Instructions for Use

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Instructions for Use of Spin L Mate

. . .using SpinLMate to make high performance tool connections an everyday reality. . .

The way the tapered end of a tool shank fits into the tapered spindle bore is called a “tool connection.” This tapered connection has been with us for so long that we have forgotten when it was first used. The fact that it lives on in machine tool construction attests to the genius of its design. The real potential of the tapered tool connection is just now beginning to be realized.

One of the little known beauties of the tapered tool connection, when it is managed properly, is the way in which the male shank surface begins to resemble the matching female bore surface in regular use. These two matching surfaces develop mirror images of each other, as high spots that interfere with total contact are gradually worn away. If there are several tool shanks being interchanged into the same spindle bore, all of the tiny surface irregularities will average out until they become almost insignificant.

For this reason, you’ll be pleased to learn that a properly managed tool connection will just continue to get better and better. We now know that a tapered tool connection is capable of working for us to a degree we had not dared to expect. The reason for this is now clear. After a period of break-in, the tool connection stops WEARING OUT, but continues to WEAR IN. The secret, of course, is in the proper management of the tool connection.

We at Spindle Mate Inc. have discovered that when the SpinLMate® concept is incorporated into the tool connection management system, high performance tool connections will become a reality. In fact, SpinLMate® is an indispensable part of this management process!

When SpinLMate® is utilized in the management of the tool connection, the connection is called a “SpinLMate® assisted connection.”

A SpinLMate® assisted connection is solid.

A SpinLMate® assisted connection is concentric.

A SpinLMate® assisted connection is repeatable.

. . . the benefits of high-performance tool connections . . .

With SpinLMate® assisted connections in regular use, you and your machining facility will begin to realize all the benefits of high performance tool connections, some of which are:

1. Less chatter from cutters now more solidly mounted to the spindle.
2. Longer cutting tool life, because concentrically mounted cutters have the same chip load on each cutter tooth.
3. Less down time for changing cutters, which now last longer.
4. More stock removed in less time, because speeds and feed can be increased with more solidly and concentrically mounted cutters.
5. Less scrap will be produced, because cutting tools always go back into the spindle in exactly the same location. Holes will bore exactly the same diameter, slots will be the same width, pockets the same depth, etc.
6. Longer machine spindle and tool shank life, because you’ll get less damage from debris being pressed into the tool connection, less scrubbing of the tool shank in the taper socket, and reduced or eliminated fretting corrosion.
7. In high-speed milling applications, vibration from off-center mounting of balanced tooling will be eliminated.
8. Because less damage is occurring to machine and tooling, you’ll be able to do roughing work today and precision jobs tomorrow.

. . . how SpinLMate® is designed . . .

Each blade works in the taper bore much like a windshield wiper blade works on your car. Each tool consists of four kinds of parts:

1. Two different sets of flexible, non-metallic, non-absorbent blades.
2. A blade holder to accurately position the blades.
3. A retainer to hold the blades in the blade holder.
4. A handle.

The heart of SpinLMate® is the blade set. Each type of blade set is identified by a specific color:

* BLACK: For routine, uniform preparation of taper sockets prior to making a tool connection (supplied with each tool). (See the question, “How do you use SpinLMate® when making routine tool changes?”)
* YELLOW: For occasional use, to loosen persistently stuck material so it can be removed by the black blades (supplied with each tool). See the question, “How do you use SpinLMate® to remove varnish?”
* RED: For final polishing following light mechanical repair to taper bore (supplied as an optional accessory). (See the question, “How do you use SpinLMate® to recondition a taper socket?”)

. . . first use on a new machine . . .

A new machine will have grease and/or some other “stuff” inside the spindle pore to prevent rusting during shipping and storage. This “stuff” must be removed before the machine is used. Also, if the machine has been in transit or in storage for some time, a varnish-like layer may have formed inside the bore. This varnish layer comes from oxidation and/or hardening of the stuff. This varnish must be removed!

Here’s a method that works great:

1. Turn the machine OFF.
2. Be prepared to catch any material that may fall out of the spindle during the cleaning procedure. You don’t want anything from your spindle or SpinLMate® to get on your machine ways or into your coolant system.
3. Use SpinLMate with the black cleaning blades installed to wipe the interior of the female taper. Press and turn SpinLMate® (by hand) clockwise into the bore, and continue turning the same direction while withdrawing it.
4. Wipe off the SpinLMate blades.
5. It is important to repeat Steps 3 and 4 until the blades come out clean. When the blades are clean when withdrawn from the bore, go to Step 6.
6. Trade the black blades for the yellow “varnish removal” blades. (See question on “How and When to Replace Blades.”) Use a little oil in the taper bore during the varnish loosening step.
7. Put SpinLMate®, with the yellow blades installed, into the spindle. Press and turn it clockwise (by hand) 2 or 3 complete turns. This step loosens the varnish from the taper surface.
8. Trade the yellow blades for the black blades. Save the yellow blades, because they are still good for 2 or 3 more uses.
9. Wipe the bore with the black blades as described in Steps 3 and 4. As long as there is material on the blades when they are withdrawn from the taper bore, repeat the operation.

. . . first use on an existing machine in good condition . . .

If your machine has been in use for some time, the spindle bore may appear relatively clean and undamaged. But . . . there may be a nearly invisible layer of varnish-like material that has built up over time. This varnish layer is due to oxidation of lubricants and cutting fluids that have gotten into the bore and gradually hardened there. This varnish is a tough adhesive. It will catch and hold chips and foreign particles. This varnish must be removed! If you start using the black cleaning blades before removing the varnish, those imbedded chips will damage the new black blades, making them less effective and short-lived. The varnish layer, as well as the chips stuck in it, will interfere with proper tool seating. For removal of varnish from the spindle bore, the following method works well:

1. Turn the machine OFF.
2. Be prepared to catch any material that may fall out of the spindle during the cleaning procedure. You don’t want anything from your spindle or SpinLMate® to get on your machine ways or into your coolant system.
3. All new SpinLMate® tools are shipped with black cleaning blades installed. Trade these black blades for the yellow “varnish removal” blades. (See question, “How and when do you replace blades?”) Use a little oil in the taper spindle socket during the varnish loosening step.
4. Put SpinLMate®, with the yellow blades installed, into the spindle. Press and turn it (by hand) clockwise 2 or 3 complete turns. This step loosens the varnish from the taper surface.
5. Trade the yellow blades for the black blades. Save the yellow blades because the are still good for 2 or 3 more uses.
6. Use SpinLMate® with the black cleaning blades installed to wipe the interior of the female taper. Press and turn SpinLMate® clockwise (by hand) into the bore, and continue turning the same direction while withdrawing it.
7. Wipe off the SpinLMate® blades.

. . . to recondition a damaged taper socket . . .

What was a very accurately manufactured, almost mirror surface is often no longer that way because the surface has become uneven. Material has been moved. If the tool connection has spun under load:

* Some material may have been deposited into the bore, leaving high spots.
* Some material may have been removed from the bore onto the tool shank, leaving low spots.

Other material has been moved by forcing chips or other solids (like a damaged shank) into the mating surfaces – leaving little craters, each surrounded by a high area. The formation of rust in the taper bore is also quite common.

There are other kinds of spindle damage, including uneven wear of the taper socket, and bent spindles. Uneven wear, referred to as “bell mouthing,” often occurs while using a tool connection which is contaminated and not solid. Bell mouthed and bent spindles are beyond the scope of these instructions.

. . . if dents and high spots are a problem . . .

Only in theory do we ever achieve total surface contact. However, this is the ultimate goal. High spots must be removed because they keep the tool shank from seating completely. Low spots don’t cause any interference, so they can be ignored. The original, expensive, nearly mirror finish was intentional, and is necessary for a high-performance tool connection. The red blades in the SpinLMate® offer the best way to quickly and easily restore a polished surface:

1. Turn the machine OFF.
2. Decide now, whether or not the bore with the dents and high spots is repairable.
3. Be prepared to catch any material that may fall out of the spindle during this reconditioning procedure. You don’t want anything from your taper bore reconditioning operation to get on your machine ways or into your coolant system.
4. All high spots should now be removed by use of scrapers (such as taper reamers), or by the use of selected stones. Remember, remove ONLY the high spots.
5. Install new red polishing blades in your SpinLMate®. (See the question, “How and when do you replace blades?”) Use a little oil in the taper spindle socket during this polishing step.
6. Put SpinLMate®, with the red blades installed, into your spindle. Press and turn it clockwise (by hand) about 10-15 complete turns.
7. Wipe the SpinLMate® clean.
8. Apply more fresh oil to the taper bore.
9. Repeat steps 6 and 7 three or four more times, using slightly less inward pressure each time.
10. Trade the red blades for the black blades.
11. Press and turn SpinLMate® clockwise (by hand) into the bore, and continue turning it in the same direction while withdrawing it.
12. Wipe the SpinLMate blades.
13. It is important to repeat Steps 11 and 12 until the blades come out clean. It may require several cleanings to get the spindle bore thoroughly clean. But with SpinLMate®, it’s quick and easy.

You are now ready to examine the bore with a gage and blueing, to see if the tool will now properly seat. If it does, congratulations! If not, you may need to repeat steps 4-13.

This treatment should restore a nice, bright surface. It will not remove the low spots, but the high spots should be gone. After a second reconditioning procedure and examination, a decision can be made about the success of the reconditioning just attempted.

Remember, the tapered shank and the matching tapered bore begin to resemble each other. For this reason, our goal of maximum surface contact can only be reached by using shanks that are at least as good as the newly reconditioned spindle.

. . . if rust is a problem . . .

1. Turn the machine OFF.
2. Decide now, whether or not the rusty bore is repairable.
3. If you decide it can be re-polished, be prepared to catch any material that may fall out of the spindle during this rust removal/polishing procedure. You don’t want anything from your spindle or SpinLMate® to get on your machine ways, or into your coolant system.
4. Install the red polishing blades in your SpinLMate® (See the question, “How and when do you replace blades?”)
5. Use a little oil in the taper spindle socket during this rust removal/polishing step.
6. Put SpinLMate®, with the red blades installed, into your spindle. Turn it clockwise (by hand) about 10-15 complete turns, while holding moderate inward pressure.
7. Wipe the SpinLMate® clean.
8. Apply more fresh oil to the inside of the spindle bore.
9. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you are satisfied that a good finish has been restored.
10. Trade the red blades for the black blades, and use SpinLMate® to thoroughly clean the interior of the spindle bore. It may require several cleanings to get the spindle bore thoroughly clean. But with SpinLMate®, it is quick and easy. This treatment should restore a nice, bright surface. It may not remove some of the deeper pits, but the high spots will be gone.

. . . regular use of SpinLMate . . .

SpinLMate is a helical, three-bladed squeegee. Each blade works in the taper bore much like a windshield wiper blade works on your car. The nonmetallic, nonabsorbent black cleaning blades are angled to the axis of the tool so that the squeegee action will pick up and carry away any material, whether liquid, solid, or both. Chips and other residue from the machining environment can be removed from tapered spindle sockets quickly (about 3 seconds), easily, and uniformly (the same way every time).

To use SpinLMate® when making routine tool changes:

1. Stop the spindle from turning.
2. Use SpinLMate with the black cleaning blades installed to wipe the interior of the female taper. Press and turn SpinLMate® clockwise (by hand) into the bore, and continue turning the same direction while withdrawing it.
3. Resume your normal machining operation.
4. Wipe the SpinLMate® blades clean so they are ready for their next use.

. . . routine varnish removal. . .

Even with regular use of SpinLMate®, a thin layer of almost invisible, varnish-like material will build up on taper socket and tool shank surfaces. This varnish is tough and sticky. Chips and other solid matter will get trapped by the adhesive action of the varnish. These chips will be held so tightly that the squeegee action of the black blades won’t remove them. If you start regular use of the black cleaning blades before removing the varnish, those imbedded chips will damage the new black blades, making them less effective, and short-lived.

To attack this varnish, a set of yellow varnish removal blades is supplied with each SpinLMate®. One of the yellow blades has scrubber material imbedded in it. This blade has been specially designed, and the scrubber material selected, so that the varnish is loosened without damage to the spindle bore – if the set is used as directed.

Please use the recommended step-by-step procedure for varnish loosening and removal. (Refer to the question, “How do you use SpinLMate® on a new machine?”)

NOTE: Maximum performance from your tool connection will result from repeating the varnish removal process about every 90 days, because this varnish layer is constantly being deposited.

. . .how and when to change and replace blades. . .

How to Replace used blades?

1. Unscrew the handle from the blade holder.
2. If the blade holder stays on the blade holder, remove it.
3. Move the blade outward from the large end of the blade holder, and slide it toward the small end of the holder to release it.
4. Use the reverse procedure to install new blades.

Note: Always replace blades in complete sets.

WHEN to REPLACE used blades?

* BLACK: After 2,000 uses, or if a blade becomes nicked, cut, or distorted.
* YELLOW: After 3-4 uses.
* RED: After 50-75 complete revolutions by hand.