Messages

7191

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Capacitive" Encoder

« on: August 19, 2008, 05:28:49 PM »

RC
The idea of selectable resolution is kind of neat. Seems like easy installation. I am still a little concerned on operabilty from an RF / electrical field standpoint. Located any where near a a device which generates white noise, ie; like a motor or variable speed drive.  But you don't know until you try it out.  Wise man once said......one @30 to try is better than two in the drawer .........
  RICH

 

7192

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Capacitive" Encoder

« on: August 18, 2008, 10:17:40 PM »

RC,
Never heard of them. I wonder what frequency is being used and the amount of RF generated. Also the units sensitivty to interference from other devices. What kind of enviroment and what applications are they recomended for?
Just some gut reaction's to a new device. Bottom line question is ....what are the short comings if any?
RICH

7193

SmoothStepper USB / Re: My Lathe with the SmoothStepper

« on: August 18, 2008, 05:24:09 PM »

Nice video. You got to admit it feels good when the machine does what you want it to do.
Better yet, when the part comes out correctly.
RICH

7194

SmoothStepper USB / Re: My Lathe with the SmoothStepper

« on: August 18, 2008, 09:18:14 AM »

HOOD,
I assume that you were using a MACH test version. Did the SS plug-in have spindle sync or a form of backlash in it yet?

It will be interesting on how well the punny lathe's ( like mine ) will do.

Look forward to when a complete backlash and  threading will be available with the SS. Till then, it's the old computer with a test
version of threading ( which by the way works great but of course not with the SS).

RICH

 

7195

General Mach Discussion / Re: Very basic question about tool diameter compensation

« on: August 16, 2008, 08:53:38 PM »

RCHADWICK,
"Can anyone tell me if it's worth it to buy the registered version?"

I can only speak for myself. I use it mainly for the lathe and still learning for the mill. My answer would be yes for a few reasons.
1. Where alse are you going to get a program like that for what your going to pay?
    It's Beta? Hell, I beta'd for five years with one particular program and frankly I think 10 years from now you will
    still be "beta-ing" with any program because nothing stands still.
2. Where else are you going to get the kind of support provided by realy nice knowledgable people? 
    May I add that some do it for a living so will add professional to the people discription.
3. Where else would someone spend the time to explain what you just picked up from this thread?
4. Where alse can you get someone to stay by your side, have you in their thoughts, until you arrived at an end of a
    problem in trying to do or learn something?
5. Some programs require more that what you pay for it just as a yearly support fee and addtionaly you should end up
    getting upgrade for free.
6. Sooner or later you will want to do or try something complex and you will appreciate that program.
Again, just something to think about.
RICH

7196

General Mach Discussion / Re: When Is A Circle Not A Circle?

« on: August 15, 2008, 06:19:27 AM »

The only time I say the "polygon" effect was when using DeskcNC, where for a circle you broke the arc's into lines
and there was a setting that had to be set very small,, and if not set to a small value, you would get small flats all around.
Additionaly from a cad program when exporting and it was not truely a circle. But you see the generated code as small lines. Not experienced the polygon effect in MACH using the G02.
I still use a 400 Mhz computer / 512 memory and when cutting a circle it will come to a crawl as it approces the transition point as compared to a faster computer. So I find your post interesting but have no solution. Something has changed though.
Have you tried a few test cuts justs to see if it's now consistantly doing it?
RICH

7197

General Mach Discussion / Re: Smooth Stepper Homing error

« on: August 13, 2008, 12:30:04 PM »

Check out the Warp9 site. Thought i saw something posted there on limit switches.
RICH

7198

General Mach Discussion / Re: thanks to "Chaoticone" (brett) got my pendant working

« on: August 12, 2008, 09:04:51 PM »

Something better than a bat is required, I''ll  just raise rent from a 12 pack of beer a month to a good bottle of Scotch.
Of course by the the time I get it, the Scotch would be 25 year vintage, and MACH would be controlling the robots to do my
machining.
  RICH

7199

General Mach Discussion / Re: thanks to "Chaoticone" (brett) got my pendant working

« on: August 12, 2008, 08:21:11 PM »

The kid won't let me "borrow" one of his x box controllers. Chased me out of the room, of course he's 28 and bigger than me!
RICH

7200

General Mach Discussion / Re: Weird pulse coming from pc

« on: August 12, 2008, 08:15:40 PM »

PLease find a different source for the 5 volts. I pick up 5 volt DC supplies at the flea market for .25 cents each.
Not even worth making.
RICH