Messages

3671

FAQs / Re: Pulsing too fast

« on: April 09, 2011, 04:59:07 PM »

Something is interfering with Mach. Think of it this way, Mach and Windows shares time and if something interfers with Mach your on the short end of it all.
Maybe someone else will chime in and can give you something more specific.
RICH

3672

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Bobcad-Turn and "Crop Circles"

« on: April 09, 2011, 04:49:36 PM »

There may be a setting in Bobcad or it's post processor but I am not familar with Bobcad.
RICH

3673

FAQs / Re: Pulsing too fast

« on: April 09, 2011, 07:55:26 AM »

but when ever I do anything with the computer ie move mouse so screen saver turns off the machine jumps and looses its place.  Now that is a problem.

Turn the screen saver off and dedicate the machine to machining. Don't use it for the internet.
RICH

3674

Third party software and hardware support forums. / Re: Bobcad-Turn and "Crop Circles"

« on: April 08, 2011, 04:50:00 PM »

GO TO :
CONFIG>PORTS & PINS>TURN OPTIONS and tick or un tick reversed arcs in front tool post box

RICH

3675

General Mach Discussion / Re: Outline and pocketing

« on: April 05, 2011, 04:56:50 PM »

Post the dxf file.
Also define how deep and what size end mill you will be using.
If using Lazycam then you need a Pro license to do offsets.

RICH

3676

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Gertrude Gets Some!

« on: April 04, 2011, 08:51:40 PM »

So you made a bracelet instead?

No defeat.....you just need to think about it a little more.
Heck, all the guys in here wanted to buy one for their better halfs , that comes to an order for about 10,000 of them.   
$100 profit each to you x 10,000 units = $1,000,000 

RICH

3677

General Mach Discussion / Re: copycat, cutting an arc in the xz plane

« on: April 04, 2011, 08:35:57 PM »

Lee wrote a plug in for using Microsofts X360 controller. You can use computer keys to move around but it is so much easier to follow a profile with the
handheld controller. It can be set up a number of different ways, thus you can go fast or just creap along sort of like an MPG to or from a viewed point.
I only use it for copying things, which is not to often, but works just great for the intended purpose. Have a look in the manual and you will find how i increased the magnification when using a $19 webcam from Radio Shack. I wanted a fairly good manification of the part along with a reasonable working distance from the piece.
BTW, you want a webcam which has a manual  adjustable focus.

RICH

3678

General Mach Discussion / Re: copycat, cutting an arc in the xz plane

« on: April 04, 2011, 05:17:28 PM »

Mike,
There are some basic differences. The ZX ( G18 ) defines a different plane of reference for the arc motion as to what is cw or ccw ( GO2 / G033 ) and uses IK instead of IJ. So to get the arc motion correct the G18 plane is called out in the code, and if not,  ie; I& J are used in G17 you will get an error. Now something you may want to try is just use the Y axis instead of the Z axis ( swap cables ) or for that matter manipulate the produced Gcode.

BTW, Your the first person to post something on CopyCat in a long time. If you have a camera and an XBox  you can do some neat stuff for tracing out patterns and generating gcode for them. Now I know there is more than one user........

Have fun,
RICH

3679

General Mach Discussion / Re: copycat, cutting an arc in the xz plane

« on: April 04, 2011, 12:05:57 PM »

Mike,
There is a manual for Copycat in MEMBERS DOC's.
No other information exists other than what is in the manual.
If it's not in there, well, i guess......your on your own.

BTW, You need a NFS license to post code from it if I remember correctly.
RICH

3680

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cambam / gMax

« on: April 02, 2011, 07:36:28 PM »

Cambam has a lot to offer for the money and just today i was looking at it since it's developing  Lathe capability.
For 3d stuff i am using AutoCad to create STL files and then using MeshCam to generate the code.

Every "free" program i have tried is always limited in some manner and after a while it becomes a PITA trying out different software.
That said i guess it depends what your used to. But if you have no CAD then one needs to explore for a program that makes up for it.

Of course cost enters into software and as the saying goes.........YOU CAN HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT FROM THE SELF BUT ONCE YOU SELECT THE ITEM YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!

RICH