What live tooling does on a CNC lathe

Lathe live tooling — also called driven tooling — turns a CNC turning center into a machine that also mills, drills and taps, without moving the part to a mill. A driven tool holder carries a gear train and a collet chuck. The turret's drive motor turns it, so live tooling enables the direct rotation of cutting tools — end mills, drills, taps — like a milling spindle, under the lathe's own CNC control. Off-centre holes in the face, cross holes, flats, keyways and slots all come off the lathe in one setup, on the same datum as the turned diameters.

The lathe needs the CNC live tooling option itself: a driven turret, a C-axis or spindle brake, and for off-centre work a Y-axis. For how it all works, what it costs and when a separate mill makes more sense, read What Is Live Tooling on a CNC Lathe?

Start with the turret

Live tooling holders are not universal. Each one is built for a single turret interface, and several interfaces share a size number without sharing a fit. Identify the turret first, then choose the holder:

Turret	Typical machines	Watch out for
BMT55	Doosan / DN Solutions, Hyundai WIA, Hwacheon, Goodway, Takisawa, Samsung, some Mazak	Nakamura BMT55 is a different bolt pattern
BMT60 Okuma	Okuma LB/LU 2000–4000 EX, LT 3000 EX, Multus U3000–5000, GENOS L300	Okuma's own bolt pattern — fits Okuma only
BMT65	Doosan / DN Solutions, Haas Y-axis lathes (ST20Y–ST35Y, DS30Y), Hyundai WIA, Spinner, Romi, Emco	Nakamura BMT65 has the same 65 mm pilot but a different bolt pattern
BMT65 Nakamura	Nakamura, Averex	Does not fit a standard BMT65 turret
VDI40 Haas	Haas SL and ST lathes with VDI turrets, TL15/25	Two coupling lengths, 104.85 and 117.55 mm — the same model can have either
VDI40 DIN 5480	Lathes with a standard driven VDI40 turret	Not interchangeable with Haas VDI40
Mazak HQ	Mazak lathes with the HQ turret	Same Ø40 shank as VDI40, different clamping — not a VDI holder

Every product name carries the turret and, where it matters, the exact coupling — Okuma, Nakamura, Haas 117.55 mm, DIN 5480. If the machine manual is not to hand, send us the model and serial number and we will confirm the fit before you order. A heavy holder that does not fit costs a return.

Angle, straight or twin

Angle (90°), radial — the tool points at the part's diameter: cross holes, flats, keyways, slots on the OD.
Straight (0°), axial — the tool points along the spindle axis: off-centre holes, tapped holes and pockets in the face.
Twin — an angle holder with two outputs, two tools in one turret station. Saves a station when the part needs two operations on the diameter.

Most shops start with one angle and one straight holder. That covers the majority of secondary operations on turned parts.

What to check before ordering

Centre height (H). On angle holders it is the distance to the axis of the driven tool and is part of the name — H=72, H=85. The same turret takes holders with different heights, so match it to your Y-axis travel and the part sizes you run.
Tool mounting. ER32 collets hold 2–20 mm shanks, ER25 1–16 mm. Weldon 3/4" and 1" holders take indexable cutters and drills with a Weldon flat. Collets and nut wrenches are sold separately — see ER collets.
Coolant. Most holders have external coolant. Holders marked Int. Coolant feed coolant through the tool, useful for deeper drilling.
Direction of rotation. Some holders turn the same way as the machine's drive, others the opposite way. It matters for tapping and for the sign in the program, and it is stated on every product page.
Speed and torque limits. The holder has no motor of its own — the turret drive turns it. The RPM and torque on the product page are the maximum the holder accepts, not what it delivers. What the cut gets depends on the machine's live tool drive.

Made in Italy or made in China

Our driven tools come in two lines, and the country is in every product name. Italian holders cover the machine-specific couplings — Okuma, Nakamura, Haas, Mazak HQ, DIN 5480 — and come with full catalogue data. Chinese holders cover the standard BMT55 and BMT65 turrets at a lower price, with 1:1 gearing, 0.003 mm runout and 6000 RPM. On a standard BMT turret both lines fit the same way; the choice comes down to price and to the options you need — internal coolant, centre height, direction of rotation.

Buying live tool holders from CNCmarket

Every live tool holder has its price on the product page — order online at any time, with no quote and no waiting for a sales rep, and we ship anywhere in Canada. All holders carry a 12-month warranty from CNCmarket.ca. For a turret or a coupling not listed, send us the machine model — more patterns are available to order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What live tooling does on a CNC lathe

Start with the turret

Turret

Typical machines

Watch out for

BMT55

Doosan / DN Solutions, Hyundai WIA, Hwacheon, Goodway, Takisawa, Samsung, some Mazak

Nakamura BMT55 is a different bolt pattern

BMT60 Okuma

Okuma LB/LU 2000–4000 EX, LT 3000 EX, Multus U3000–5000, GENOS L300

Okuma's own bolt pattern — fits Okuma only

BMT65

Doosan / DN Solutions, Haas Y-axis lathes (ST20Y–ST35Y, DS30Y), Hyundai WIA, Spinner, Romi, Emco

Nakamura BMT65 has the same 65 mm pilot but a different bolt pattern

BMT65 Nakamura

Nakamura, Averex

Does not fit a standard BMT65 turret

VDI40 Haas

Haas SL and ST lathes with VDI turrets, TL15/25

Two coupling lengths, 104.85 and 117.55 mm — the same model can have either

VDI40 DIN 5480

Lathes with a standard driven VDI40 turret

Not interchangeable with Haas VDI40

Mazak HQ

Mazak lathes with the HQ turret

Same Ø40 shank as VDI40, different clamping — not a VDI holder

Angle, straight or twin

Angle (90°), radial — the tool points at the part's diameter: cross holes, flats, keyways, slots on the OD.

Straight (0°), axial — the tool points along the spindle axis: off-centre holes, tapped holes and pockets in the face.

Twin — an angle holder with two outputs, two tools in one turret station. Saves a station when the part needs two operations on the diameter.

Most shops start with one angle and one straight holder. That covers the majority of secondary operations on turned parts.

What to check before ordering

Centre height (H). On angle holders it is the distance to the axis of the driven tool and is part of the name — H=72, H=85. The same turret takes holders with different heights, so match it to your Y-axis travel and the part sizes you run.

Tool mounting. ER32 collets hold 2–20 mm shanks, ER25 1–16 mm. Weldon 3/4" and 1" holders take indexable cutters and drills with a Weldon flat. Collets and nut wrenches are sold separately — see ER collets.

Coolant. Most holders have external coolant. Holders marked Int. Coolant feed coolant through the tool, useful for deeper drilling.

Direction of rotation. Some holders turn the same way as the machine's drive, others the opposite way. It matters for tapping and for the sign in the program, and it is stated on every product page.

Speed and torque limits. The holder has no motor of its own — the turret drive turns it. The RPM and torque on the product page are the maximum the holder accepts, not what it delivers. What the cut gets depends on the machine's live tool drive.

Made in Italy or made in China

Buying live tool holders from CNCmarket