Messages

6801

FAQs / Re: new computer

« on: March 12, 2011, 06:36:56 AM »

Dan,

The bad news is that you may never have it running from your laptop without using a separate motion controller such as the Smooth Stepper. I have no idea what your parallel to USB wire is capable of (driving a printer perhaps) but it is highly unlikely it would be suitable for Mach3 use.

Your best option IMHO is to obtain an old PC with a parallel port as a CNC dedicated computer and use that.

Tweakie.

6802

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

« on: March 12, 2011, 02:15:02 AM »

Brilliant Steve, I can just imagine the noise that would make. 

(I still have a couple of those little cox engines).

Tweakie.

6803

General Mach Discussion / Re: Loosing steps when milling slowly

« on: March 11, 2011, 05:36:41 AM »

What make and model driver board are you using for your steppers ?

Tweakie.

6804

General Mach Discussion / Re: Troubleshooting Limits

« on: March 11, 2011, 04:50:50 AM »

Got the makings of an 8 x 4 woodworking router table there Hood, any going spare ?   

Tweakie.

btw. looks like man and dog will be working inside for a bit, heavy snow forecast for tonight.

6805

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

« on: March 11, 2011, 01:42:23 AM »

Steve,

Really great work.

Is that a 10 cylinder, 2 stroke rotary engine I see in your in tray ?

Tweakie.

6806

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

« on: March 10, 2011, 12:26:49 PM »

As long as you make a better job of it than I have done it will be just fine I am sure.
When do you get your Zing, have you got a date yet ?

Tweakie.

6807

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

« on: March 10, 2011, 10:40:48 AM »

Not perfect but an interesting exercise nonetheless.
This may have been a little over ambitious, it certainly took a while fitting in all the little parts (which I carefully kept in order) but it did prove to me that the Mach Engraving/Laser plugin and LazyCam can, together, produce reasonably acceptable results.
I have no doubts that it would have been easier and perhaps quicker to use VCP and perhaps the results may have been a little better but I just had to try using the software which already comes with Mach3 at no additional cost.
I think I may have had my fill of inlays.  

Tweakie.

6808

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 manual says there is a DXF import feature but?????

« on: March 10, 2011, 10:15:34 AM »

Obviously the manual is not up to date with the latest version of Mach.
The direct .dfx import was removed from the menu long ago in favour of LazyCam which does the same job only better and with more options. I think that it was then envisaged that LazyCam would continue to be developed though.

Tweakie.

6809

General Mach Discussion / Re: X Y problem

« on: March 10, 2011, 04:40:38 AM »

Ray,

You may also try reducing the feedrate a little as well.

(I cut a lot of sign vinyl and if the feedrate is set too high I get rounded corners too  )

Tweakie.

6810

General Mach Discussion / Re: CAM recommendation, other than CamBam

« on: March 10, 2011, 04:14:31 AM »

The VCP textures are nice and extremely easy to set-up but nowhere as deep as the earlier picture.

Tweakie.