Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Where can I learn about macros?

« on: November 28, 2009, 04:22:43 PM »

The downloaded Mach3 instructions say:

    The Operator>Macros menu item displays a dialog which allows you to see the currently
    installed macros, to Load, Edit and Save or Save As the text.

But I find no such menu item under Operator.
Where can I learn about macros, how to use them, and how to write them?

2

General Mach Discussion / Laser pointers to set starting mill position

« on: November 28, 2009, 11:50:32 AM »

Are there inexpensive laser pointers available to chuck in the mill spindle and point me to a reference point on a work piece? Most common laser pointers are too bright and the spot is too big to set the origin. I built one once out of a "bullet" laser pointer but it was short lived and it seems like there ought to be a commercial one. I have seen expensive optical finders. There must be lower cost options these days.

3

General Mach Discussion / How to install Shuttle Pro?

« on: November 27, 2009, 06:05:59 PM »

I have received a Shuttle Pro and installed in on the PC but can't find any instructions in the Mach3 literature for how to make it available to the program.

4

General Mach Discussion / Radius errors with G2 command

« on: November 25, 2009, 01:25:34 PM »

I'm using CamBam to generate G code and Mach3 complains about a G2 command no matter how I define the hole in CamBam. The error message is:

"Radius to end of arc differs from radius to start"

I've tried using a drill operation and a profile operation with the same result. I haven't been able to ask CamBam about it and I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Mach3 has too restrictive settings on G code tolerances that can be lessened. I don't know G code well enough to puzzle out the G2 command. The hole is 1" in diameter cut with a 3/16 end mill:

G2 F20.0 X1.0469 Y1.2635 Z-0.0425 I-0.4063 J0.0

5

General Mach Discussion / Handwheels stall the table easily

« on: November 25, 2009, 10:45:41 AM »

I'm adapting a knee mill conversion to Mach3. The motors are size 42 steppers with about 1500 oz/in of torque. With velocity set to 40 you can't stall the table to save your life. But a feather touch on a spinning handwheel stops it cold. I understand that this is because the wheel is a big lever arm. But it's shocking to see how little torque the motors have at speed when tested in this way, and how easy it is to stall the table with a bump to a handwheel.

Is this typical? It's not something you'd notice on a mill without hand cranks.

Also, is 40 or 50 ipm a typical top end for a Bridgeport conversion with stepper motors and without ball screws?