Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / MachTurn installation issue

« on: January 28, 2021, 11:35:40 PM »

I have had a mixed success with my cnc endeavors because it is something I find difficult.

After purchasing several stepper controllers to hook up to my computer's parallel port, I finally found one that worked and, using the free version of MachTurn, finally got my Taig Lathe conversion to work. I was just about to purchase a license for Mach 3 when the computer blew up and it was back to square 1.

In desperation I purchased the Acorn system but finished up putting it back in the box. I still don't know if the Acorn was faulty or if it was just me.

I am deeply suspicious of some of the products from some internet suppliers but purchased a USB Mach 3 controller (the red one with the eagle on it) cheaply and wired that up. Both motors jog normally but the DRO on the Z axis does not function.

The USB controller looks like the real thing but I am left to wonder if I have purchased another dud board.

I have worked my way through the ports and pins installation but have not been able to get the Z DRO to move. The X DRO works normally.

Don't know what to do next so would be grateful for any suggestions.
Woodie

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 turn

« on: March 01, 2018, 05:24:26 PM »

I agree with your 2c: that is the key.

I call my hobby my reason to get out of bed in the mornings.

It was never my intention to get into metal work. It was just that I had made everything that interested me on my wood lathe and fell into clock making. Metal turning was a natural progression from that.

Nor was it my intention to try tackle CNC, I dropped out of school in 1951 and "science" was never my thing at the best of times. So I will continue to tackle it as I would if I had to eat an elephant - one mouthful at a time.

Woodie

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 turn

« on: March 01, 2018, 07:18:51 AM »

Again thanks for the quick response and information which I will now try to absorb.

I don't have a problem spending a few hundred dollars to get a system, but agree that I need to continue to familiarise myself with G code and also work out what I am actually going to do with it. One of the advantages of CNC controlled metal lathes is that they allow you to create decorative profiles that are probably not possible by hand.

Clock making is fascinating because it has no end point. Unlike many who people, particularly those with engineering backgrounds, I have never had an interest in copying designs of yesteryear. I have cobbled together a simple design (it is what I teach) using an electromagnetic coil and even after ten or more years of fiddling have really only scratched the surface. In terms of expertise, on a scale starting at engineers down to back yard mechanics I fit most neatly into the latter category. And it never gets boring.

Woodie

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 turn

« on: March 01, 2018, 02:20:51 AM »

Hi Roger/Craig

Thanks for taking the time.

I purchased the TC5520 on a recommendation of one of of the members of this forum. I am only just now connecting it up. The manual is upfront about some of its limitations and it remains to be seen how much use I will get out of it.

One of the difficulties I face as a CNC beginner is knowing the questions to ask. The an old adage about the dangers of keeping your mouth shut and having people think you are stupid rather than opening it and removing all doubt being uppermost in my mind.

There is a lot of information about the use of Mach 3 software but not a lot on the specifics of the hardware you need to build to use it. This is why I was trying to see if the CNC system I installed on my mill to cut clock wheels will work on my metal lathe. As I said it was not helped by a computer failure. I was thinking of building a later version of my mill CNC system which uses a Stepper Bee+ controller but this version uses a USB connection to a laptop that makes it more difficult to use Mach 3 unless I look for the more sophisticated solution you talked about.

I think I need to get a better understanding of the conventional use of Mach 3 before I think about the Ethernet version.

My impression of the retailers of units like the TC5520 is that they are more interested in marketing their product than supporting it as Mach 3 does. So if you can point me in the direction of any support for this system I would appreciate it.

Incidentally, my primary interest is in clock making which is something I now teach FOC to members of my crafters club. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you a link to my web page.

regards
Woodie

5

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 turn

« on: February 28, 2018, 02:55:25 AM »

Thanks Roger.

 My son tells me he has a spare tower with a printer port so I will see if I can get Win 7 for that when I get it.

While I am waiting for that I have been fiddling with TC5520H controller. The package included a power supply, two drivers and a couple of stepper motors. It does come come with a manual but nowhere near the same level of support that is available for Mach 3. So it is suck and see what happens.

Woodie

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 turn

« on: February 27, 2018, 05:49:05 PM »

Thanks for the replies. My delayed reply is because your responses went to trash for some reason. Only just found them.

The CNC system I am using is for cutting clock wheels on my mill which is configured x and y. I was halfway through the reconfiguration process when my old Dell decided it was all too much and refused to reboot so I remain at square one until I get that sorted.

Woodie

7

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 turn

« on: February 04, 2018, 10:12:45 PM »

Hi
I am attempting to get two steppers to function with Mach 3 Turn.

I am using a K179 stepper driver which I already use to drive x and y with another software package - cutting clock wheels on a Seig mill. I know that the steppers are working because I have tested it with this other system.

At the moment the program is only driving one stepper and obviously I need to reconfigure but am not sure how to go about that.  I have port 1 enabled and the output shows x and y enable. Obviously I am missing something appreciate some help.

Woodie

8

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G Code for dividing a circle.

« on: June 13, 2017, 02:00:13 AM »

I haven't tried that yet but I did find Theoretical Machining.Com which has this incredible Bolt Hole Circle Calculator which should give me the divisions I need. After it does the calculations it provides the G code to make it work. All pretty incredible really.

Bob

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / G Code for dividing a circle.

« on: June 11, 2017, 01:44:49 AM »

Hi
I have visited a couple of times. I am looking at the stand alone CNC Controllers available out of China to run an electronic indexer. My requirement are simple, I need to divide 360 degrees into the following indexes:

8 10 30 32 60 64.

Is it possible to get a G Code package to do this or will I need to start from scratch?

I have spent a bit of time studying MACH3 and G Code but up to this point have not had a need to actually use it.

I will be 80 in couple of months which is probably a bit late in the day to be learning to use G Code, but doing this sort of stuff keeps me out of mischief.
Bob

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie I mean really Newbie

« on: November 16, 2016, 05:44:40 PM »

Backlash question. I assumed I needed to deal with the backlash on my lathe but saw a backlash function on Mach3. Will this resolve the backlash problem or do I still need to remove it mechanically?
Woodie