Messages

6261

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems threading on the lathe

« on: May 05, 2009, 12:35:02 AM »

That's ok, since i can disconnect the cable from the MPG's which use the same PP as the timing disc.
Using the other PP may influence it, but then, i can also test that way and see if there is a difference.
 

6262

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems threading on the lathe

« on: May 05, 2009, 12:22:55 AM »

The index will only have 1 slot and the timing will have 4 and they wil be inputs from different pins?
Do the inputs need to come form the same PP??
RICH

6263

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems threading on the lathe

« on: May 04, 2009, 11:51:13 PM »

Chip,
HMM.....so you actualy need another " active pulse stream "  and not emulating one of them as i did before or you'll get bum data as noted by ART's reply below.

------------------------------------
  ONLY IF YOU ARE USING INDEX AS A TEST INSTEAD OF SLOTS.
        but the index is checked for emulated ( if you don't enable the index you may not get a graph, may be a fluke?? )
   NOPE< MAKE SURE INDEX IS NOT EMULATED>
- in config>ports and pins>input signals - enable the index and timing using the same ports and pin numbers
---------------------------------------------------

Thinking now, and that is dangerous!   

Just leave the timing disc as connected since it's on the back side of the spindle (i made an adaptor to easily make
additional slotted disc's from CD's - use the boy's rap music CD's     ) and put the index in the chuck / mount  a pickup on the crosslide / 5 volts and two temporary wires for inputs using the 2nd PP .....easy......

I figured i would start off with four timing slots and then do one with say 20  to 30. Disc diameter is limited to
about 3.25".

RICH

6264

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: 1/12 SCALE MILLING MACHINE PARTS

« on: May 04, 2009, 11:19:44 PM »

Hey Ed,
All joking aside. One of the projects i thought of doing was to make a small miniture CNC machine.
I have some small steppers laying around and good grief enough junk to do it.

I have some outside cutters and in fact ball tools already ground that would cut the ball, but it's more fun
or challenging to CNC it.

RICH

6265

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: 1/12 SCALE MILLING MACHINE PARTS

« on: May 04, 2009, 08:10:14 PM »

Hi All,
Time to start making some more parts for the model again. The pictures show one of the universal joints completed for the model. I could of just softened a bearing and drilled two holes thru it, but,  instead I decided to CNC turn the ball.
Attached is the gcode for machining the ball and a picture of the pointed tool used. The code does a complete finishing pass after the roughs. You need a tool which will not gouge the ball as it goes around it. You don't need to change tools when done this way and and the part has a nice finish.

RICH

6266

General Mach Discussion / Re: Scan to cut part

« on: May 04, 2009, 07:23:08 PM »

TIA,
You really don't need to use a camera to use COPYCAT, since you can just put a pointed object in the chuck and use it as a pointer. Accuracy will fall off though. There is a manual for Copycat in the Members Doc section.
RICH

6267

General Mach Discussion / Re: Scan to cut part

« on: May 04, 2009, 07:18:36 PM »

TIA,
I am not that familar with CAMBAM / olny tried the free version once.

There are a number of ways to do what you want.

You can take a picture of the part or scan the template,  and then bring the picture into a CAD program and draw
over the picture, export it as a DXF, and then iuse the imported  DXF using CAMBAM, LAZYCAM or some other program to generate the gcode.

You may want to consider using COPYCAT as that is idealy suited for that kind of stuff. You use a web camera and follow the outline of the piece ( no need to make a pattern ) and while you are doing that it generates the gcode for posting right into MACH. It can be done very quickly. More quickly than what the other option above.

Both can  be more accurate than the tollerance you will hold on wood.
RICH

6268

SmoothStepper USB / Re: MPG on port 3 problem

« on: May 04, 2009, 06:54:43 PM »

Phil,
Hope you enjoy the two MPG's as i have just finished mine. They are wired to PP so the info on using the  SS was informative. And about using them to do actual machining, well sometimes i just watch the metal being remove under the microscope and tweak as necessary. Mostly used here for fine positioning of the tool to the stock.

RICH

BTW Hood, glad you have been there and done that as you save a lot of folks a lot of time.
This may be the only complement you get today, so cherish it! 

6269

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: My first attempts at laser engraving.

« on: May 04, 2009, 06:16:10 PM »

Thanks for the posting the info Tweakie,
Looks interesting.
RICH

6270

General Mach Discussion / Re: Xbox 360 controller plugin won't load . error says defective also says Mach4.

« on: May 04, 2009, 05:07:48 PM »

simpson36,
Don't like posting a file for any programs as it can create confusion, but here it is.
Change the file name to Xbox360Controller.dll.
RICH