Topics

351

Tangent Corner / My Blackberry is not working.

« on: December 24, 2011, 03:06:40 AM »

It is perhaps UK style humor but for anyone who remembers the Fork Handles sketch ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz2-ukrd2VQ ) - this was shown on TV last year but repeated again recently.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI

Tweakie.

352

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Half-Tone techniques.

« on: December 20, 2011, 05:04:41 AM »

Over the last week or so I have been looking at ‘free of charge’ options for CNC production of half tone images. The first one I found (DotG) uses a ‘dot-dithering’ technique (similar to half tone) with the GCode that is produced being eminently suited to dot impact or laser use and I posted details in this thread http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12444.msg141147.html#msg141147

Another software (DXF Halftone 2.1) is more true to the half tone technique and is best suited to varying depth V bit drilling. Although this drilling function is incorporated into other commercial software, this program, which is free to download and use (under the GNU Public License) has many advanced features and the inbuilt post-processor produces fully Mach compatible GCode. For those that are interested this can be downloaded from the Finnish website here http://www.students.tut.fi/~syvajar3/

I hope this information is useful to old hands as well as those just starting out into the world of CNC - We can never have too much free software  

Tweakie.

353

General Mach Discussion / Single Line Fonts (Stick Fonts).

« on: December 14, 2011, 10:20:10 AM »

‘Single line fonts’ is a subject that keeps coming up and has never really been resolved. Most if not all of the quality fonts are associated with their respective software programs and are not, in themselves, available separately.
The single line TTF fonts available with CamBam were separated at some time or another and although they are perhaps not for commercial use without license they do crop up on various sites with a download option. This is one such site http://www.mrrace.com/CamBam_Fonts/ (thanks to G.R.)

Tweakie.

354

Tangent Corner / Steganography.

« on: December 12, 2011, 11:32:22 AM »

I wonder if Mach3 version 4 will make secret little, identifiable, alterations to our work ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_steganography
http://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/

Tweakie.

355

Tangent Corner / An Optical Illusion.

« on: November 30, 2011, 07:56:45 AM »

Obviously the camera shutter plays an essential part in creating the illusion here but I found it interesting nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheManimation

Tweakie.

356

Tangent Corner / A Winter Project.

« on: October 15, 2011, 01:32:04 PM »

Hi Guys,

This is my next winter project - a 60 horsepower, single shaft, gas turbine engine with much historical ancestry and built by the Rover Car Company around 1967.
This is the same type of engine that was used in Rover’s “JET 1” gas turbine powered car which was road tested at the Silverstone race track in 1950. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/march/8/newsid_2516000/2516271.stm
There were many variants of this engine built and at the peak of it’s production Rover were reported to be making 2.5 units per week. 
This particular model was removed from a Vulcan Bomber where it was used as the electrical Auxiliary Power Unit and compressor for starting the main engines.
As you can see, it is in a sorry state at the moment and it is going to need a lot of TLC before I get a tune out of it – it will never fly but one day it will run again. I don’t think that the 208 Volts, 3 phase, 400 Hz will be of much use to me but the sound of that turbine will be well worth the effort.

(Please ignore all the toot in my shed, that’s what shed’s are for  )

Tweakie.

357

Tangent Corner / Drilling a Square Hole.

« on: October 07, 2011, 03:51:18 AM »

I came across this on another forum. Well worth watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqOe2In9ShQ&feature=player_embedded

Tweakie.

358

Tangent Corner / Interesting 2 ?

« on: August 04, 2011, 05:30:50 AM »

This looks like an easy way to interface an "add-on, high speed engraving spindle". (as featured in Digital Machinist)  http://www.logicnc.com/rcnc.html

Tweakie.

359

General Mach Discussion / Mach Screen Question.

« on: July 12, 2011, 08:26:48 AM »

I suppose I should know the answer to this but I don't. 

What is the significance of the green rectangle surrounding the Cycle Start button and why does it sometimes flash on / off during the last few lines of a program ?

Thanks,

Tweakie.

360

Tangent Corner / amazing.

« on: June 22, 2011, 06:37:19 AM »

I am not sure just how long this would last before wear got the better of it but I have never seen this method of driving an axis before.

Tweakie.