Messages

211

General Mach Discussion / Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?

« on: December 06, 2006, 09:34:46 AM »

The web camera is a Micro Innovations model IC435C,  It is available at a lot of the big computer stores,  I got mine at a CompUSA.

I just got lucky with picking this camera to modify,  the construction of the housing is perfect for mounting it to a shaft and you can get incredibly close to the object with its focus range.

The only modification is opening it up and drilling a small hole in the back to mount it to your shaft,  and one other thing I did was to cut off about 3/16 of the lens hood, this is to allow you to get closer to your stock or what ever you are focusing on. 

Interesting thing after I had mine mounted and checking it out,  I was out on Ebay and found a guy who is selling the exact same camera on a shaft with a little flexible arm led lamp, for $159.

212

General Mach Discussion / Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?

« on: December 05, 2006, 11:43:45 AM »

This is what I am using, it is a $19 usb camera,  it will focus up to 1/8" from your target ( maybe even closer, I haven't tried closer because it blocks out all the light the closer you get).  I mounted it on a shaft with three adjustment screws.   All you do is chuck it up in your spindle lower down to your target and get it focused.  Then first time you need to center it, do this by adjusting the three screws so
that when you rotate the spindle 360 deg by hand, the crosshairs stay in the exact same position.  When that is done you have a mighty fine optical positioning device.  I attached a picture of the camera, note the adjusting screws.  Also is a screen shot of the actual video window,  it is focused on a metal ruler, mm scale,  the lines are 25.4 mils apart. 

213

VB and the development of wizards / New Turn Wizard work in progress (use with care) Parabolic Curve

« on: December 01, 2006, 04:46:18 PM »

I just finished the first draft of my new turn wizard for doing a parabola.  Check it out, refine it, whatever.  Post a picture if you
actually cut something with it other than your fingers.   If there are some math guru's out there it needs a lot of work. 

214

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: My number controls miller

« on: November 30, 2006, 02:21:53 PM »

Looks very good,  what are you going to make next?

215

General Mach Discussion / Re: modbus for encoder input?

« on: November 27, 2006, 09:32:58 AM »

Thanks for the detailed reply, looks like I have another project.

216

VB and the development of wizards / Re: turning an ellipse wizard needed

« on: November 09, 2006, 02:49:25 PM »

I was afraid it would be complex, I just don't have enough trig knowledge to know where to even begin.   I really didn't have any dimensions in mind yet.  The different things I would like to make (of course you guessed it the bishop) along with a host of other uses, 
airplane prop spinners, candlesticks that kind of stuff.   If you have some ideas on the basics, tell me more about the fixed ratio curve.  I will search the internet for something to read on it. 

I am looking at fairly small diameters 2" to 1" , and fairly short lengths 2" and less.

Arn

217

VB and the development of wizards / turning an ellipse wizard needed

« on: November 09, 2006, 11:11:55 AM »

Anyone got an idea on how to make a wizard for turning an ellipse? 

218

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Newbie Help how to Import DXF direcly to Mach3 2.0 without Lcam ?

« on: November 03, 2006, 09:57:16 AM »

If you have used the older versions and have been upgrading you might still have mach3filter.exe, that is the old importer.   I think you can just run it while mach3 is running and it will still work.

219

General Mach Discussion / modbus for encoder input?

« on: November 02, 2006, 10:48:42 AM »

Can encoder inputs be use through a modbus input.  I am guessing this won't work because of the speed? 

I have a automation direct plc dl06 I think is the model number and would like to take advantage of all the io.  I am planning on using some outputs for flood coolant, spindle start, dust collector start and whatever else I can think of but would really like to add encoders.

Anyone with any experience on this?

Arn

220

VB and the development of wizards / Re: some new extra turn wizards

« on: October 25, 2006, 03:37:39 PM »

I just replaced the wizard above with an updated one.   (deleted the old one and put the new one on)

You will want to download the new one and get rid of the old one.

I had some trig errors that made the cut depth too shallow.
I changed the initial approach to go out on the x before moving the z.
Changed the rapids back to setup for the next cut.
Added missing feed.
Fixed error when Z start was neg number.

Let me know if they work ok.