Messages

6251

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange motor speed on reversing....

« on: May 07, 2009, 10:41:30 PM »

I am sending you a personal message.
RICH

6252

General Mach Discussion / Re: Muti-start threading....

« on: May 07, 2009, 05:21:48 PM »

Daniel,
Check out a Machinst Handbook. Take a close look at the different forms.  Peak to Peak of the sharp thread crests
are defined as H=0.86603 x Pitch for Unified Screw Threads. If you take away some of the sharp crests ( top and bottom )  then the remaining depth of the thread is defined as 0.61343 x pitch or 17H /24 where H is as stated.     
RICH

6253

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems threading on the lathe

« on: May 07, 2009, 09:14:57 AM »

Hi Chip,
The problems here have been a challenge. First i found a ground loop in the controller which had an effect on using pins 10,11,12,13 as inputs.  All worked fine for the Two MPG's which used those pins, but no joy when using them
for timng or index. Once that was fixed, and i knew it was not a software, cable, connection, computer problem, then...................
Trying to get another index  setup using those pins. Well come to find out that all those junk box photsensors
are different, need to be wired differently, some were bad, but...... i can get then to trigger but not with a high enough voltage to change the pin state from high to low. Thus no rpm readout. Since the voltage for the photosensors comes from the power supply inside the controller via a connected cord I  end up screwing the MPG's up if it's greater than 5 volts ( actualy you can fry them!).
Sometimes you just can't win!
 Can't buy any sensors locally, maybe i will just use an external pulse generator ( if i can find it / stored away !) for the other index.
On the positive side i did find that ground loop which i never knew existed. It's been a trip! 

BTW, two computers, one controller, and none of the CNC machines are usable at the moment!.
I call all this a refresher course in setup! 
RICH

6254

General Mach Discussion / Re: Muti-start threading....

« on: May 07, 2009, 08:32:41 AM »

Daniel,
If you are using a sharp SHARP V tool, then DEPTH=.86603 X Pitch, assuming it's positioned
on the OD of the material. You also account for actual outside diameter and any tip radius of
the sharp v tool if setting to an outside turned diameter. There are tolerances on the major, minor and pitch diameter.  If not the, the pitch diameter may not be in tolerence post cutting.
If the threading tool is not ground to the correct angle, then thread form will not be correct.
 And good grief when you start looking at all the different standards.

The I determines how the thread will be cut, such that at 30 it would be radial infeed. As you change that
down ( i use 15 on the small lathe to get an even removal of material per pass which provides for a more consistant
spindle speed and cutting, when required) and then  you end up with a flank feed.The flank feed is based on a formula which shifts the z  based on pass depth of each individual cut to accomplish even removal of material.You can see effect by generating a G32 code.
 
RICH

6255

General Mach Discussion / Re: Strange motor speed on reversing....

« on: May 06, 2009, 01:06:16 AM »

thedude,
You have not worn out your welcome. I would have to carefully look at what you posted
and see if i could find the problem. Right now I'm  just caught up in a problem  myself
( at least your machine is running ).    Others will chime in.

RICH

6256

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Lazy Cam manual or tutorials

« on: May 06, 2009, 12:49:18 AM »

Rick,
Dolphin is a nice program and has a price to match even at the hobby level ( $400 per module? ). There are a lot of programs, not many for the lathe i might add, that are out there. You need to try some of them and see what strikes
your fancy / what you find easy to use. Problem is it takes time to try them. Learning different software gets old after a while.
As far as CAD goes, you won't go wrong learning AutoCad.
You need to create a DXF file for import into many programs. Some offer a drawing program  but frankly if you learn AutoCad you won't want to use a lot of the other drawing programs.

Lazycam expects to recieve a DXF and based on your imported drawing will generate the code.

Take your time and try different programs.

RICH

6257

General Mach Discussion / Re: Problems threading on the lathe

« on: May 05, 2009, 07:48:06 PM »

Still no joy #$%^&* rotten $#@%^& computers @@##$%^ programs !@#$#$^%^
dummy user !                 
RICH

6258

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Lazy Cam manual or tutorials

« on: May 05, 2009, 07:15:10 PM »

Rick,
Other than what has been posted in the Lazycam thread and some info on LazycamTurn in the Members Docs you will find nothing. Suggest you post in that thread and also read a lot of the posts since a lot of your questions will be answered. That's just the way it is.
RICH

6259

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / Re: Wizard for clockmakers.

« on: May 05, 2009, 08:59:48 AM »

I know this is not what you want to do, but here is a way.
Use the wheel program to get a pic of the finished displayed wheel.
Now invert the picture ( don't have to but it just looks better ).
 Print it out and use Copycat to generate the code. Do one or all the spokes ( a single quadrant with gcode and use a rotary table to index it ). Faster than you can draw it!
There are some image to gcode conversion programs out there.
This gets you away from CAD. 

BTW, you can use scale to what you want in MACH or scale the image before using COPYCAT.
RICH

MODIFIED: ADDED A PICTURE OF THE GCODE FROM ONE OF THOSE MAGIC WAND CONVERTING PROGRAMS.
               I could probably get the gcode for the  whole piece, but what do you want for a minutes work! 

6260

General Mach Discussion / Re: Xbox 360 controller plugin won't load . error says defective also says Mach4.

« on: May 05, 2009, 07:51:16 AM »

I assume that you have read the installation information as that gives some specific information. Other than that i don't know.  Send a personnal message to LEED3. Lee may not be monitoring this thread as there is
a thread or two devoted to the XBOX. 
RICH