Messages

141

General Mach Discussion / Re: surfacing wizard

« on: April 11, 2008, 12:10:26 PM »

NFS wizards are def worth the $.  IMHO- I don't really see how these guys can sell this stuff so cheap.  But, the surf wizard included with Mach will do what you want.

I think the tool offset is for where you place your clamps?  I never use it (i.e. set them to 0) because I jig my stuff up using wood 2x4s framed around what I am surfacing.  Just try plugging in some numbers and doing a dry run without your cutter chucked up.

Look at the Gcode that is generated and you will start to see how the parameters in the wizard effect the cut.  It looks daunting at first but it's really pretty easy after you do a couple.  I like the wizards that say "With tool down the X"  or "With Tool down the Y"  they seem to be a little more complete/explanatory to me.

HTH,
Sid

142

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sure Servo drives with Mach

« on: April 11, 2008, 12:04:35 PM »

My Sympathy for you just evaporated... I forgot that YOU are one of the "Chosen" who already posses the magical SmoothStepper.  At #69 on the list I'm a while away from even seeing one in real life.  I'm totally with you though- Mach 3, SS, Encoder interface, ADC Sureservos- THE WHOLE SHA-BANG!!!!  I'll let you know how it goes.

BTW- on the Plugins download page the link to DL the SS Plugin is gone- I know your swamped but, for those who are going to be receiving the Maiden release of the SS how can we get it?

Regards,
Sid

143

General Mach Discussion / Re: How do you go to "Z" or Home at 100% jog speed

« on: April 11, 2008, 11:59:04 AM »

Yeah Hood, that's what I was getting at/thinking regarding adjusting the speeds but you put it into words a helluva lot better.  If your Offset Zero point is the same as your Home/Machine Coord Zero then using the soft limits speed setting will slow down your machine by the user set percentage at the user set range.  If your work Offsets are out in the middle of the table then it won't work.

I guess you could right a custom Go to Zero Macro and write the slow down rate/range in the macro?

Regards,
Sid

144

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sure Servo drives with Mach

« on: April 11, 2008, 10:41:10 AM »

Awwwwww  Dude!  All Work and No PLay makes Jack a dull boy!   

I'll check around and see what I can find out.  I think I want to give it a go.

Thanks anyway!
Sid

145

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: Photos of webcam scanner. ( no laughing.. :) )

« on: April 11, 2008, 10:32:48 AM »

Hey Ed,

I looked at your cloud file using a simple text editor as well as in Mach Cloud.  Your right not much there.  T

I am confused about your setting in the scan y box.  It appears that you are using Metric parameters.  If so, a 3mm scan area is too small for a roll of masking tape.  It needs to be set to a little more than the length of travel your gantry must go so the laser/camera can pass entirely over your scan subject matter.  When you do your scan does the laser move step by step entirely across the roll of tape?  If not, try a Scan Y value of something like 300 (mm) and see what you get.

The other thing I noticed is that the Z data in your cloud file stays pretty steady at 1.000- THAT is a problem but, it might be related to your lack of travel issue previously mentioned.  Before we go on to troubleshoot other issues- verify your scan parameters and get back with us!

HTH,
Sid

146

General Mach Discussion / Re: How do you go to "Z" or Home at 100% jog speed

« on: April 11, 2008, 09:22:43 AM »

Yes, under the config menu there is a selection Homing/softlimits.  You can adjust the speeds there.

Sid

147

General Mach Discussion / Re: How do you go to "Z" or Home at 100% jog speed

« on: April 11, 2008, 01:47:19 AM »

Just a suggestion.... how about you post the G-Code file that you have loaded during all of this homing.  Any Chance that you have a Feed Rate of 4.9 written in your code and your "Home" command is a G1 instead of a G0?

Try this- go to your MDI screen and enter something like G0 X10 Y10  Then Try G0 X0 Y0  and let us know how it tracks

HTH- Good Luck,
Sid

148

General Mach Discussion / Re: Sure Servo drives with Mach

« on: April 11, 2008, 01:40:37 AM »

Brian,

Thanks for the Cool time saving drawing!  Have you ever seen/tried the James Cullens' Sound Logic Encoder Interface with the ADC Sure Servos?  Any thoughts about devices like this?

Thanks,
Sid
 

149

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: Photos of webcam scanner. ( no laughing.. :) )

« on: April 11, 2008, 12:46:52 AM »

Hey Art,

Thanks for the fast reply!  Things make more sense now. I am re-inspired to keep tinkering around to see if I can perfect (uh well... refine) my scans.  I am going to try re-aligning my camera/laser according to what you are doing and then rescan and see what happens.

I also need to mess around with the features on Mach Cloud- but that's for another thread 

Thanks again and Good Luck and Godspeed with all of that Lazy Turn toolpath stuff.  I'm not really that much of a lathe man myself- it makes me dizzy to watch all of that spinning around action  .

Regards,
Sid

150

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: Photos of webcam scanner. ( no laughing.. :) )

« on: April 10, 2008, 09:42:10 PM »

Ooops,  only allowed 4 attachments per message.  Here are the last 2 pix.

Sid