Messages

6301

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc for milling out a circuit board

« on: April 30, 2011, 01:30:49 AM »

I see your problem now.

The ball bit is really not the best tool, an engraving bit with a small flat on the bottom is what you should be using. Although it would be possible to redo the toolpath with a smaller stepover, the GCode would take forever to complete and would probably still leave some copper where it is not required.

My best suggestion is that you obtain some engraving points similar to these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5x-Carbide-PCB-Engraving-Bits-CNC-Router-Tool-30D-0-2mm-/260776680711?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3cb7805d07#ht_2420wt_1139 they cost very little and will make a good job.

Tweakie.

6302

General Mach Discussion / Re: Pulse engine noise

« on: April 29, 2011, 04:01:08 AM »

If you have onboard graphics this can cause problems. Some have disabled the onboard graphics in BIOS when they have fitted a PCI type graphics card.

Tweakie.

6303

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc for milling out a circuit board

« on: April 29, 2011, 03:37:08 AM »

I don't understand the problem.
I usually use the surface of the work as Z=0 so I would edit your GCode to replace the Z0.0000 to be Z-0.007 or something like that.

What is the problem you are having ?

Tweakie.

6304

General Mach Discussion / Re: Is the motor diameter more important than voltage?

« on: April 29, 2011, 03:24:48 AM »

In my opinion that is only a rule of thumb rather than a fact (rare earth magnets made big differences to motor performance in recent years). However, if you consider leverage then a larger diameter armature will produce more torque for a given current (bit like using a longer spanner when tightening a nut) and therefore should be more powerful.

Just my 2 cents.

Tweakie.

6305

General Mach Discussion / Re: STEP MOTORS CONEXTION

« on: April 29, 2011, 02:26:29 AM »

E,

One of the problems that is being seen more and more often now is that older breakout boards / controllers require the full 5 volt TTL logic signals and modern computers / parallel ports output the 3.3 volt TTL standard.
May be an idea to check your parallel port with a multimeter (negative probe to GND [pins 18 to 25] and positive probe to any direction pin then jogging that axis the meter should read approx 5 volts in one direction and approx 0 volts in the other.

Tweakie.

6306

General Mach Discussion / Re: Text in an arc

« on: April 28, 2011, 11:45:46 AM »

Try this http://www.ncplot.com/stickfont/stickfont.htm

Tweakie.

6307

General Mach Discussion / Re: halfmoon instead of circle

« on: April 28, 2011, 08:58:10 AM »

Just looking at your photo's again - that LPT cable looks very small diameter so must be very small wires, try another cable and make sure that the shield / 25 way connector outer metal part does not connect to your machine ground. (this cable screen is connected to earth at the PC end)

Tweakie.

6308

General Mach Discussion / Re: halfmoon instead of circle

« on: April 28, 2011, 08:51:51 AM »

May be an idea at this stage to just try another PC, just in case it is your PC which is at fault.

Tweakie.

6309

General Mach Discussion / Re: circular interpolation not showing on arc cutting surface

« on: April 28, 2011, 06:56:36 AM »

Sorry but I have never seen another one of these.

(It is 240 volt 3 phase, has internal shaft brushes to connect rotor to frame (perhaps ceramic bearings) used to have a magnetic shaft brake on the top where I have now fitted a cooling fan and had a high ratio planetary gearbox on the front. It is German made and came from a large format printer transport mechanism - it was perhaps used as a servo motor ?).

Tweakie.

6310

Share Your GCode / Re: Hiking trail symbol g-code needed

« on: April 28, 2011, 02:13:42 AM »

Looks like Jeff beat me to it. 

Tweakie.