Messages

6931

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: November 08, 2008, 08:35:00 PM »

Hope you don't mind Chip, but wanted to see if it was my computer or something stupid i was doing.
I shrunk your file down( about four different sizes) and flipped it and could generate any cuts i wanted. Here is just one example.
RICH

6932

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z AXIS KNEE

« on: November 08, 2008, 07:56:53 PM »

Interesting thread.
 I considered driving the knee on my Atlas but chose the quill.
This is a 38 year old machine converted to CNC. Like echoed before, one of the pains of driving the quill
is mounting everything to head and the backlash must be dealt with. I used the sensitive feed adjustment
which happened to be activated by pulling out the handle thus i still have manual control if desired.
The knee like the x & y has a digital readout so setting position manually is rather easy if required.
But that's my nickle,
RICH
 

6933

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sherline Mill and MACH3

« on: November 08, 2008, 07:16:12 PM »

Once your up and running you may want to do a search about PCB  board routing as there have been a few recent posts about it from users.
RICH

6934

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: November 08, 2008, 11:59:48 AM »

Hi All,
A few comments after doing some additional tests.
- suggest restarting  your computer post installation of the update

I was getting a lot of openGL errors on "small parts" but as the parts were increased in size the errors went away.
I still can't get the full part to import. Seems like it's clipping it off were a curve meets a line. The points in CAD
are the same to "four places" in the cads tolerence info and the files work in other programs ( will check them out to 6 places and post the enlarged file later ). BTW usiing inches and radius.
 Had to fool with the button tool and cuts, equivilant to what happens in lazycam to get rough cuts , but, will forget about that as i believe this is just about testing for DXG import capability.

Will try to do some more testing in a more disciplined way.

MODIFIED: Added attached DXF file for the three balls. Note that this files is an  Ver 12 dxf and all points connect within 6 decimal places.

RICH

6935

General Mach Discussion / Re: Static causing positioning problems?

« on: November 07, 2008, 07:57:56 PM »

Just because the vacuum cleaner is on a different circuit dosen't mean you can't  pick up noise.
That brushed electric motor in the vac can throw a heck of lot RF /noise out. Not to say that's what caused it
but very probable.
How warm or hot were your motors at the end of the day?
RICH

6936

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach Workshop at Cabin Fever Expo

« on: November 07, 2008, 07:49:08 PM »

Dave,
Just poke your head in during one of the sessions. Dummies always sit in the back. 
You'll be able to pick me out as my hat will be yellow, high and pointed at the top while facing the wall
for asking unanswerable questions.
RICH

Make sure the beer you bring cold!

6937

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: November 07, 2008, 07:36:04 PM »

Hi Art,
Attached is the dxf file and some comments.
RICH

6938

General Mach Discussion / Re: Bugs in Mach 3.42.015

« on: November 06, 2008, 08:31:43 PM »

Hi all,
Just took a look at Swarfboys machine on the internet. I don't relate very well to submicron machining, heck the numbers sometimes don't seem practical in terms of machining. Are the machine movement numbers realistic? How do you know and by what absolute methods?
My two engraving machine tables if purchased new would exceed the miin mill cost. Even got certified papers stating that repeatability is  0.000012" /  0.0003 absolute accuracy over 6" / resolution 0.000004", little chart and all. Whatever that all means in the machining world.
Now, your are not going to use an indicator to even try and measure that kind of movement. I tried using a microscope
at 400x along with a 20x fical micrometer eyepiece using a submicron calibration standard ( it has little spaces and lines down to 0.000020") but I was only able to get to the 0.000040" inch one ( not enough light). And after all the setup and trial and error I am not sure what was measured. Hmm ....were a few steps not recieved or true of the out 253360 steps / inch?
Funny thing is that i will darned for the life of me to be able to get the cutter running true within .001" at about 1" away from the collet. Can't even hone a  point down to .0005". So, about the min engraved line width will be about .003" using a point and that's at almost Z=0. 

So Swafboy I believe what you say your machine can do but as far as confirming it, well that's a different story in my basement shop. There is a difference in my mind if your using a machine to measure something and to machine something. Don't know how to electronicaly confirm or what is needed to totalize and confirm 253360 of them.
Now havn't tried V*********.015 but when i zero the axis's they go to 0000 in V*********.012 ( no limit switches used).

RICH

6939

Tangent Corner / Re: What the.........?

« on: November 05, 2008, 06:14:38 PM »

HMM..........Think it's a case of bad S.C. beer, don't worry, your perception will improve in the new year.
RICH

6940

LazyTurn / Re: LazyTurn

« on: November 05, 2008, 05:43:47 PM »

Thank's for the notice RC,
I hope that all those interested in a neat lathe software program would "come alive" and get involved by trying it out
witin the described capabilities. This is one of Art's pet personal projects and he's providing effort for the CNC turning
community that frankly you won't find otherwise. It's only by use, via a diversity of users, that can quickly find and show what otherwise would take a long time. The quicker he can indentiify faults with the roughing cuts the faster he may
get to the end. So cnc turners, try it and bitch now ( ok, lets reword that to be politicaly correct  " providing positive feedback" ) or forever hold your piece!

What would be the best way for playing around safely?
IE; Do an additional complete install of Mach *********.15 / including Lazycam under a different directory so you can delete it if need be?
RICH