Messages

5381

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Axis height limit.

« on: October 09, 2012, 07:04:59 AM »

Hi Paul,

Look at your 'Safe Z' setting within Mach3. 

Tweakie.

5382

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: October 09, 2012, 07:00:10 AM »

Thanks for the info Brett, it is most helpful.

Overall the Obechi seems to give me the best results with, contrast ratio, so far but I still have a few more different woods here to try.

Tweakie.

5383

Tangent Corner / Re: Boo Boo !

« on: October 09, 2012, 06:31:48 AM »

Hi Ostie,

I used to love cars when I drove my Father’s estate but once I got my own and had to start paying for the fuel and tyres my interest soon faded. 

Tweakie.

5384

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z Axis height limit.

« on: October 09, 2012, 03:48:19 AM »

Hi Paul,

In Vectric, select 'material setup' from the toolpath window then set clearance (Z1) to the 10mm you require.

Tweakie.

5385

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Some Lithophanes...

« on: October 09, 2012, 01:35:27 AM »

As always, excellent work Arbo.

Tweakie.

5386

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting up Problem

« on: October 08, 2012, 10:10:18 AM »

Download and run Parmon http://www.geekhideout.com/parmon.shtml

This will test if your parallel port is operating correctly.

Tweakie.

5387

Tangent Corner / Boo Boo !

« on: October 08, 2012, 07:37:42 AM »

I read this the other day and I still can't stop chuckling.

Mazak Renishaw.
Been working a lot on a Okuma mx45, where you have to turn a key on the handwheel to go from the handwheel to rapid motion, then had a job over on a Mazak vtc..... That key on the handwheel did not have anything to to with rapid motion, it realeased the tool... It dropped the renishaw! Lucky for me it was only the probe that broke!

Tweakie.

5388

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting up Problem

« on: October 08, 2012, 07:28:16 AM »

That whittles it down a bit then - some possibilities are…

A bad installation of Mach3
A damaged parallel port or LPT cable.
Incorrect configuration of the Ports and Pins within Mach3.

Are you using Win XP ??

Tweakie.

5389

General Mach Discussion / Re: Setting up Problem

« on: October 08, 2012, 05:18:03 AM »

If your meter is connected between the correct X Axis 'direction' pin (whatever it is) and computer GND then the voltage should change between your 4.3V and 0V (approx.) when you move the X Axis in opposite directions. This should occur irrespective of anything else connected.

So try closing Mach3, disconnecting the CNC machine from the PC then restart Mach3, check your ports & pins configuration again and measure the voltage on your X Axis direction pin at your LPT cable. Does it now change voltage level when you jog the X Axis ??

Tweakie.

5390

Mach SDK plugin questions and answers. / Re: Impact engraving plugin

« on: October 08, 2012, 04:58:03 AM »

Hi Pasquale,

I don’t know if this will be of any help to you but I recently made a small change to the Engraving.dll to add an option (primarily for my laser use) to alter the formulae by which the pixel dot density is calculated. This may be of benefit with your slower axis speed.

Details of this change and the latest .dll are here. http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12444.msg157668.html#msg157668

Tweakie.