Sorry if this has been asked before - Did a quick check and didn’t see it.
Is there a plan to add thread milling to millmage imminently?
Thank you.
Thread cutting with a mill requires a resolver on the spindle motor, and motor reversal at a given depth. Few hobby class mills (HCM’s) have the required torque at the very low RPM’s required. I have seen a device that reverses when you pull it out for manual mills, but I doubt HCM’s have the necessary Zaxis clearance to use one of those.
I think we are thinking about 2 different things; you may be thinking rigid tapping? (Typically done at extremely low RPM with a spindle far more powerful than we have in our home shops.)
A thread mill has a diameter smaller than the pretapped hole and uses a helical motion to cut the thread, typically at higher rpm the smaller you get (eg. I’d run an M6 at 16k or so, or run an M3 at 24k+, limited by the spindle max speed) - You can get away with this on relatively noodle like machines, as it’s just relying on the motion planner to be in the right place and taking small cuts.
It’s really really useful for hobby class machines.
I suspect this feeds into the other thread, as thinking about it, it uses helical interpolation. (though there’s nothing stopping millmage doing the motion planning as is)
Here’s an example of the sort of tool I mean: https://guhring.com/ProductsServices/SeriesDetails?Series=4225**strong text**
This video goes in depth on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggo24jmlpWA
Yup, and that is a 3D requirement. MillMage is a 2.5D application. In Shop Talk, that means you do not get simultaneous motion in all 3 axis at the same time.
Unless you are boring holes for threaded table legs, or cutting traveling blocks for an ACME thread screw, I cannot imagine an application where you need threading on a mill.
Technically it interpolates X and Y only, whilst moving Z at a continual rate. So it’s definitely under 2.5D. Much like boring. (Interpolates XY whilst moving Z) I understand what you’re saying though, just learning to understand the limitations.
I do a lot of stuff for watches/clocks/model engines and boats, most of my work is in brass/aluminium or toolsteel making my silly toys. 
Still working on that myself. I am amazed how the market has advanced from the original 3018 milling machine releases. Then lasers, then 3018’s with lasers, then galvo, then fiber. Our toys just keep getting better and better 
And more expensive 
I’ve got on my ‘to build’ project list currently: Slotting machine, (another) cnc lathe, a 1.5kw galvo , a 80w mopa fiber, as well as ‘in progress’ projects like the steam boats, lapping plates, and tool/cutter grinder conversion! We have so many toys in todays age.
And this doesn’t even count my 3D printer which I use [like a consumer] for prototyping pretty much every stupid idea and jigs/mounts daily. It’s all just brilliant. I should learn to be more efficient as using lasers though.
Luckily waterjets are not within realistic range quite yet.
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I have made a Thread Milling feature request here: Thread Milling · MillMage
Put any ideas you may have about specifics on thread milling implementation here, so we can refer to them when building it out in the future.
Replied. Thanks. (My semi throwaway google account doesnt match my lightburn name, but tis me.)
Is the WCS thing also planned, or should I plop a suggestion down?
We’re aware of the desire to have easier access to WCS settings - feel free to post it up, then other people can vote on it. We use the voting to help direct our efforts.
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You’re forgetting that we are in the process of adding relief carving & V-carving, and we already have spiral profiles and fluting operations, all of which perform 3-axis coordinated moves.
MillMage uses a 2D drawing engine - that does not preclude generating 3-axis output moves, and thread milling is something that’s been requested by a few of our in-house CNC folks.
There’s very little consistency in what “2.5d” means - For us, it means that we won’t have an in-editor 3D engine, and won’t be supporting 4-or-more axis coordinated moves.
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Excellent! I am happily corrected.