Messages

8041

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

« on: April 10, 2010, 12:05:46 PM »

Welcome to the forum Chuck.

Lots of extremely clever and friendly guys here only too willing to help you with any CNC or machine problems you may encounter. If your VB script works then it is excellent, it doesn't have to be the most elegant as long as it works.
I look forward to learning from your experience so please post info on what you achieve and what you make. That pallet making CNC sounds interesting.

Tweakie.

8042

General Mach Discussion / Re: Torch tip is lowered before it gets to starting point

« on: April 09, 2010, 12:13:02 PM »

You could try setting the 'Safe Z' from the config menu. Then it will raise the Z Axis before moving home.

Tweakie.

8043

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232

« on: April 08, 2010, 12:12:07 PM »

Hi Hood,

I'm sure you are absolutely right, far safer to load from the current machine's hard drive.

However, a lot of new ideas have come out of someone finding a reliable way of doing something that is perhaps not good practice to do.

My problem here is that I had first said it is not possible to do but after further thought realize that I was perhaps wrong so am trying to squirm my way out of a tight corner.

Tweakie.

8044

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232

« on: April 08, 2010, 11:50:28 AM »

Second update.

There is an old saying "ensure brain is engaged before operating mouth" this I can never remember to do so why make one posting when three will do. 

Whilst there is not an inbuilt function within Mach to read files via serial data links it is not, I think an impossible task. In the VB and development of wizards section and also in other sections various contributors have shown that it is possible to open a dialog box and read in files within a macro. It is only another step (large step perhaps) to read the file from another computer on the same network. I don't have the spare time to look into this further but if you are curious enough to do the research you may just find a way to achieve this.

Tweakie.

8045

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232

« on: April 08, 2010, 11:03:57 AM »

Update.

As Hood has said you cannot transfer the data straight into Mach. It has to be transferred as a file then loaded into Mach.

Tweakie.

8046

General Mach Discussion / Re: RS232

« on: April 08, 2010, 11:01:30 AM »

Simple answer is yes you can transfer any data provided both computers are equipped with serial ports and you use a crossover data cable.

However, from experience, I have found it a whole lot easier to use a USB dongle/memory stick to transfer files from one computer to another.

Tweakie.

8047

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 putting in offsets? HELP!

« on: April 08, 2010, 07:08:41 AM »

OK. An alternative approach:-

Write the code for your letter 'T' once only and set the Z depth to the maximum you require.
Then use the Mach Wizard 'Multi Pass', setting your incremental depth to create the toolpath for the numerous passes.

Tweakie.

8048

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 putting in offsets? HELP!

« on: April 08, 2010, 02:57:09 AM »

It's an interesting shaped toolpath you have created there - Not sure it could ever be made using a 3 Axis machine (because of the undercut) but interesting none the less.

Tweakie.

8049

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: New Project for the shop.

« on: April 08, 2010, 02:35:02 AM »

Echo, echo, glad to see you back Dave.

Nice Machine. Did you have to modify the energy chain for the Y Axis to get that bend in the opposite direction ?.

Tweakie.

8050

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Converting Units of Measurement.

« on: April 08, 2010, 02:26:00 AM »

Thanks Sam, I like 100% free. 

My laptop runs Vista so I will add it to the sidebar gizmo's.

Also a big thanks to the Secret Squirrel.

Hey, how's that new mill of yours coming along ?.

Tweakie.