Messages

501

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 03, 2012, 12:28:21 AM »

I cant see why it would make any difference but tool 1 in this case is the longest tool. It is actually a drill bit (.375), I touch the side of it and record X as diameter of part (.3115 )+ the diameter of the drill bit (.375)  for a .6865 offset.

502

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 03, 2012, 12:22:17 AM »

Ok, This is what I did so far
Homed my machine to the limits, this is also machine 0.
Called for Tool 0 at the above location in the MDI line. Set X part zero and Z part zero and hit apply, save.
Then I went to tool 4 and touched the x, installed the diameter in the X part zero, hit touch X, apply, save.
Same for tool 6.
At this time tools 4 and 6 would and will repeat and end up in the correct location.
However when I try to run the procedure on tool 1, I touch in X, install diameter in the X Part Zero dro, hit touch X, apply, save.
I have then tried to touch Z and just hit 0 in the Z axis dro apply, save and I have tried it with the Z part zero dro with a 0 value, touch Z apply, save.
If I call tool 1 and procede to G1 Z0 X0 F8 (for example) the X immediately starts going the wrong direction and faults the limit switch.
Btw I still get different speeds of approach to the part depending on the tool number requested, regardless of the F rate. Once I get a little better grasp on the toolchanger set up, I am deleting all of Mach and doing a fresh install.
Thanks

503

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 04:55:17 PM »

I am getting closer 2 tools will repeat! I will work on my misunderstanding for a bit. Thanks so much. There is hope.

504

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 03:19:33 PM »

That is what I thought i was just verifying your every move.

505

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 03:00:55 PM »

A few weeks? I knew I was slow. Hoss builds a G0704 and a 3D printer, you a tool changer? This seems trivial but as you enter the diameter into the X Dro, do you follow it by pressing enter before pressing the Touch X button? IIRC, Seems like there was a difference.

506

General Mach Discussion / Re: G540 output problem and reset fo estop

« on: March 02, 2012, 02:55:35 PM »

Man, you dont know how long it took me to figure that button out! Of course a better vocabulary couldnt have been used. Once I understood what it did, the proverbial light went off in my head. What an idiot I was. As I learn more about Mach, machining, CNC and electronics inevitably all of those meaningless words on various Mach settings and configurations start to make sense (key phrase was, start to). These people (real machinists and cnc software gurus) are in deep. I have to read some chapters (all very well sequentially organized and written) many times I have to read a chapter 10 times to get 10% of it. No wonder my teachers (I am 50 now) were frustrated, denial is not a river in Egypt. Glad we both learned something today. Now if I could figure out tool offsets on my lathes turret.

507

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 02:45:51 PM »

Hood that would really be appreciated by myself and a few others here in the back of the class. YOU MADE THAT TURRET? Wow! I really cant expect anything to work with this movement or lack of movement issue though.
  Also when you press Part Zero X you dont need to press Touch X too? (they are the same?) I noticed at 1 point trying to make sense of what I was doing that if I pressed touch X more than once it kept adding offsets. Not realizing what was happening or why (still dont but quit pressing it) I had an offset on 1 tool in X of 52", like that was going to happen. This lathe is bigger than my Sherline but it aint that big! No reason to even try to verify that tools final location on my machine. Again I cant thank you enough for the personal tutorials.

508

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 02:24:43 PM »

That just showed me it works for you. I had no doubt you had it figued out. How about a video of you setting up the tool offsets? That is the big lathe I read about you converting? Front and rear turret?

Well I just set up my new home made turret today with the method mentioned above and it worked great so should work fine for you. Previously I had a Home Off value set for my master tools X value, ie no offset in the tool table but this time I set the X home switch as my "master tool" and it worked fine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAfyQE5125M&list=UUNEcFI4fdD5kV938uchW3sg&index=1&feature=plcp
Hood

509

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 02, 2012, 02:19:22 PM »

Hood & Rich Thanks as always. That did get me much closer. I can now get tools 4 & 6 (only using tools 1,4 & 6) to touch off repeatedly in the same place (close enough to realize the offests are close to correct). Tool 1 is giving me fits. I also notice at times that somehow communication is being lost. I see the Dros moving in X but the axis is against a physical stop. Then when I go to jog, x control is lost. The dros move but the steppers dont. That has got to wreak havoc on achieving correct offsets wouldnt you think? Before running the Smoothstepper I never lost control of a stepper.
   Also after touching the first tool in X and setting the diameter in the (X) Part Zero Dro and pressing the touch button. Do you install the diameter in the (X) Part Zero Dro for every tool or do you use 0 for setting every subsequent tool?
   I am getting closer but I might have to pull the SS out to figure out what is happening. There just seems to be too many variables. OK 2 steps back.

510

General Mach Discussion / Re: Use of tools in a turret?

« on: March 01, 2012, 06:38:28 PM »

Sand? Thru the woods, mostly roots and feeding mosquitos! 83 degrees today. Amazing what a Bedbug trencher can do. Best 100 bucks I ever spent! 2000 feet laid and covered up in about 1 1/2 days alone. It ran thru huge roots and stopped on a piece of Romex, didnt even nick the jacket. Though it did cut right thru my cable. Just weird on that one. Fixing my cable was plenty. What is that saying? 2 steps forward and 1 step back? Today I was 1 step forward overall. Tool offsets better watch out cause here I come. Also after a few nights of rest and not reading forums, I have an idea I need to quit trying to compensate thru the DRO's while touching off. It is a hypothesis (well not so edumacated!) anyway.