Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: wtwaggoner on February 11, 2014, 01:42:56 PM

Title: New to Mach 3
Post by: wtwaggoner on February 11, 2014, 01:42:56 PM

Ok so I have downloaded the manual,. all 106 pages of it,. I received a computer with my CNC machine with Mach 3 already on it. I think everything should be set up for me. I seriously dont even know where to start though! Did everyone learn from the manuals? I tried watching one of the vids and I got really confused. I just want to learn how to set up zeroing and make my first cut. Any help would be more than appreciated.

Title: Re: New to Mach 3
Post by: Hood on February 11, 2014, 03:23:47 PM

I think most people learn just by messing around with Mach and referring to videos or manuals when they dont understand something.
Hood

Title: New to Mach 3
Post by: Fastest1 on February 11, 2014, 07:50:23 PM

So, have you ever machined anything via CNC? Do you know what GCode is or how to use it? There is a bit to learn. It isn't just pressing a few buttons and everything starts to move correctly. Well it could be, but most of us weren't that patient.

Title: Re: New to Mach 3
Post by: RICH on February 12, 2014, 06:28:45 AM

Quote

Did everyone learn from the manuals? I tried watching one of the vids and I got really confused.

Everytime I read a manual  continue to discover what is forgotten or find something that now has importance.
Even the manuals or stuff written by myself. ::)
Actualy you have to study the manual.

Thinking back, would say that the best recomendation would be to buy "CNC Programming Hanbook" by Smid.  Then
play with the machine and Mach for experience.

Vidoes are great, but, they are too fast to comprehend sometimes.

FWIW,
RICH

Title: Re: New to Mach 3
Post by: wtwaggoner on February 12, 2014, 10:52:52 AM

I watched tutorial 3 last night a few times and did a 'dry' run with no router. Couple of things happened,. first time the gantry got bound up for some reason,. like the left and right side were out of sync,. it was weird,. but got past that with a restart,. then the second time there was a soft limit warning and then it stopped on a second pass,. Pretty sure I still have lots of configuring to do to get up and running,. but I think dry runs are going to be good to get the practice I need. :)

Title: Re: New to Mach 3
Post by: wtwaggoner on February 13, 2014, 10:48:36 AM

Ron the owner of Velox CNC is meeting with me on Saturday to give me the run down and show me how to use Mach3. Great guy for helping me out. Gonna make my first cut on Saturday :)

Title: New to Mach 3
Post by: Fastest1 on February 13, 2014, 05:30:23 PM

Nothing like having a mentor. Great he is helping.