Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: best intro software for very basic lettering to be cut on a 20x14cm machine.

« on: November 26, 2015, 04:15:21 AM »

hey,, very impressed with vectric, plus i bought v carve photo, which is great to use, and on a whole, a lot easier to navigate and design.than some other softwares, but as i learned , i would benefit from a number of different software packages. so , i bought the artcam express, its, ok and obviously gives different features etc, but when i went to save g code, because i didn't on the trial, or couldn't, i noticed that the post processor setting mach 2/3(mm)*(txt), was not listed .!
so ive trawled the forums, and still cant get a definitive way forward for my circumstances..
i work in MM not inches, and dont really want to reconfigure my machine?? if thats even possible. So please if any one has any advise on this, many thanks

2

General Mach Discussion / Re: z spindle stops spinning

« on: November 21, 2015, 07:10:36 AM »

i will definitely try that,, thanks Tweakie , plus, i asked the vendor of the machine what design software he uses, and used in the production videos, he said Vectric Aspire. what you suggested !!! So another manual to read, ive downloaded the trial, and will purchase. the little ive seen of it, it looks like what i need, as the ACxpress is not going to suffice, for what i am intending to create.

Again, many thanks Tweakie...

3

General Mach Discussion / Re: z spindle stops spinning

« on: November 20, 2015, 12:35:39 PM »

cheers Tweakie, im doubting its electrical, maybe something in the controller, its a uc100, and maybe, just maybe, the machine ive bought, dosent work well with it, unsure ? i am going to try other sample codes, and set tool settings up a little more, as well as purchasing ACxpress download, and take it from there, im battling on, appx 6-8 hrs every day, it was always the retirement plan, so at this rate, im sure ill be in good stead, as till now i still haven't actually cut more than an inch along some balsa wood, and marginally damaged the table   i wanted a roland, but only had rat money !!! but im sure my little rat will take me to a roland my machine is a http://wegstr.com/     if anyone has ever heard or seen of it,, please dont laugh   cheers again

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General Mach Discussion / Re: best intro software for very basic lettering to be cut on a 20x14cm machine.

« on: November 20, 2015, 12:19:51 PM »

many thanks Tweakie, i will do.

5

General Mach Discussion / z spindle stops spinning

« on: November 20, 2015, 06:53:12 AM »

could anyone enlighten me on, why when i run the sample g code of the skull and bones on mach3, it starts to cut the design, then the z spindle stops rotating and moves left or right. i have not entered any tool or off set settings? but am all zeroed..

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General Mach Discussion / best intro software for very basic lettering to be cut on a 20x14cm machine.

« on: November 20, 2015, 06:00:30 AM »

Hi, ok so im past the part where i thought it was the"plug n play" world, but as some one who was computer illiterate not long ago, and a total newb to the world of cnc also, the last two months since purchasing the basics have been somewhat emotional, to say the least. but after taking basic advice, downloaded every manual in a pdf, and have read them till i eat, sleep, dream and wake thinking of it. am finally, understanding just a few of the basic concepts etc.
  i am a self taught hobby jeweler, lost wax method, who has designed and produced everything to date by hand. after seeing the capabilities of what cnc and computers could do, i wanted in. so i invested more than i could afford, then realized the software i was going to use would cost £13000 ! typical me doing

So, if i wanted to just say create basic shapes or lettering in wax on my mill, would artcam express or insignia suffice, or is there a cheaper way than insignia, express is more than within budget.

my OS is win8.1, licensed mach3, i use the Uc100 to connect to a little European made table top mill 200 x 140mm.

Any Advice would be kindly appreciated, mark 



 

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: November 10, 2015, 03:51:13 PM »

greetings Tweakie and my namesake, mark. Many thanks for your response, yes i have watched many of the above tutorials, but actually learn and attain new knowledge on the re-runs, wether 2nd or 10th i may know some of them word for word soon, and who knows, maybe one day , i too will be able to make my machine play an old  musical classic have made great headway, in the short time on this knew found passion, and am wrangling with the terminology. i am quite confident, i soon will have grasped a greater understanding of the basics, but for now i am a happy eager student. i believe it wont be long till i too, will be jumping up and down,, ill check out Chris.bothas threads, and hopefully will be able to add to my minuscule knowledge of all the above.

yes i am casting gold and sometimes silver, all types of jewellery, centrifugally with the lost wax method, so generally my machine will be used for mainly Wax milling.  Many Thanks and Kind Regards, Mark.

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: November 10, 2015, 04:00:19 AM »

hello and warm greetings from liverpool, england. my name is mark, i am a TOTAL newb, to the world of cnc, and am and have been extremely excited to
to aquire my new, humble cnc set up. i am a self taught hobby jeweller, and until present have made everything by hand. i learned everything i know from watching you tube videos, and then practical trial and error. i am very proud to have acquired, fully licensed Mach3, a (small) wegstr cnc, with a 140x200 working area, and a max height under spindle of 38mm. spindle speed 6000. a new pc, OS win8.1 with more spec than needed, that was very expensive, and actually a lot more than needed, except parallel ports so duly bought a UC100  motion controller that, after much disappointment and tears before purchase, made everything whirr up, light up and i had communication to machine, and movement. this may sound simple to all reading, but for me to get to this stage was nearly a phd in effort. and appx 20 hrs watching tutorials on you tube, and took a few weeks..

i am milling wax billets, no bigger than 8cm x 8cm so im thinking i need to set up machine to these settings?!

 so after that introduction, im sure you understand, this new member is probably, going to need your kind help , pretty pretty please ! have read some great info in the forum, which has been really helpful, and will continue to search through for my answers, as im sure they are all in here. i am awaiting my design software and am using trial versions of artsoft artcam, at the moment. as well as practising with mach3 installed g-code files, (roadrunner)   any help or advice, would really be appreciated, and once again, many thanks and regards.

my first question would be, could somebody show me an easy to understand video tutorial or link here, of how to set up my work table area, soft limits, tool setting, home and zeroing!?! as i have been watching videos and following tutorials, but have yet to fully understand the navigation, as my machine is not set correctly, the little i have done on there has obviously not been able to fully function.  but it has been very satisfying just to see some action, i now actually want to get started producing lol  many thanks

9

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Windows 8 and Mach 3

« on: October 25, 2015, 04:44:32 PM »

many thanks and regards, i will purchase the uc100, and try again.

10

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Windows 8 and Mach 3

« on: October 25, 2015, 10:29:03 AM »

hi , i have discovered the same just today, with my new cnc and pc set up. after purchasing the oldstyle parallel port,
and attaching it to new pc ect.    the results were obviously nill. I have been advised that if i use Ubuntu,
i am able to boot up my pc with this as the os, and it will be able to recognize the port! as it will run in 32bit!?? i havent tryd yet, but would appreciate it if
anyone could advise if this is a possibility? also, as windows 10 comes as free upgrade, is this compatable with the mach3software.
many thanks and regards,