Messages

7781

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

« on: August 15, 2010, 12:48:13 PM »

Hi Sam,

I think the foot was done with Adobe Illustrator.

I really wish I could do everything in arcs. I think I asked this question before but how do I do it in arcs please ?

Tweakie.

7782

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: August 15, 2010, 12:35:54 PM »

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum.

You need to post your questions under the General Mach Discussion section as not all members check this section on a regular basis.
(the usual cause of these problems is the keyboard settings under the Regional Languages tab in Windows Control panel)

Tweakie.

7783

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Our 2440 x 1220mm CnC Router Builds

« on: August 15, 2010, 07:38:59 AM »

Excellent build Guys - you are going to have some fun with those bruisers 

Tweakie.

7784

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

« on: August 15, 2010, 04:06:18 AM »

Ooops, forgot to say thank you.

Thank you Sam. Your help and support is much appreciated.

Tweakie.

7785

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: August 15, 2010, 04:01:41 AM »

Hi Tony and Paul,

Welcome to the forum.
We all love pictures here so if you could post some pics of your machines etc perhaps under the 'Show n tell your Machines' section that would be really great.

Tweakie.

7786

General Mach Discussion / Re: Non-integrated Video Card with 32MB RAM

« on: August 15, 2010, 01:05:00 AM »

Glad you got it sorted Bob. 

Tweakie.

7787

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

« on: August 14, 2010, 01:53:07 PM »

Sam,

I don't know what to say - you are just awesome.

Tweakie.

7788

VB and the development of wizards / Re: What ready materials should I buy?

« on: August 14, 2010, 11:35:12 AM »

Hi Jim,

For a long time now I have worked on the principal that 'if you don't need to know it don't waste time learning it'. This has resulted in a 'hands on' approach of only learning stuff as I need it.
For what it's worth, my advice is, choose a project that you wish to achieve - jump in with both feet and write the VB, looking up what you need to know when you need to know it.
There are so many Mach specific routines that you won't find in any structured VB learning course which is why I recommend the practical experience approach. All the information on VB that you require is linked somewhere on this forum and if you can't find it just as the question and someone will point you in the right direction.

Sorry for rambling on a bit but I hope this helps.

Tweakie.

7789

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

« on: August 14, 2010, 09:54:04 AM »

Absolutely brilliant Sam.    just brilliant.

You have my full attention on this one - I have to know exactly how you did this - It is just about the best circle I have seen.

Don't suppose you could perform your magic on this foot or is that too much to ask ?.  

Tweakie.

7790

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

« on: August 14, 2010, 09:19:32 AM »

Dave,

That's exactly the way the parts come off my machine - there is no refinishing or flame polishing. (I have had a lot of practice now and if you look back a few posts you will see that some of my earlier attempts with acrylic were rubbish).

In a way this is the reason for my question regarding these striations.
Many (perhaps all, for all I know) of the commercial laser machines are operated via a 'machine manufacturers Printer Driver' with acts as the post processor from the design software, typically 'Corel Draw'. Now there is some doubts about the way in which these printer drivers handle arcs and the maximum resolution they will allow to pass through because, it seems, that those I am in contact with who have a GCC laser are unable to produce a curved surface in acrylic without the striations. I have carried out a lot of research on this now and it is perhaps obvious from what I have made that a dedicated cutting software, such as Mach, way out performs these Printer Drivers - at least as far as cutting acrylic is concerned.
I know how to cut stuff with the striations and I know how to cut stuff without the striations - what I didn't know, until now, is what caused the striations.
You have all been most helpful here and as a result I think there is probably no solution for the GCC owners as long as they continue to use a printer driver and unfortunately their machines would not support Mach without some modification. There is one US business who is offering a Mach compatible addition but it is still doubtful if it will offer any improvement on the resolution of arcs issue.

Waffled on a bit but hope this is of interest.

Tweakie.