Tool Expansion! Huge Thanks to Alexis 🙌

Big shoutout to my friend Alexis, who during his visit made something absolutely awesome—a custom expansion that adds 4 extra tool slots to the Elara! 😍

That means I can now hold a total of 10 tools on the machine. WOW. This is going to make multi-tool jobs so much smoother, with less manual swapping and more room to experiment and refine. 🛠️

It’s always amazing when friends lend a hand and leave behind something that levels up the entire workflow. Thanks again, Alexis—this is a game changer! 🚀

Check his insta here (He's also a super talented artist)

2 Micron Precision Achieved! 🎉

WOW! It’s so exciting!!! We finally reached 2 micron precision on the Elara—across all three axes: X, Y, and Z! 😱

This has been a huge goal, and hitting this level of accuracy means we’re officially ready to start making parts. Every axis is now dialed in, stable, and repeatable—exactly what’s needed for micro-mechanical work like watchmaking. 🔧

The breakthrough came from fixing a tricky issue: since we’re using the A axis to mill, the part is milled, then rotated 180 degrees and milled again. That means the Z and Y axes must be absolutely centered to the A axis. Any offset—even just a few microns—causes a massive misalignment when the part is flipped. 😬

Now that the setup is truly centered and locked in, we’re ready to move forward. Time to bring some real components to life! 🚀

Finally Back—Learning the Lathe the Hard Way

Wow, it’s been a while since my last post! I’ve been deep in the trenches learning how to use the NSCNC Lathe3, and let’s just say—it hasn’t been plug-and-play. 😅

The manufacturer didn’t send it fully configured, so I had to learn how to set up Mach4, tweak post processor code, and fine-tune Fusion 360 just to get accurate results. It’s been intense, but I’m slowly getting there.

Still a lot to learn—especially when it comes to centering tools and actually achieving clean cuts with good tolerances. I’ve been experimenting with HSS tools for learning, but Fusion’s setup for that is a bit... strange.

Mach4 Setup

• Machine configured as: "Lathe Diameter"
• Tool 1: Tip placed at the center of the stock. On G54, measure XYZ, and in tool offsets, everything is zeroed.
• Tool 2+:
  • Z → Face of stock (WCS)
  • X → Center of stock
  • In tool offsets, measure XYZ offsets
• Post processor had to modify the startSpindle(), to add a hold of 1 second, to allow the change of spindle rotation and allow the motor to rest.
  if (typeof startSpindle.lastDirection !== "undefined" && startSpindle.lastDirection !== spindleDir) { writeBlock(mFormat.format(5)); // M5 - Stop spindle writeBlock(gFormat.format(4), "P1.0"); // G4 P1 - Dwell for 1 second } startSpindle.lastDirection = spindleDir;}

Fusion 360 Setup

Upper Tools:

• Post Turret: 104
• Setup: Orientation: 0°, Spindle Rotation: CW
• Holder: If it’s a -R tool → Left Handed, if -L tool → Right Handed

Lower Tools:

• Post Turret: 103
• Setup: Orientation: 0°, Spindle Rotation: CCW
• Holder: If it’s a -R tool → Left Handed, if -L tool → Right Handed

This is what’s working so far! Still a long road ahead, but progress is being made—one cut at a time. 💪

Barrel Arbor: Test #15 and Still Going!

The barrel arbor is one of the toughest parts to machine by hand. This is test #15 on the Elara with the 4th axis, and while I’m making progress, there’s still a long way to go before it’s perfect. 😅

Axis alignment has been a serious challenge. A small misalignment of just 0.05 degrees can cause a 0.125mm Z error at 20mm from center—enough to throw everything off. Right now, we’ve gotten it down to 0.065 degrees, which is great, but still not quite where it needs to be.

That 0.06mm difference may not seem like much, but in watchmaking, it absolutely is. Every micron counts when working at this scale, and even the slightest misalignment can affect fit, function, and aesthetics.

To align the 4th axis, I added a piece of aluminum to the 3-axis fixture, flattened it, and used that as a base for the digital inclinometer (with a precision of two decimal places). Then, I mounted the fixture onto the 4th axis and rotated it until it hit 0.00. This setup has improved accuracy significantly, but there's still a little room for refinement.

Precision at this level is no joke, but every test brings new insights. Onward to the next iteration! 🚀

First 3D-Printed Case! 🎉

Wow—first case 3D print is here! Seeing the design come to life in physical form is incredible. Huge thanks to Alexis for setting up the resin print and making this happen! 🙌

And with two parts printed, I can finally start getting a real sense of how everything fits together. There’s still a lot to refine, but this is a huge step forward. 😊

Excited to keep iterating and improving—more updates soon!

Machine Move for Better Air Quality

After the Lathe3 disaster, I needed to take my mind off things. At the same time, I’ve been dealing with some eye irritation from the coolant, so I figured it was the perfect moment to tackle another issue—air quality.

I decided to move the machines closer to the window to get better ventilation. Hopefully, this helps with the fumes and reduces irritation while I work. 🤞

Now, let’s just hope the neighbors don’t start complaining about the noise. 😅 Fingers crossed this setup works better for both my eyes and everyone around me!

😊

Thanks Alexis for all the help!

Catastrophe! 😭

Oh no… absolute disaster. I was so excited to get started with the NSCNC Lathe3, but in my enthusiasm, I made a huge mistake. I connected it to 220V—and it wasn’t ready for it. Boom! 💥

Just like that, excitement turned into panic. I knew something was wrong the moment it happened, and now I’m left figuring out how bad the damage is. This hurts. 😞

Lesson learned the hard way—always double-check power requirements before plugging in new equipment. Hoping I can get this fixed soon and back on track. For now… just dealing with the frustration. 😩

Thankfully the guys at NSCNC where understanding and are guiding me on how to fix it

😭

NSCNC Lathe3 is Here! 🎉

Finally—my NSCNC Lathe3 has arrived, and I couldn’t be more excited! 😁 This marks a huge step forward in precision machining, and I can’t wait to start turning some high-accuracy parts.

Having a dedicated lathe opens up so many possibilities, especially for making components like balance staffs, screws, and other fine details that require tight tolerances. It’s going to be a steep learning curve, but I’m ready to dive in!

First up—getting everything set up and dialed in. Stay tuned for first tests and impressions soon! 🚀

😊

Dialing in the 4th Axis: Precision Matters

Getting the 4th axis perfectly aligned has been a challenge, but I’m making progress! I was using a bubble inclinometer for setup, but it turns out I was getting a 0.385-degree error. That might not sound like much, but in machining, that’s enough to make flat not actually be flat. 😩

To fix this, I switched to a digital inclinometer, and the difference is night and day. The accuracy boost means better setups, cleaner cuts, and fewer headaches down the line. 😊

It’s crazy how small misalignments can create big issues, but it’s all part of learning and refining the process. Onward to even tighter tolerances! 🚀

😊

From Simulation to Reality: A Fascinating Process

One of the most fascinating parts of this journey has been seeing the machine simulation in software and then comparing it to what happens in real life. Watching the toolpaths play out in Fusion 360, predicting each cut, and then seeing the actual mill replicate it with precision—it never gets old! 😊

Of course, real life always brings small surprises. Tiny adjustments, tool deflections, or material variations can make a difference, but that’s what makes machining so interesting. Learning how to bridge the gap between digital perfection and physical execution has been a steep but rewarding challenge.

Each test piece refines the process, and I’m getting closer to fully trusting the workflow. More to come as I continue dialing everything in! 🚀

I dont know what I'm doing, but it's fun!

😊