Compact sized touch probe – great for small machines
This is a kinematic touch probe for use with a CNC router or milling machine (or even a lathe if you’re brave enough!). This probe is useful for edge finding/part locating, measuring, or copying/reverse engineering existing parts. The probe can be connected to your machine using Mach3, Mach4, UCCNC or LinuxCNC, and likely any other controllers that can accept a ‘probe’ input that can be configured to be triggered by activation of a simple switch. The probe electrically behaves like a normally closed switch, which opens on physical contact with an object, triggering in x, y, and z directions. The object does not need to be metalic, the switching is all internal to the touch probe. Probing of wood, plastics, etc is not an issue.
Features of this probe:
- TWO SHANK SIZES AVAILABLE – Please verify your selected size when purchasing:
- 1/4” shank [.250″ or 6.35mm] (usable in machines using 1/4”collet) or
- 3/8” shank [.375″ or 8mm] (usable in machines using 3/8”collet)
- Small overall size (body is 1” diameter, 1.25”tall)
- Comes with two interchangeable hardened/ground stainless tips (.045” and .073” diameters provided)
- Uses standard M3-.5 metric thread, so you can use standard CMM style probe tips if you like (CMM style probe not included in this sale, picture showing a ‘ruby tipped’ probe is for reference only)
- Adjustment screws so you can eliminate runout between shank and probe tip (this is important if you want to use the probe for accurate edge finding
- Detachable cord, makes it easier to set the probe up for adjusting runout (chuck probe in spindle and rotate against a dial indicator to dial it in)
- Probe activation force may be adjusted by replacing internal spring (3 springs: Heavy, medium, and Xtra-light INCLUDED!)
You will receive the probe body, two probe tips (.045” and.073” ball tips), and a long shielded cable of a length you chose. The cable includes the connector to connect to probe body on one end, and is left UN-terminated on the other end, to be connected to your controller/breakout board by you.
This probe is designed and manufactured by me on my own CNC machines near Rockford, IL.
Please see the VIDEOS page to see some instruction on the setup/use of the probe.
Please ask any questions you may have prior to purchasing on the CONTACT page. Shipping to continental US only, will gladly combine shipping on multiple order.
To purchase, please find the probes listed for sale at Ebay under user CraftyCNC. The two shank sizes are in separate listings, please verify which size you intend to order against the listing you purchase with.
NOTE: Please contact me if you are interested in a probe but don’t see a listing, I typically have stock and am able to get a listing put up on request. I do not directly ship internationally outside of the US. You can take advantage of the Ebay global shipping program for international shipping.
If you are interested in using this touch probe with ProbeIt for Mach3, or ProbeIt for UCCNC, please download the trial of either and give it a test. You’ll find the demos of those plugins/wizards fully funcitonal, except for limited in the amount of data you can record. ProbeIt will allow recording of info to DXF and CSV for measuring/reverse engineering type of work. If you have purchased a touch probe and decide later to purchase either version of ProbeIt (Mach3 or UCCNC), the price of the plugin will be 50% off of normal price. Just be sure to mention the probe purchase auction number or user ID used to purchase your probe! Please see the How to Buy page for more info.
These touch probes work with any controller that takes a simple ‘probe’ input to trigger a G31 type of probe command, and you may use any sort of probing routines or scripts you wish. This probe is a single two-wire switch type device, and doesn’t have a built in LED indicator. I’ve feel it is better to have an in software indicator that is used to verify probe functionality, rather than an LED built into the touch probe. An LED will be more problematic to connect to your controllers input, and it can give a false sense of security as it only tells you if you are electrically connected. An incorrect software setup can still lead to a crunched probe even if the LED lights!