Messages

5591

FAQs / Re: Problem with setting up mach3

« on: January 04, 2012, 11:41:44 AM »

In the Mach folder copy and save your .xml file for the profile you are using (mine is called ‘Mach3Mill.xml’) this has all your settings. Also copy and save ‘Mach1Lic.dat’ this is your license file. If you are using a special screen or have screen buttons programmed with your own macros then also save the .set file (mine is called ‘1024.set’).

These files should always be saved as a backup just in case.

Download the latest lockdown version from the appropriate page here and run setup over the top of the existing installation - see if that improves things and if necessary copy and paste the files saved above into your new Mach folder.

I think I have covered everything (long while since I did this).

Tweakie.

5592

FAQs / Re: Problem with setting up mach3

« on: January 04, 2012, 02:50:14 AM »

The numbered arrow keys behave differently if Num Lock is selected but other than that only certain keys are affected by the keyboard regional settings features within Windows.

Both port address you have given load and stay OK here - Check in device manager for device address conflicts.

Tweakie.

5593

FAQs / Re: Problem with setting up mach3

« on: January 03, 2012, 11:46:30 AM »

What are your actual port addresses ??
What addresses does Mach revert to ??

Tweakie.

5594

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Custom Wood Carvings

« on: January 02, 2012, 12:55:51 PM »

Very nice work indeed.

Tweakie.

5595

Tangent Corner / Re: There is Nothing like being prepared.

« on: January 02, 2012, 06:27:51 AM »

Now you need to grow some more arms with hands to use all of that. 

Interesting that there seems to be two of each pistol so the guy is at least ambidextrous. 

Tweakie.

5596

General Mach Discussion / Re: Using Oscilloscope with Mach3

« on: January 02, 2012, 03:48:28 AM »

Thanks for the responses.

Don't need another "pretty" boat anchor around.

 

Sounds like a wise choice to me. 

Tweakie.

5597

Tangent Corner / There is Nothing like being prepared.

« on: January 01, 2012, 11:19:20 AM »

Perhaps a bigger cupboard is required later this year ??

Tweakie.

5598

General Mach Discussion / Re: Using Oscilloscope with Mach3

« on: January 01, 2012, 03:09:38 AM »

Hi Vogavt,

I understand your thinking but it can be much more involved than just connecting up the probes.

The O'Scope screen displays a graph with (usually) Voltage on the Y Axis and Time on the X Axis but interpretation or understanding of that graph can  take a lot of experience. To many the display is very pretty but totally meaningless.

I don't wish to appear disrespectful but I suggest you start at the beginning and research o'scope techniques which could be a vast subject and certainly beyond the scope of this forum.
This may be a good place to start http://www.doctronics.co.uk/scope.htm but there are many other tutorials available.

Tweakie.

5599

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Spindle water cooling system 2.2KW

« on: December 31, 2011, 12:34:20 PM »

I don't think you will have any problems at 220 Volts whether the water is marginally conductive or not.

I use a similar 3 fan radiator, circulating pump, flow sensor, silicone tubing etc. with distilled water and 30% antifreeze for cooling my laser tube which runs at 16,000 Volts. There are no problems (but I would not want to stick my finger, or anything else, into the water when it is running). 

Tweakie.

5600

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

« on: December 31, 2011, 09:05:29 AM »

Perhaps going a bit off topic but this halftone image was produced with the electromagnet although it could equally have been done with the laser by using the same GCode and for anyone old enough to remember them, the process sounds exactly like the old ASR33 Teletype’s although just slightly faster.

The GCode was produced with ‘DotG’ (http://dotg.weebly.com/index.html) and the image pre-processed with ‘Infanview’ (http://www.irfanview.com/) and the ‘Ximagic Gray Dither plugin’ (http://www.ximagic.com/) – All of these being free to download and use programs.

Like all halftones you need to be some distance from the image to get the best effect and the end result, shown here, is far from being perfect. It does, however, look exactly like the image shown in Infanview so now I have to experiment with different settings and gain some practical experience to produce an image and a group of settings that I am satisfied with. The final object of this exercise being an acrylic, edge lit display which contains a photographic image as well as text.

So far so good. 

Tweakie.