Messages

201

General Mach Discussion / Re: Proper directions of X, Y, an Z axis

« on: February 27, 2014, 12:04:52 PM »

It is also known as the "Right Hand Rule". A little more on its explanation. He is a little slow to get started but informative just the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBhE8Mbkj1A

Btw, Z- is cutting into your work, whether lathe or mill.

202

General Mach Discussion / Re: Proper directions of X, Y, an Z axis

« on: February 27, 2014, 11:34:35 AM »

Check it out here
http://www.hsmworks.com/docs/cncbook/en/#Ch04_VMCMachineMotion

203

General Mach Discussion / Re: newbie emco lathe retrofit

« on: February 27, 2014, 10:59:12 AM »

  So I checked the guru of all information otherwise known as YouTube.
I would guess that tool changer is stepper driven. All of the videos sounded that way. I did see a few Mach conversions so I am guessing you can do it. Regarding the need to change to steppers etc. Many times these machines had early round bodied steppers. These are not thought of as the strongest by todays standards. That being said, you can sure get the machine up and running very accurately before needing to get modern steppers (if money is tight). If it is your first foray into CNC and or machining, rapid speeds wont be your friend yet anyway. 20-30 inches a minute can make the EStop look really far away when chaos is obvious ;-) If you dont understand that last joke, it is only a matter of time til you will. Here is a guy running Mach, try posting on his video. Most likely a member here and at the Zone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfExXGnr7LY

204

General Mach Discussion / Re: newbie emco lathe retrofit

« on: February 27, 2014, 10:46:15 AM »

   Welcome to Mach and the new challenge. I would also join a site called CncZone (both are great places to share this info). They have a few builds of this machine over the years. Are you sure it is a 12v motor? Does it have pawls? I just cant imagine how it would stop. I have a 6 tool changer on a Dyna DM3000. It runs a stepper, pawls and solenoid. The only way I have run it or seen others run it is in 1 direction and then back up into the pawl. It claims it is bidirectional and I am hooking up the solenoid to be relay controlled to do just that. Then the tool change script will have to modified.

  Post pictures too, we like them and it is nice to see progress when you look back at this. And to help others. Anyway, hope this helps.

205

General Mach Discussion / Re: Ref all axis, and soft limits

« on: February 27, 2014, 10:36:35 AM »

thanks for the info guys, everyday is a school day!

   So are we sitting in the front with the nerds and thick glasses or in the back with the cool people? I am starting to think the nerds were having fun all along! I wear contacts now so I can look cool. I had great eyes in school. Guess where I sat then?

206

General Mach Discussion / Re: Another newbe with a 3040Z CNC from China :(

« on: February 27, 2014, 10:28:01 AM »

Would i only have to change that value in Mach3?  Which 1? the units of measure or the steps per unit?  As you know im a total newb lol, This wont hurt anything will it? No but it will take some recalculation depending on which you change.

Changing the steps per unit due to raising the micro stepping rate (from 1 to 10) will require a change at the BOB too (generally they have either a jumper or a set of DIP switches for configuring this). As long as both are raised to the same level (in Mach and on the board) no retuning of the motors would required (if they are moving the correct distance now).

Changing the unit of measure from mm to inches or vise versa will require a retuning. Not hard just a little tedious. You would need a dial indicator and a 1,2,3 block.

207

General Mach Discussion / Re: smoother circles?

« on: February 26, 2014, 05:37:42 PM »

I am very weak in the CAD area. I do remember having issues similar to what you are showing with Google Sketchup but I was using that for 3D printing. I know very little about importing and exporting or changing file types. I use BC versions 23-25

208

General Mach Discussion / spindle control help needed

« on: February 26, 2014, 04:46:14 PM »

You know I was kidding.

 The reference to Lupe was when Rich was trying to get me to understand tool offsets on my lathe.

He sure tried.

209

General Mach Discussion / Re: X Limit switch challenges

« on: February 26, 2014, 02:36:40 PM »

Enjoy!

210

General Mach Discussion / Re: smoother circles?

« on: February 26, 2014, 01:15:20 PM »

I dont know how your CAD or any CAD for that matter really works but on some I have used there is a segment or degree setting. Yours appears to have this as the circle was converted to lines, specify more. It appears yours are 10 sided making me think you have 36 degree or 10 segments as a setting. I will have to review the real wording.

Your final drawing and Mach match so it is a setting issue not Mach.