Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 01:45:11 PM

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - basilhenriques

Pages: 1 2 3 »
1
I am a Total Newbie.. so bear that in mind as I'm not too au fait with the nomenclature and terminologies..Now tell me what is the most economical but effective program to convert text (any font) to G-Code please? and is there also an economical way of converting jpg or tiff to G-Code ?

I have the complete Adobe suite in my MacPro and also Microsoft Office..AND Parallels Desktop so I can run PC programs in the Mac; plan is to not overload the PC and keep it completely clean except for Mach3, that the only program on it except for Windoze XP resident ones..

My intention is to just do engraving on 16 and 19mm copper discs and some very light milling of small shapes in 1/16" aluminium Just the outline shape of 1/16” x 1-5/16 x 2-3/16” Plate
The engraving on the copper discs is using an outlined version of Apple Chancery Italic (Postcript Font)
The machine is set-up in Metric but interestingly my new vernier gauge has Metric, Imperial thousandths AND imperial Fractions in increments up to 1/64.. Handy..

2
Hi Craig, no it wasn't a bit expensive !! I thought I heard some sound emanating from the antipode of Coton-in-the-Elms but no, it was the better half (Pat) playing 'Kiri Te Kanawa' a bit of a diamond in her own right..
Now tell me what is the most economical but effective program to convert text (any font) to G-Code please? and is there also an economical way of converting jpg or tiff to G-Code ?
I have the complete Adobe suite in my MacPro and also Microsoft Office..AND Parallels Desktop so I can run PC programs in the Mac; plan is to not overload the PC and keep it completely clean except for Mach3, that the only program on it except for Windoze XP resident ones..
Regarding soft limits and limit switches, my intention is to just do engraving on 16 and 19mm copper discs and some very light milling of small shapes in 1/16" aluminium Just the outline shape of 1/16” x 1-5/16 x 2-3/16” Plate
The engraving on the copperdiscs is using an outlined version of Apple Chancery Italic (Postcript Font)

3
Well, I calibrated the X, Y and Z motors. BUT I've managed to break my first bit, when Calibrating the Z axis the figure I put in was too great and oops it broke the bit before I could hit the stop. Anyway I haven't yet tried to calibrate the A axis and I need to find out how to set the travel limits of X, Y and Z so that they stay within their working range and don't crash.So my machine has metric leadscrews, 400 is the exact motor setting. The antbacklash ballscrews are pretty good and the accuracy on repeated cycles is very close.Just guide me please as to where in the manuals I'l find infoon setting ABSOLUTE limits without using limit switches.
BTW just as an afterthought, have you seen the latest vernier calliper from (I won't say) it has Metric, imperial AND Fractions on its digital display; Pretty smart I thought..


4
Forum suggestions and report forum problems. / Re: Wanted
« on: September 05, 2017, 09:02:49 AM »
Presently your preference are wrong, when you double click or 'open' a posted image's thumbnail, what's then displayed is not scaled to the screen and can require scrolling in both directions to inspect it.
I think that 'uploaded' images should be automatically scaled to fit the forum's page size..That way large ones like the one I posted will not occupy as much server space..That's just a thought, encouraging posters to host elsewhere (if at all possible) would be the better option.
The image here is what the mod will do..

5
Forum suggestions and report forum problems. / Re: Wanted
« on: September 05, 2017, 08:39:54 AM »
Yes, I believe the "Bargain Basement" is far too low on the viewable list of forums, and secondly the wording is ambiguous as it gives NO indication that wanted  is there, just sales.
[Bargain Basement
You can freely post your add for things to sell in this thread.]  etc..

Oh yes if you could implement "Automatic Scaling" of pictures hosted elsewhere it may encourage posters to just post links to external hosts and therefore reduce the amount of space the forum uses on the server.. (It's a standard PHP code) https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=577794

6
Hi Basil,

Config. / Ports and Pins / Input Signals / EStop - change the Active Low to a tick. That should reverse the operation to how it should be  ;)

Tweakie.
OK Thanks..
Regarding Spindle AND 4th axis. No relays anywhere in the control box, there is a front mounted on/off for the spindle and a potentiometer controlling the variable speed. There is a separate pcb for the spindle AND it just has positive and negative volts out. (Two wires to the spindle) The control of the 4th axis is on a separate board I haven't checked its function yet.
How do I check it ? G-code ? or what ..
Up until now I was under the impression that "Chinese Junk" was a boat, this boat don't float !

7
I'll check later, BTW the emergency stop knob operates in a counter intuitive way. I'm used to pushing in the safety knobs on machines to STOP them, this has to be in, and in an emergency you have to twist it and it pops out. OMG just as well we're talking about machinery isn't it !  >:D

8
Thanks 'Tweakie', ATPIT I have no control over spindle speed except for the knob on the control box ? ??? ???
If I can just get that sorted so that Mach3 has control of the spindle then the calibration etc SHOULD be a doddle..I will report upon my progress as and when.



Steel Players do it without fretting!

9
Forum suggestions and report forum problems. / Wanted
« on: September 04, 2017, 09:08:03 PM »
I think that a separate "Wanted" section would no go amiss ! or is it that I haven't found it yet ?

'Steelies do it without fretting'

10
OK ! Kudos to you 'Tweakie'.. It's working, but no control of spindle speed and the X,Y,Z movement is very slow. I loaded the <TestCircle.tap> and it took 11 minutes and 7 seconds to do half.?
BUT <roadrunner.tap> took just 4 min. 54 sec.

Pages: 1 2 3 »