, yes it is outdated but refitting them is not complicated and there is loads of information about how to carry this out.

Which of Emgees photos does it look like?

Regards.

David.

Mark

I have an Orac lathe from the same era (1983) and still using the original G&M code control system, does all I need as a model engineer so if it aint broke why not continue to use it.
Programming info can be found on the Denford Forum for the model you have, it will allow you to write or edit programs on a computer and then send the program via a cable link to the machine.
You may have to Register to get access to all forum information.

I believe all Triacs were fitted with steppers in std form. If you want to draw the part and then use a CAM program to send the cutting program to the mill you will need to upgrade the system to accept the program.

Emgee

I would strongly advise you to update the hardware / software to something more modern. The first triac I owned was a working non atc version. I had it for 2 / 3 years and hardly used it. I then came across the one I have now which was a non working Fanuc one with an atc. I refitted it to run Mach 3 and I started to use it all the time. It has remained unchanged ever since. Although converting it may seem complicated it is in reality not that difficult and you would be following a path that many others have trodden. The Denford software is rubbish and will only frustrate you. The memory in the older machines is very limiting and although you can drip feed (send one line of code at a time) it is very very slow. That and the fact that any modern cam package is unlikely to have a Denford post processor that will suit your machine and there is a dwindling number of people familiar with it to help you.

Whatever you choose to do good luck with it and I guarantee you will learn something new .

Regards.

David.

Triac and Novamill used a similar arrangement to lock holders in spindle when ATC was fitted. If you dig around the Denforddata site you'll probably find some drawings of the arrangement.

Sounds like your mill has a Coventry Easy Change toolholder

MSC Industrial Supply carry these **LINK**

Make sure you are sitting down before looking at the prices !

Nigel B

Since I only had one easy change holder with my Novamill, I removed all the easy change stuff and instead substituted an ER collet chuck using the original manual drawbar.

Mark

The chuck you are holding is a Clarkson and the collets available in inch and metric sizes are for screwed shank cutters. Guessing size is for 6mm to 16mm collet range (6,8,10,12,16) or inch equivalent. Metric collets have a groove cut into the threaded head. Clarkson chucks provide a very secure method of holding the cutter, some may say the best.

The other tooling pictured is ISO type shanks but you said the spindle is R8 so will be surplus.

You seem to have a good array of Easychange chucks, at least enough to get started.
Collets pictured are DA type which makes me think your Easychange collet chucks could be for DA collets.

ER type collets are more universal as they have a gripping range of 1mm diameter.
I wouldn't bother with making tooling to suit Tormach holders if you have ER Easychange holders, you only need a few toolholders to allow multi toolchanges during a program.

Emgee

Emgee

Edited By Emgee on 08/10/2017 20:21:00