Laguna debuts its new 4-axis CNC turner

Among the new and affordable CNC offerings at IWF 2012 in Atlanta was the 4-axis multifunction turning machine from Laguna Tools.

Geared for professional turners and furniture makers, the machine shares features with Laguna’s larger CNCs but has a small 36” x 80” footprint, while offering 13” of Z travel at 10” diameter on the A (rotating) axis.

Laguna sales manager Steve Alvarez says the fourth axis allows woodworkers to create anything they envision.

“There are a lot of applications away from a standard 3-axis machine that furniture manufacturers can do like make a furniture leg and then a mortise-and-tenon joint. There’s also a huge demand from the gunstock market that needs a 4-axis type application where you’re machining a piece of material that’s turned, but you still need to come in and do pocketing for all of the firing mechanisms and internal chambering. Those are all 4-axis type moves.”

Flat stock can also be processed by simply removing the turning attachment.

The machine features Laguna’s CNC Touch Controller from B&R Automation and a dustproof and waterproof touchscreen and non-Windows-based operating system.

“Our customers love it because it means trouble-free operation with no security nightmares,” says Laguna president Torben Helshoj. “You can also easily run remote diagnostics via the Internet or PC. In fact, these machines can actually be operated with a mounted touchscreen or through a VNC-linked laptop, Netbook, smart phone or your iPad.”

The machine sells for about $17,000 and is also available in a “two-up” version with two spindles and two rotary axes for even higher turning productivity.

Contact: Laguna Tools. Tel: 800-234-1976. www.lagunatools.com

This article originally appeared in the November 2012 issue.