Machsupport Forum

General CNC Chat => Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) => Topic started by: chrisjh on May 22, 2013, 05:42:47 AM

Title: A few more parts made on my Mach3 controlled CNC Lathe and Mill
Post by: chrisjh on May 22, 2013, 05:42:47 AM

Hi,

Below are links to a couple of videos of more parts made using Mach3 controlled CNC Lathe and Mill.

I am learning new techniques all the time and would like to share them with other users.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzzHLHGBLPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6miXSPj6HzI

Regards

Chrisjh

Title: Re: A few more parts made on my Mach3 controlled CNC Lathe and Mill
Post by: DICKEYBIRD on July 23, 2013, 04:21:45 PM

Just bumped into this thread Chris and wanted to tell you that I enjoy your videos very much.  Thanks for taking the time to record, edit & upload them. My CNC lathe project isn't as far along as yours but it is finally getting a bit more useful every day.

Question:  What version of Mach do you run?  I noticed CSS is working pretty well on your lathe.  I've read on the forum that it's dead in Mach3 so I haven't even tried it yet.  I noticed also that your spindle speeds up smoothly as the cut progresses until it reaches a certain diameter then stays at one speed.  Is that because your spindle won't go fast enough for the smaller dia's?

Title: Re: A few more parts made on my Mach3 controlled CNC Lathe and Mill
Post by: chrisjh on July 24, 2013, 03:54:21 AM

G'day,

I use Mach3 Version 043.056 on my lathe and mill, as recommended by that great sage, Hood. All versions past 043.030 have worked for me.  Version 043.030 is the point at which my problem with M3 Spindle speed commands were corrected.

I use a USB Smoothstepper on the lathe, but parallel port control on the mill.  The Smoothstepper Plugin that works satisfactorily for me is "BETA2_v015meg".  I tried some later versions of the Plugin but had problems with Spindle RPM readout on Mach3 Turn (it would always read zero RPM).  So I went back to the version that worked for me.

CSS has always worked for me.  I use PWM output for the spindle fed through a PWM to DC Voltage Converter described in my dissertation on my CNC lathe.  The DC voltage is then used to control the VFD driving the 3 Phase 1HP spindle motor.  I have limited the spindle speed to a maximum of 1100RPM with VFD settings and this is the maximum speed you see in the videos.  I set this limit is mainly because spindle bearings start to get hot if I push it too hard.  Also, the VFD also starts to complain and issues warnings if I go past 1100 RPM (approx 3300 RPM motor speed).

Regards

Chrisjh