3D touch probe confusion

Thanks, I use qtdragon_hd and manual toolchange with a script I found in this forum. The manual tool change works awesome mostly, I am still messing with the script.

Thanks for the suggestions it gave me an idea! It took all replies to formulate it.

 If I create a base for my tool setter that has a riser. The riser can be any size as long as its lower than the trip point of the setter. This will allow me to remove both known points in space to resurface. Then when I re-install it the 2 known points in space are still referenced to each other.

 Then I calculate the offset from the tool setter trip to the riser top. Now that the offset is known I can adjust the tool change script to detect tool 99, change the X/Y location of the touch point and adjust the offset by the riser/setter offset. This should put the tool length offset routines at the same point as the 3D touch probe creating a calculated common known point in space for both.

 Now job start is similar to before. Manual load tool 99 (3D Touch) or tool 98 (6mm pin). If I load tool 98 setup is as its always been before the 3D touch. If I load tool 99 I get the added features of the 3D touch. Job start should pickup a tool change, use the tool setter and operate normally with either tool 99 or 98 start.

 Whooa! On the Amazon website the probe looked so easy! 
 

I don't have a surface plate or height gauge (yet). I do have a lathe with a DRO. I made a ring that the tool holder fits into. I chuck the ring up the lathe, Turn the lathe tool post holder around so I have a flat surface that will go up against the ring. Zero out the DRO. Move the tool post away from the ring. Insert the mill tool in the ring then move the lathe tool so it touches the tip of the tool. The DRO now shows the tool length. I enter that value into the tool table.

Before I had TTS tool holders I used a touch plate that I had made. It was basically a spring-loaded brass button in a Delrin base. I used to put each OP in a separate G-Code file and touch-off with the touch-plate at each tool change. Now I have an M6 remap that automatically measures my variable length tools like drills and odd endmills that I don't have dedicated toolholders for. It uses that length in the tool table for the tools with dedicated holders.

JohnnyCNC wrote:

I don't have a surface plate or height gauge (yet). I do have a lathe with a DRO. I made a ring that the tool holder fits into. I chuck the ring up the lathe, Turn the lathe tool post holder around so I have a flat surface that will go up against the ring. Zero out the DRO. Move the tool post away from the ring. Insert the mill tool in the ring then move the lathe tool so it touches the tip of the tool. The DRO now shows the tool length. I enter that value into the tool table.

Very inventive solution