Messages

1

LazyTurn / Re: Complex figures

« on: September 17, 2012, 07:56:14 PM »

Cool, let me try that.  Thanks again.

2

LazyTurn / Re: Complex figures

« on: September 17, 2012, 03:24:01 PM »

Hi thanks for the reply.  My bad, I was talking about Mach3 Turn software, I was looking at the documentation and indeed I saw that the software works with a cross section of the figure.  I was just trying to figure out how to work the chess horse since I saw a video on youtube of a rotary sculpting it and said to myself "I could probably make my router do that".

I'm afraid I didn't follow you on the G17 - G18 explanation, I'm fairly new understanding G code.

What I'm trying to figure out is how to work the A axis since I'm just mounting it.  Correct me if I'm wrong please, Mach3 Mill could be used to rotate the A axis for this type of work?  If I design my own figure, will it be better to draw a DXF 3D model or 4 different 2D faces for Mach to run it?

A lot of questions arising and I'm hungry for information, thanks for all the help.  Regards.

3

LazyTurn / Complex figures

« on: September 17, 2012, 12:41:51 AM »

Hello, I'm learning right now how to use my "lathe" and my question is if it's possible with this software to get non-symmetrical figures such as a hand or the horse figure for a chess. 

I went through the dxf's and I see the figure that Mach Turn uses is a profile to work with. I'm curious since my lathe is a 4 Axis machine so the Z axis can move up and down easier than the cutting piece of a lathe.

Thanks

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: JNC-40M configuration?

« on: August 27, 2012, 11:24:39 PM »

Man you were damn right, I got ripped by this company.  I opened the router and there's only three motor controllers clearly labeled as X,Y and Z. I already ordered the extra controller and a new break out board.  I'll try to reuse the rest of the stuff but I think I will be dealing with the rewiring in a couple weeks.

Thanks for the advice.

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: JNC-40M configuration?

« on: August 21, 2012, 09:26:02 PM »

Yeah, somehow it's a possibility, that would explain why I never got support back from the manufacturer.  If that's the case I will have to buy the new board to include the rotary, I've been looking on Ebay and there's a couple options that I'm evaluating right now.

The software I'm using right now is NCStudio indeed, not very useful for my purposes but it taught me how to run basic operations.  I mean the router could have been a great one if the manufacturer would've included a manual or some links to videos on their product, but I guess that's too much asking, or they're just interested in selling and after that they just don't care what happens to their products.

Well thanks Mike, I really feel more confident to start the brain surgery on my router.  It'll take a while I guess.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: JNC-40M configuration?

« on: August 21, 2012, 01:53:31 PM »

Hi Mike, long story short the machine shipped without the rotary, when I requested the missing piece it was expedited but it came unusable and the manufacturer (Chinese indeed) didn't use insurance for the parcel so I ended up with a half operational router and no support from the seller.  At least I could learn milling at that point and sad but true so I consider myself very lucky of what could have been a more catastrophic transaction.

The only thing I see is the cables from the stepper motor for the rotary that need to be connected to the controller board.  I'm fairly new opening the electronics cabinet on my router but I'm starting to loose my fears on the issue.  I don't see a plug so that means I'll have to connect the motor using the other motor's color codes as reference.  I'll just have to figure out the correct terminal block on the board (if there's one otherwise I'll have to get a new board).

I'm pretty sure the rotary will be revolving around the Y axis just by looking at the setup of the router.  The other thing I'm lacking is a module to control the rotary from my current software which is the main reason I'm on this forum.  

Since I'll have to get the software installed in order to control the hardware I guess my first approach will be taking a good look at the board.  I'll try to post some good pictures of it.

Thanks.

7

General Mach Discussion / Re: JNC-40M configuration?

« on: August 20, 2012, 04:19:56 PM »

Hi mvoros, thanks for answering.  Yes, what I call lathe is the rotary axis.  When I bought my machine it arrived bended so I just concentrated on learning how to use the milling bench and that's what I've done so far.  Anyway, I don't quite get you when you say X or Y is swapped to the rotary when needed, is that done automatically?

The other problem with my rotary is that it wasn't connected when the machine arrived (quite conveniently for the manufacturer) so I haven't even figure out how to do it, but you say that replacing the controller board could help.  Where can I buy one? At some point I'll have to do it anyway if I want my router 100% operational.

Thanks for the tips and good luck with your proximity switch

8

General Mach Discussion / Re: JNC-40M configuration?

« on: August 17, 2012, 02:37:10 PM »

Hi there, I'm the new kid on the block.  I bought a Jcut 4040B a year ago and I've been using it with the crappy software that came with it with good results I guess.

So far I've been able to mill but I haven't been able to put the lathe or 4th-axis to work for several reasons, including damaged parts that were never replaced by the manufacturer and total absence of instructions on how and where to connect the part.  In the end my router is half operational and support from the manufacturer has long disappeared on the issue.

For the few months I've owned the router thou I've been able to work with it but I'm trying to improve performance and get the lathe to work so I'll migrate the machine to MACH3 since my biggest problem is software right now.

 Ideas anybody, maybe a sketch or a document from the manufacturer on how to connect the lathe on a similar machine?

Thanks for the support