Topics

1

General Mach Discussion / Quick Question on Windows 7

« on: July 30, 2011, 11:30:55 AM »

Right now I have two computers on my desk, one is on windows 7 64bit and I have been told that mach will not run on that. OK my question is can I just put windows 7 32 bit on it and use SmoothStepper.
Making it possible to remove the boat anchor from desk?

Thanks in advance, didn't want to buy windows 7 32bit if it won't work.

Jim

2

General Mach Discussion / File to save for all Mach3 setup

« on: December 23, 2010, 04:40:50 PM »

I am going to have to reload XP, can someone tell me which file or file's I need to save so I can just move that into the new install of Mach3.
I am hoping there is such a file that has all the pins and backlash , not sure I remember all the things to do for setting up mach3 and it works so great right now.

Thanks for any help

Jim

3

SmoothStepper USB / Problems getting mach3 to talk to smoothstepper

« on: October 03, 2010, 07:47:31 PM »

I had to upgrade to a new computer which is running windows 7x64.  I hooked up smoothstepper and loaded the drivers with no problem, windows sees smoothstepper. Then I downloaded mach3 Version R3.043.022 and loaded it. Now at this point mach3 starts up with no problem, and I can adjust motors in the window for motor tuning and setup, mind you this is without loading smoothstepper plugin. Also if I use the arrow keys the reference of x, y , z, all move as if the machine would be. Ok now I load the plugin SmoothStepper_Beta2_v015ogx2.m3p from smoothstepper site, double click it and it loads into mach3. Now when I start mach3 mill it has smoothstepper listed, I configure it the same as the instructions on the smoothstepper manual shows.

Now, I can not adjust motor tuning at all? No matter what I do velocity goes to 0 on all axis? Also I get no movement in the machine even though its hooked up. The smoothstepper board has a steady blue and green light on it.

Ok I am not great on computers, but being retired I miss not being able to make a mess with my sherline mill. Mach 3  and lazy cam has always done all  I need.

Anyone have any idea's what I am doing wrong with the set up?

thanks
Jim

4

SmoothStepper USB / SS Locking up mach3

« on: September 09, 2009, 06:04:53 PM »

I was jogging my mill when all jog's stoped working and the message popped up "Timeout Error Getting Data" from SS. I had two choices,,push OK and it pops right back up, click the X, message goes away but Mach3 is locked and not responding?

Now when ever I start up Mach3 I get this same message,,Mach3 locks up and nothing. I have shut down the computer, restarted everything, samething.

Device Manager says SS is working properly???Shows how much Windows knows.

5

SmoothStepper USB / ESTOP not assigned to SmoothStepper Input?

« on: February 13, 2009, 11:04:18 AM »

I posted the following on the fourm at Warp9 web page, but no reply. I am guessing they don't check their webpage that much. Maybe someone here can explain to me why this message appears and what I have not done.
thanks



ESTOP not assigned to SmoothStepper Input?
I have just gotten smoothstepper installed, I had no problem following the instructions, which is a plus for me. When I load up Mach3 I get the above message, I can hit Reset in Mach3, get the above message a second time, close that and everything then works fine. I assume I have not done something right.

One more thing, which might relate to the above. When using Mach3 before and I hit the space bar on the keyboard the sherline mill would stop, I notice now that when I do this it keeps going for a short time before stopping. Is it possible to add an Estop button onto the Smoothstepper?

Thanks for any help.
Jim
         

6

LazyCam (Beta) / Rotating Drawing

« on: January 24, 2008, 10:27:06 AM »

I have LC 3.00.2 Lic version, I can't get the drawing to rotate so I can see the cut lines. I have a 3 button mouse, just wondering if there is a special setting the 3rd button, or wheel in my case should be set at. Right now if I press the wheel down it gives a enter command.

I have held it down and moved it all over the drawing, still does not rotate it.

Any ideas why?

Jim

7

General Mach Discussion / Need help with getting system back up and runing

« on: January 16, 2008, 09:22:38 AM »

I am having problems with my system since I installed a new motherboard. I can't seem to get mach to run my stepper motors. Now before I go into to long of a question, is there any simple way to test the parallel cable to see if it is working? I don't have a printer or anything else to check it with, but may by I can read voltage on a pin? I changed to an Asus M2N32-SLI motherboard and installed the cable for a parallel cable as the instruction said, using same cable that I used before for my Xylotex system and Mach 3 which all worked fine with last motherboard, so thinking it might have something to do with the port.

Just want to start with checking the port to see if it is working.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

Jim

8

LazyCam (Beta) / Direction of cut

« on: August 22, 2007, 07:27:59 PM »

Ok, I downloaded the newer version of Mach3 and now can't seem to make anything work correct. Is there anyway in Lazy Cam to see which way it is going to cut. I have a simple almost square box to cut, I have tried the outside offset with clockwise check marked, with it not checkmarked. Both times it cuts counter clockwise.

Also tried to use the lead in for climb mill and then it would start the cut but climb up tell it was not cutting at all on the part.

If I don't use the offset, it then decides to cut in the clockwise direction. So please someone tell me what I can do to have lazy cam cut in the direction I want!!

Jim
Abbotsford, BC

9

LazyCam (Beta) / Making Clamp Files

« on: July 03, 2007, 11:02:05 AM »

I seem to need some help in making clamp files as in the Video Tutorials. I basicly drew up a rectangle in cad, saved to dxf and brought it into Laxy Cam version 2.080. I select the chain, it turns red and then right click, I get the options window and then click on "Save chain as shapefile". It then brings up a window to name it, which I type in Clamp and hit "ok". It then tells me the following "File Open Failed.".
Now I have watched the video several times and rechecked the steps, easy since I use two screens and have the video on one while I follow along with lazy cam on the other. Just cant seem to get a shape file.

Anyone else having this problem, anyone know what I am doing wrong?

Jim

10

General Mach Discussion / Normal Stop (Alt-S) Can this be changed to the space bar?

« on: June 28, 2007, 06:47:00 PM »

I have searched thinking it was simple to do, now not so sure. Would like the space bar to do a normal stop such as the (Alt-S) does so that after can just hit cycle start to keep going. Anyway of doing this???

thanks for any help

Jim Neifert

PS thanks Brain and Art, things are working great. I did have a minor problem when I built a new computer, darn someone forgot to put a parallel port on the new motherboard!!!!