Topics

41

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 Sherline Mode

« on: February 23, 2006, 11:20:32 AM »

If the box for 'Sherline mode' is checked,in Mach3,is the 'pulse width' in 'motor tuning' ignored?-Keith

42

General Mach Discussion / Unlocking 3's configurations

« on: February 22, 2006, 07:05:06 PM »

Hi,I just installed mach3 and am wondering how to 'unlock configurations'.I went back to do some 'motor tuning' and couldn't 'get in'.I don't think I locked it and know I didn't enter a password.I went to unlock and it asks me for a password...but I don't have one obviously.-Keith

43

General Mach Discussion / Mach2 6.11 and DXFs

« on: February 06, 2006, 11:24:35 AM »

Have been using my updated Mach2(6.11) for the past several days but just with code I've been writing.I tried to load a DXF today and found when I click 'import DXF'...nothing?Just closes file drop down panelpanel.
All other file commands work.-Keith

44

General Mach Discussion / Finding 'Sherline'

« on: February 03, 2006, 11:22:41 AM »

Hi I smoothly and successfully updated Mach2 to 6.11,however Art said :"If your using a sherline, ignore the pulse width, just select "sherline mode" in the ports & pins, it will make all the pulses 40us..
I can't for the life of me find this 'select' in ports & pins...or anywhere else for that matter. Hint?-Keith

45

General Mach Discussion / Updating Mach2

« on: February 02, 2006, 12:57:47 PM »

If I update Mach2,does the new version take into account the already installed version or does it replace certain aspects?Will I lose my older settings or do the two versions exist seperately?-Keith

46

General Mach Discussion / Motor tuning edit

« on: February 02, 2006, 10:47:00 AM »

Hi,when I first set up my machine and greener,I was doing 'motor tuning' with the help of someone walking me through the 'unknown' over the phone.For 'maximum pulse width' I used some form of text editor to change the number(when I just change the number in the 'motor tuning' window,it does not 'save').Can anyone tell me how to do this edit?
Also I recall him commenting that  we had to increase the pulse (14usecs) and he was suprised how high we needed to go although he didn't start any lower than 10 usecs ; now this is a small desktop Sherline using their driver,so I suppose the minimum required pulse, as applies to more expensive setups must be from a cost standpoint, more negotiable.But as I read the Sherline literature they say the minimum pulse is 22usec!?Comments?-Thanks,Keith

47

General Mach Discussion / Optimization and defrag

« on: January 29, 2006, 11:57:04 AM »

I optimized my computer as detailed in that procedure and it works wonderfully ...except I believe something in 'services' has disallowed me to defrag.I get the defrag window but when I click to 'defrag',it 'winks' at me but nothing happens.I went through all the 'services' again and all looks as prescribed.Anybody have any ideas?-Keith

48

General Mach Discussion / Designing a wireless jogger

« on: January 27, 2006, 06:11:20 PM »

Hi,I'm slowly working on a wireless,'keyfob' jogger which so many times I found myself in need of for various reasons.After much consternation about whether I waste a perfectly capable microprocessor on just doing the receiver section and use a keyboard emulator in conjunction,I've decided to bite the bullet and be efficient(not with my time of course) and do the keyboard emulation as well, with the receiver's micro...'IF' I can find out in a 'jogging' scenario there is any possibility of the computer having to send data to the keyboard.I've never really cared to do any projects that involve PC keyboards so I am only now considering that the keyboard on a PC is bi-directional.Anyone know if I'll be needing a 'two-way' conversation? If there is this need/possibility then I will use one of the existing keyboard emulators but if I only need to 'send',I could rationalize designing the whole kit and kaboodle.Thanks,Keith

49

General Mach Discussion / Mach2 slowdown

« on: January 25, 2006, 10:40:58 AM »

Hi,I've ignored this problem for a while,rather investing my time into learning the basics but I'm feeling a little righteous and demanding lately and wondered if anyone could address the fact that Mach2,after a few changes/page clicks/close file-open new file,etc, freezes my machine miserably.I turned off everything else the machine can run in the background before starting Mach2.
I thought it was the Dell I dedicated to the machine but I put Mach2 on my super clean ,super everything,Sony Vaio laptop and even after exiting Mach2(I do understand that the program takes over ,slowing most things up while running it) the machine behaves like it had a 6502 for a processor...s-l-o-w!
Any advice?-Keith

50

General Mach Discussion / Projecting to plane?

« on: January 07, 2006, 10:33:12 AM »

Hi,any hints/short cuts on milling a 2 D carving onto a spherical surface without too much distortion and without too much depth variance(the sphere is hollow)?I have an image I'm rasterizing and would like to just make that impression(negative) on a small area of a plastic sphere.The sphere is about 4" diameter and the area with the image is negotiable but around 2", centered. I actually once had this done many years ago before I did any milling and I believe the guy that did it for me actually calculated the different heights and offset Z with these numbers but there's got to be a better way(curve interpolation?).Thanks,Keith