Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / feedrate override and G00's

« on: June 29, 2008, 11:19:24 PM »

I was cutting some steel for the first time on my X3 yesterday and decided it could go a bit faster than my conservatively set feedrate so I used the feedrate override (to 160%) and immediately lost position on Z when it hit a G00 which means it was trying to move faster than the "tuned" speed. Is FRO supposed to keep the feedrate under the tuned speed?

22

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Chinese router Mach conversion

« on: June 19, 2008, 06:25:37 PM »

very nice looking work!!!

Steppers look kinda small, you might have to go larger.

I've already swapped the steppers on the X3 - those were just to get the thing moving while I waited for new motors to arrive. They  ran fine at 8 inches per minute
The new motors move X and Y at 80 inches per minute but I've slowed Y down to 40 so there's less chance of me jogging off the end of the  Y ballscrew (until I have limit switches installed).

23

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Chinese router Mach conversion

« on: June 19, 2008, 02:03:22 AM »

Also added a sieg super X3 with CNCfusion deluxe ballscrew kit to my growing collection of CNC machines.

http://www.b26354.co.nz/CNC/pictures/img_0036.html

Working on the electronics enclosure at the moment.

Oh... and I CNC'd a sieg C0 for fun - just to get a handle on CNC turning. This is what happens when you leave your micro-lathe lathe unattended for 20 minutes roughing a part from 2" diameter aluminium

http://www.b26354.co.nz/CNC/pictures/dsc_2278.html

My next project was going to be adding steppers mounts to an Emco compact 5 manual lathe but I just scored an "Emco compact 5 PC" lathe so I'll just swap the stock emco steppers for the ones I was going to use and it should be good to go.

24

General Mach Discussion / Re: Fried 2nd Computer (Newbie)

« on: June 10, 2008, 12:11:19 AM »

The probotix board shows step, dir, ground and enable connectors on each axis. Are you sure that's compatible with the kellig drivers which don't have a ground connection on the logic side? Last time you tried to plug in the BOB did you have the step/dir wires connected to the BOB? 

Do you need to connect the axis ground to both the DIR- and STEP- on the driver and the STEP from the BOB to the STEP+  and DIR from the BOB to DIR+? That's a question BTW not a suggestion...

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: Fried 2nd Computer (Newbie)

« on: June 06, 2008, 01:49:32 AM »

nevermind... looked at the wiring diagram and answered my own question...

26

General Mach Discussion / Re: separate spindle start and stop outputs?

« on: June 05, 2008, 04:44:54 AM »

awesome - thanks!

I put the extra VB script into m3.m1s and m5.m1s which seems to do the trick when running g-code.  Don't think I'll mess with M4 just yet. Is there's a way to hook into the on-screen spindle toggle button as well?

27

General Mach Discussion / separate spindle start and stop outputs?

« on: June 05, 2008, 01:21:41 AM »

As a temporary measure I want to connect relays across the spindle start and stop buttons of a Sieg super X3 mill (which I just put a cncfusion ballscrew kit on). There are other options for controlling the SX3 spindle but none as simple as patching 4 wires onto the front keypad which will get me up and running immediately.

This means a momentary output to start and a different momentary output to stop. Is there a simple way I can trigger a 0.2 second output on an M3 and a different 0.2 second output on M5?


 

28

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help!!!!!

« on: April 02, 2008, 04:11:14 AM »

leave "output arcs as linear motions" UNCHECKED then the circular part of the hole will be smooth - it's just the spiral lead-in that'll end up as line segments - but with CV on Mach will interpolate a smooth curve anyway.  VM wants to make a spiral move with an R3 with a Q, if you take the Q out you'll just get an arc (not a spiral) which is almost certainly not what VM wants the toolpath to look like.

I can edit the post for the Q if needed.

When I cut a circle I wont it to be smooth without the little flats,
so witch one do I leave unchecked?

29

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help!!!!!

« on: April 01, 2008, 11:19:02 PM »

I think you probably need to check "output spiral motions as linear segments" in the machining prefs if Mach can't interpret a G03 with a "Q" in it. It's already doing the helical part of the path as linear segments BTW. 

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help!!!!!

« on: April 01, 2008, 06:51:10 PM »

I think these are the problem

G03X3.2480Y1.0313I-0.1250J0.0000Q0.1250

it's that part of the path after the helical bit and before the circular cut - seems like it shouldn't look like a straight line. Any chance of a frame grab of the VM toolpath looking down at the hole?