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« on: November 04, 2013, 02:30:42 PM »
Hood,
I've gotten into the habit of re- referencing both axes because my lathe isn't all that rigid and I've found that during a long cutting program the x reference can wonder around several tenths and if I reset the x with each new workpiece I can keep the accuracy a little better under control. Also due to deflection, if I don't run my skim cut at the same doc as my final finish cut on the part, I won't be accurate on the final finish diameter. When I tried to reference my x for my second and third tools, I jogged step at a time up to the workpiece diameter until (by rotating the spindle by hand) I start to rub off the machinists dye on the diameter of the skimmed part with the tool to be referenced. Maybe my workflow isn't what Mach is expecting and I'm running into some subtle problem with the software. Rich - I have to study your reply more carefully. There's more in there that I have to think about even though I have read that appendix several times already.
Thanks all, - Terry