Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: A axis trouble calculating help!.

« on: March 27, 2012, 08:22:41 AM »

I best answer/conclude  my own post here ,for others who's numbers dont add up

The controller board was faulty swapped with another axis and all ok ...
These chinese machine have many issues ..wires break easily(replace them all !) , vfd noise, lose sliderail bearings, swarf everywhere.

What you are buying is a bunch of parts of differing quality thrown together as quickily as possible.Never tested as bought .But ok for hobby use The machine itself is going your hobby for a good while .

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: A axis trouble calculating help!.

« on: March 22, 2012, 03:29:50 AM »

Thanks Rich,

I have calibtared using a spirit level on the top of the chuck it is very  accutare to .2 deg.
Just rechecked my 50:1 again ,all good
motors checked again ..all good

No backlash setting applied and all tests are  in one direction

The only way was to use the calibrate axis option ,sending it for a 1440 angle then  measurung the error applying it then doing eight turns ..I wound up with 228.67456354 or something like that. 

It is wonderful that I was able to achieve useful accuracy , but frustrating that the numbers failed to do the angular calc as I expected .

I must be doing or setting somethnig wrong in mach.  I am new at this but Ive spent considerable time checking myself .

Im thinking microstepping fault on controller?// More likely noob has not clicked something

Lindsay

3

General Mach Discussion / A axis trouble calculating help!.

« on: March 21, 2012, 09:15:59 PM »

Hi guys,

I have my chinese machine working fairly well untill  I installed the A axis motor

gearbox is 50:1  motor is 200 steps per turn ..1.8 DEG  microsep is 8 and I want the a axis to be angular.

I am trying to set a axis steps per  to the right value

I have set a axis angular .In tool path a-rotations enabled

I did (200 x eight) x 50 /360  

I tried running these numbers with no success . 222.222222 (the result) is nowhere near right in practice
I then tried the trial and error and found that 229 is almost right but has a small error.

x,y,z are all spot on ..well .01 mm.. ok for wood

I am surely doing something wrong or not clicking something I should .
Its driving me nuts knowing that my machine is not really "notational l control "

Lindsay

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: mach3 and monstar 6040

« on: March 03, 2012, 07:00:16 PM »

Ha..... Im asking for info and bieng sparse with my own  question

Its one of these "cheap" chinese machines .

I realise that it is just a starter machine for my new Hobby at this stage

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320813928109&ssPageName=ADME:X:eRTM:US:1123

I also purchaced a 3watt laser diode for burning wood and will have to make an interface of some sort to control it with the spindle motor outputs..At least the flimsy bed wont be a limmitation with the laser

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Industrial-808nm-3000mw-Infrared-Focusable-Laser-Diode-Module-Cutter-w-TTL-/170766785539?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item27c27e5c03

I am SLOOOWWWLY getting my head around mastercam it is a huge learning curve and I am grateful for any help that might make  some steps  seem easier.
Thanks in advance

Lindsay

5

General Mach Discussion / mach3 and monstar 6040

« on: March 02, 2012, 09:55:55 PM »

Hi all ,

First post here

I am just starting with this huge hobby and my ignorance may be astounding ..If this is a stupid question just ignore me .

My machiune is a Monstar  6040 with" a" axis chuck and it will arrive in a few days (hopefully)

The mach 3 setup in the manual does not allow for the a axis .

I wonder if somebody has an xml file to share  that works with this machine ? Of is there one here that I am too lazy to find?

Of course Ii will have to fine tune it but it might be a safer starting point for me

Lindsay