Messages

7461

General Mach Discussion / Re: What is your trade?

« on: March 03, 2009, 07:29:53 AM »

Hi Rich,

You really should not have told anyone, especially Sam, about the 'Pecker' nickname - I think you know just know what's going to happen now.

Tweakie.

btw. I'm just a boring old electronics engineer - nothing special ever happens in electronics.

7462

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: My homemade cnc router

« on: March 02, 2009, 07:31:17 AM »

Brilliant work there Brian. Incidentally my friends just look at me and smile if I mention CNC - They think I am nuts, perhaps they are right.

Tweakie.

(Your workshop looks about as tidy as mine does).

7463

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Wizards--Circular Pocket" setting

« on: March 02, 2009, 03:17:52 AM »

Hi Richard,

For me the best thing about CNC is the learning experience so I recommend that you try various combinations to find what is best for your machine and material you are using.

To start, try using a piece of MDF (beaverpuke) this is soft enough to tolerate high feed rates (or mistakes) without damaging the cutting tool. As for a starting place you could try the following:-

X centre 0
Y centre 0
Pocket Dia +20
% Stepover 25
Feedrate +100
Rapid height +1
Feed Plunge +2
Depth +10
Ramp dist +2
Tool dia +4
Step depth +2
Units mm

All the best,

Tweakie.

7464

General Mach Discussion / Re: "Wizards--Circular Pocket" setting

« on: March 01, 2009, 03:53:06 AM »

Just one thing that I found with the pocket wizard - If you are milling deep pockets (say 15mm deep with 2mm pecks) it saves a considerable amount of time if you edit the wizard produced GCode to remove the unnecessary +Z moves in between each of the step depth increments. This is not difficult to do and as I said it does save a considerable amount of machine time.

Tweakie.

7465

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: This program will not run on Mach3

« on: February 28, 2009, 12:28:42 PM »

Hi Brian,

I don't know if you are cutting the part or engraving/drawing it. Assuming the profile was to be engraved I have converted your dxf to GCode (using Vistool 6) and the file is attached for you to look at.

Tweakie.

7466

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: This program will not run on Mach3

« on: February 28, 2009, 07:54:02 AM »

Hi Brian,

Click on 'Additional Options' then see 'Attach' use the 'Browse' to select the file (note only certain file types are allowed) then post.

Tweakie.

7467

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: This program will not run on Mach3

« on: February 28, 2009, 02:47:01 AM »

You have not succeeded in attaching the code Brian.

Tweakie.

7468

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Building a 4th Axis from scratch.

« on: February 27, 2009, 03:17:26 AM »

Hi Vince,

I took a few photo's during making some of the parts and I will try to document the construction of the project on my website.

Tweakie.

7469

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Building a 4th Axis from scratch.

« on: February 27, 2009, 03:00:33 AM »

Hi RC,

This is difficult to describe but as the 4 main parts of the case are not directly fixed to each other (they are keyed vertically) the small end plates can be moved vertically (and shims inserted) to increase the mesh of the gears to eliminate any backlash. The front and back plates are then clamped together by the 4 screws, trapping the end plates in position. The top and base plates trap the shims and make the whole assembly rigid. The stepper position will also be adjustable.

I am certain that initially there will be some degree of wear between the gears as they 'bed-in' so adjustment for backlash is essential.

Tweakie.

7470

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Building a 4th Axis from scratch.

« on: February 26, 2009, 10:13:01 AM »

As a winter project i have slowly been building a 4th Axis. I did seriously think about making a scroll chuck but decided on buying a Sherline 3 jaw for the project. All the other parts (excluding the flex coupling) have been made from stock, some parts CNC'd others made on a lathe or mill.
There is still a lot of work to do but I thought I could post some pictures of the progress so far.