Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: scott0999 on March 15, 2017, 03:11:38 PM

Title: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 15, 2017, 03:11:38 PM
I want to try drawing some random numbers with a maker attached as the tool. I can't seem to find anything simple to do this with?
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: rhtuttle on March 15, 2017, 03:38:57 PM
Wizards->Write?
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 15, 2017, 03:53:00 PM
as silly as it sounds I after building the entire machine I can't figure out how to use that lol

I jog the Z down where the marker is barely touching the paper, zero the Z, enter the text in the wizard, and then?

I never get any gcode from the wizard.. idk like I said it might sound crazy but I don't find it user friendly...
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: Chaoticone on March 15, 2017, 04:10:40 PM
Make sure you set all the parameters and choose a font.
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 15, 2017, 04:20:19 PM
doesn't come natural for me, sorry. terms have no examples of what they do ect.
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: kolias on March 15, 2017, 05:32:09 PM
After writing your text, hit the “Action Man” button at the bottom right of the wizard screen and if no message appears hit the “Write Button” which is located at the right of the screen keyboard
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: rhtuttle on March 15, 2017, 05:46:16 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hMOOwXynRE
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: mrprecise44 on March 15, 2017, 06:09:45 PM
I wrote an explanation of using the "WRITE" wizard under the Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards section of the forum. It is the 7th. line down, titled Mach3 Add-on 'WRITE"

It takes a little playing with, and you can see the letters on the screen after you exit the file. It will compose the G-code, and put it in the directory as the file name write.
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: Chaoticone on March 15, 2017, 07:01:01 PM
I wrote an explanation of using the "WRITE" wizard under the Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards section of the forum. It is the 7th. line down, titled Mach3 Add-on 'WRITE"

It takes a little playing with, and you can see the letters on the screen after you exit the file. It will compose the G-code, and put it in the directory as the file name write.

Post a link to the topic.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,32791.msg227748.html#msg227748
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 16, 2017, 11:35:36 AM
thanks for all the replies. I still don't see how to use it with a marker, like making the machine a plotter, but at least I can get gcode now
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: kolias on March 16, 2017, 12:29:50 PM
Since you have the gcode, assuming your axes are set to what you want, just hit the "Cycle Start" button on Mach3 screen and it should start. Be carefull that the axes settings are correct so they dont go over your table and crash the machine especially the Z axis depth. If you dont have a working ESTOP button in your machine I would not try it.
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 17, 2017, 03:28:15 PM
ok here's where I'm at. I think I need to get rid of all the travel distance before it starts trying to write the numbers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zaNNxz0LAk
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: Chaoticone on March 17, 2017, 05:10:55 PM
You have your Y start defined in the wizard as +4.6***. Change that to 0. Also, make sure the size of the job can be ran within your soft limits. Make the text smaller if you have to for testing.

You would do yourself a big favor to take the time now to learn the basics of the Gcode programming language (machine coordinates, work coordinates, incremental moves and absolute moves and their relationship to each other) and the right hand rule. Wikipedia and CNCcookbook have a lot of good info. on Gcode.
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 17, 2017, 06:56:01 PM
You have your Y start defined in the wizard as +4.6***. Change that to 0. Also, make sure the size of the job can be ran within your soft limits. Make the text smaller if you have to for testing.

You would do yourself a big favor to take the time now to learn the basics of the Gcode programming language (machine coordinates, work coordinates, incremental moves and absolute moves and their relationship to each other) and the right hand rule. Wikipedia and CNCcookbook have a lot of good info. on Gcode.

Thanks, I learned a ton today. I actually got the draw to work finally! the marker tip is a bit messed up from all the previous attempts, but it was nice to see it work

I'm ready to try the engraving now. For some reason the depth won't allow me to enter a negative number though, puzzled as to why? I can enter negative numbers on other things in the setup
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: kolias on March 18, 2017, 12:55:14 PM
On the wizard direction try the 0 degrees button and I think the depth of cut you dont put a negative number because the program knows it is the depth
Title: Re: Simple Draw test??
Post by: scott0999 on March 18, 2017, 12:57:47 PM
On the wizard direction try the 0 degrees button and I think the depth of cut you dont put a negative number because the program knows it is the depth

I got it all figured out now :)