Messages

5251

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach + Meteor

« on: February 13, 2013, 02:47:14 AM »

Hi Greg,

Welcome to the forum.

Just my opinion…

Mach3 will drive your machine and Probotix give the setup details on their website but you must bear in mind that their preferred software relates to the CNC USB Motion Controller and not Mach3.

In general it would be better practice to completely compile your GCode before sending it to the machine as this will avoid any possible starts and stops in the resulting tool-path which could lead to poor edge / surface quality.

If I understand your thoughts correctly, I think you would be pioneering an un-tried method of Mach3 control which may or may not work as intended so you would have to expect a lot of ‘trial and error’ and maybe it would just not be worth the effort.

However, If we all gave up at the first hurdle there would be little innovation or invention so I think you should give it a try.

Tweakie.

5252

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Mach3 adding extra loops in a string of arcs

« on: February 13, 2013, 01:38:26 AM »

Hi Deano,

I understand now. 
What you are seeing is just the tool-path display based on the available screen resolution.

In practice the machine will follow a much smoother path when your code is run.

Tweakie.

5253

Mach Screens / Re: Half the DRO

« on: February 12, 2013, 12:44:56 PM »

Hi Kenneth,

Welcome to the forum.
You haven't done anything wrong, it is just that your posting has for some reason gone un-noticed, my apologies.

I have read your post a couple of times and I am still unsure what you are asking.

You could add a button to a Mach screen (as long as the screen .set is not protected) which could read a DRO value, half it, then write the new value but I don’t think you could do this within a wizard (although I stand to be corrected). The function would, of course only happen each time the button is pressed.

Tweakie.

5254

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Mach3 adding extra loops in a string of arcs

« on: February 12, 2013, 11:52:52 AM »

Hi Deano,

I am a bit mystified - in your Mach3screenshot.doc where are the 'hooks and loops' which you are referring to please ?

Tweakie.

5255

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: No plugin folder

« on: February 12, 2013, 08:45:49 AM »

Hi Cpsigns,

Welcome to the forum.

I have never used R1.83.005, that is going back a while, but you could try creating the Plugins folder (within the Mach folder) then copy the plugin there and see if it works, but I think it is unlikely.

Failing that download and install a later version of Mach3 http://www.machsupport.com/downloads.php
It should install in a new Mach3 folder but be sure to save your existing Mach folder (and contents) to a safe place so that any required information (.xml, lic.dat, .set etc.) can be retrieved as necessary.

Tweakie.

5256

General Mach Discussion / Re: losing steps on Z. Yes another thread about this. how to troubleshoot

« on: February 12, 2013, 02:02:09 AM »

Hi Jonny,

Just my opinion…

Anything that reduces electrical noise and produces cleaner signals has to be good.

As you only seem to be having problems on the Z retract I would suggest that you reduce the Velocity and Acceleration on this axis until you find a 100% reliable setting.
(Just as an example my 100% reliable X and Y rapids are 4500mm/min @ 450mm/sec/sec whereas my Z rapids are only 1000mm/min @ 100mm/sec/sec – quite a large difference 1 : 4.5).

I don’t think you should ever assume that the issue is not of a mechanical nature, always consider all possibilities. 

Tweakie.

5257

General Mach Discussion / Re: Trigger macros broken?

« on: February 11, 2013, 12:23:36 PM »

    You made me Google Sisyphus.

If Brett had told who he was, then I would not have had to Google it as well 

Tweakie.

5258

Works in progress / Re: "Vintage" Screen Set

« on: February 11, 2013, 11:27:43 AM »

Excellent work - I love the 'vintage' theme. 

Tweakie.

5259

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Mirror Lasering With Shades

« on: February 11, 2013, 10:59:00 AM »

Brilliant work indeed. 

Tweakie.

5260

Building or Buying a Wood routing table.. Beginnners guide.. / Re: machine zero

« on: February 11, 2013, 07:29:50 AM »

Hi Jonboy,

Although I do have limit switches fitted to my machine I never use any homing routines.

Basically each job is set up individually and for repetitive work a jig is used so that each blank is placed in the same position on the work table and just the first one in the series has to be zeroed.

This is just a suggestion, but if it is of any help to you this is the method I use http://www.cooperman.talktalk.net/files/17.htm. It would not suit everybody but it works for me.

Tweakie.