Messages

1391

General Mach Discussion / Re: Beginner with trouble getting the machine to move.

« on: February 23, 2015, 02:44:59 PM »

I assume your using Mach3.
If you are using a USB port then you would also need to be using an external motion device.
Mach would need a plug in for the device.

RICH

1392

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lost Steps with backlash compensation

« on: February 22, 2015, 09:01:15 PM »

Could never find the file on backlash setting so put info in Members Doc's. Here is the link:

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,29149.0.html

RICH

1393

Members Docs / BACKLASH SETTING 50-50-50 RULE

« on: February 22, 2015, 08:58:49 PM »

My backlash suggestion "50-50-50" rule to consider is as follows:

50% - The max velocity is 50% of where your steppers will start to skip
50% - Set the shuttle Wheel setting in configuration to .0050  to .050 ( .5 too slow )
50% - Backlash speed
The last two settings have an affect on how the backlash is implemented.

---------------------------------------------------------
The Shuttle Wheel Accel is in seconds. How exactly is the" time" applied to the backlash "cycle"?
Well I don't really know.
 It's internal to Mach. By observing the difference in how the motor reacts to different settings
 you will see that it affects the overall time it takes for Mach to take up the backlash and at
 say a value of 5 you will find that over five seconds the handwheel / shaft will turn
 rather slowly. At 0.005 sec its almost instantaneous. In the real slow setting, and say you jog
 a distance of .1"  you will find there seems to be almost 3 distinct motor responses in the cycle,
 ....... a small rotation then deceleration...... then backlash taken up over a time...and then 
 accel and move to finish the distance.

So to get of flavor of it you need to start slow, observe, listen to see what is happening over an operating range.
Work your way up in settings.

NOTE:
Carefull with the backlash, with small diameter end mills you can break them in a heart beat. Rule of thumb is max depth
of cut  less than 1/2 dia of mill. BC worked fine for me for when  ihad to use it.
 

RICH

1394

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Tool Table tip radius/direction question.

« on: February 22, 2015, 08:34:20 PM »

Aways better to be able to remove some. Once cut you can't add material to the piece.

Hood,
Your the boss, owner, and operator so normal is whatever you want to do.
If one worked in some manufacturing place there would be some rules that one would need to abide by.

FWIW,

Have used the wear and it's easier than say creating another tool ( for whatever reason ).
I just use the tool table with the offsets mostly.

Also save the tool table to a file and keep a hard copy.  From the file I maintain a spread sheet of the tools.

Note about the X offset in my spread sheet:
- Decrease the X offset if the cut diameter is larger than wanted.
- Thread tool insert allowance is 0.0035 ....they all vary a llittle and none of the sharp pointed ones have a "0"   radius, SO,  set the tool off the stock by allowance or use wear offset to adjust. AND remember it's radii values.Ok dummy!
 ....the OK dummy remark is me / my reminder ( ..... just can't seem to remember what to do with them numbers
and get it backwards !)  

RICH

1395

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Tool Table tip radius/direction question.

« on: February 22, 2015, 05:53:08 PM »

others not so much

Just something to think about......
The tool offset can be +- .0002 but that is radius and add to that some X axis actual accuracy ( not resolution), some springing / tool and work,material being cut as compared to what was used to check the tool, a little backlash ( they all have it), spindle run out, they all add up,  and the total affect becomes noticeable on the part diameter, spindle. IE. do a 1-80 thread ....just a silly little and it is a junk thread.

RICH

1396

General Mach Discussion / Re: Three Questions from a Newbie - please help!!

« on: February 22, 2015, 05:36:42 PM »

Are you sure that the hot key for the X buttons are not being used  somewhere else?

Just a Thought,
RICH

1397

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Tool Table tip radius/direction question.

« on: February 22, 2015, 05:25:19 PM »

see how much of a difference there is.

With some hobby lathes and the way folks use them......probably not accurate enough to give a comparison.....!

I'll let you fool around Hood....let us know what you find.

RICH

1398

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe Tool Table tip radius/direction question.

« on: February 22, 2015, 05:21:17 PM »

I also have never used the direction or radius in the tool table. If you have a look in the lathe manual
it will show you the different tip directions used for compensation.

BUT, like you, I use precompensated code and unless there is some G41 or G42 ....guessing....and you have tip & radius in the tool table, don't think you need to worry about it. All my tools are based on the actual cutting edge.

BUT, some other controllers use a similar but different designation for the direction if my memory is correct.

Maybe someone who hand codes for the lathe can shed a little more light on how well the tool comp works.

BTW, fooling with / creating  a manual touch off of the tools in lathe and don't think we will even include any restrictions relative to the touch off surface.

FWIW,
RICH

1399

Tangent Corner / Re: Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

« on: February 21, 2015, 08:37:47 PM »

I'll bet Niagara is spectacular about now.

Russ,

I worked in Niagara Falls for about a year....lived at the Holiday Inn across from Goat Island.
It is nice in the winter, nobody is there, the lights just glimmer off the frozen falls and surrounding area.
The Molsen stays cold...!

Worth going there at least one time.

Me....never again!

RICH

1400

General Mach Discussion / Re: Convert to Mach3 from DeskCNC

« on: February 21, 2015, 04:09:34 PM »

I used DeskCNC a long time ago.

You will need to get new drives, and may as well get a power supply adequate for now and the future.
DeskCNC is not even a "JV"  team as compared to Mach. And at one time if you wanted info from the DeskCNC
forum they were asking for a fee of $60  to be a member. What B.S.!
DUMP DESKCNC / don't even fool with it!

My opinion and others may differ........AND....don't much care if Fred is listening in!

RICH