Messages

201

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Shapes 2d V2

« on: January 20, 2010, 03:42:34 PM »

Playing with some of the other shapes in this wizard to see what else I could find I had an artifact destroy a another test piece.  In the rectangle tool of all things.  Just for fun I decided to try and use the rectangle tool to make a two piece box that fits together tightly.  I cut a pocket in one piece and a relief on the next, and fitted them together.  Then with the two pieces fitted I decide to cut them both around the outside (relief) to match smoothly ont he outside.  For no apparent reason there was an artifact or bad cut that went right onto the material that was supposed to be left behind. 

I do not think I'll be using this wizard much at all. 

I'm sure glad I tested it on some scrap MDF before trying to make something with it. 

202

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Shapes 2d V2

« on: January 20, 2010, 12:35:54 PM »

Working unit is inches.  

Not sure if its a bug or what, but I have discovered something odd.  After getting the Shapes Wizard working I cut a test on a block of wood (so I could cut it faster).  The test was a simple relief (raised) circle.  It came out distinctly lemon shaped.  At a radius (radio) of .75 it came out approximately 1.5 by 1.3 with a distinct point at each end on the X Axis.  Afterwards I looked at the tool path and you can kinda see it on screen.  Its generated that way.  I regenerated the tool path several times and went back to see if there was anything in setup that could be causing it, and could find nothing.  

This gives me some cause to realize I'll need to make a test cut for every shape using this wizard before I can consider it as part of my go to tools.  

P.S.  Over the last week or so I have been testing all of the wizards that are suitable to run on my machine and figuring out how to use them so when I need them I can just do it.  

P.P.S.  For quick measurements and on wood I just use a dial caliper, but when the the error is so obviously visible its good enough for estimating purposes.  I do also have a good set of mics from 1" to 6" with standards.  

203

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Shapes 2d V2

« on: January 19, 2010, 08:01:10 PM »

That was the ticket.  I just clicked on every data entry item and then hit enter.  I am cutting a test piece on a block of wood now.  Thanks. 

204

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Shapes 2d V2

« on: January 19, 2010, 04:49:44 PM »

You'll know whether it's made gcode without having to switch back to mach because when you hit the gcode button it'll show in the toolpath window (of the wizard). I had a quick play and sure enough it didn't seem to make gcode at first but once I'd typed something into every field it worked.

That might be it.  I'll give it a go this evening. 

205

VB and the development of wizards / Shapes 2d V2

« on: January 18, 2010, 01:47:05 AM »

I have been playing with and taking advantage of some of the wizards lately, and this one looks like it would work right into one mold making project I am working on, but I can't figure out how to save or retireve the g-code or if it is even generating it. 

Is there a place to discuss or ask questions about Shapes 2d V2 by German Bravo? 

206

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 Compatible G-Code Tutorial

« on: July 27, 2009, 06:53:20 PM »

I'm looking for a decent G-Code tutorial.  Preferably one for Mach 3.  There are a couple projects I want to do that I think it would just be easier to write the raw g-code than to draw the picture in a CAD program, run it through the CAM stuff I can afford and then go back and tweak it so it will work.  I was just going to write it line by line, but then I ran across a reference to routines or subroutines that seemed to indicate you could do reiterative work with Mach 3 compatible g-code. 

I do not mind buying a book.  I'm not looking for a freebie or a handout. 

Specifically it seems to wasteful and confusing to repeat the same code over and over to cut a pocket.  It seems it would be a lot easier to increment Z and go back to the same code instead. 

207

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Crashing PC

« on: July 23, 2009, 11:07:58 PM »

No.   

I guess I could try that. 

No.  Definitely not. 

208

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Crashing PC

« on: July 23, 2009, 09:55:57 PM »

No.  The machine reboots even with the controller disconnected and the LPT port turned off in the bios. 

209

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Crashing PC

« on: July 23, 2009, 08:49:31 PM »

I have one question.  What is the best pulse time for the deepgroove1 controller and the 280oz motors? 

I shut down everything except critical services necessary to keep Windows running, and the darn thing still reboots.  Its not as bad at 25000, but I was running 35000 before.  I can sometimes load a small file and execute it before it boots, but I started noticing glitches in the file loads now too. 

I was able to run the software and controller just fine, using my accounting machine (exact same computer) without disabling anything. 

I think this PC has established itself in a new mammaries elevated dispostion. 

The Taig1 profile seems to work better than the deepgroove1 profile or maybe its just that I finally isolated it to the PC itself.  I think its having processor issues.  The LPT port diagnostics show no errors. 

I guess I need to buy a new computer to run this.  Maybe from one of those guys who provides them ready to go for CNC stuff, and then just plug in my license files and machine profile. 

210

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 Crashing PC

« on: July 22, 2009, 12:53:37 PM »

Well, it looks like my next to last resort is to try another PC since nobody has any suggestions.  Fortunately I have one I can try. 

I'll just copy my registration files and controller profile, and try them after after I get it all setup.

Hey, maybe that will help... I actually registered the software.  I'm not one of those guys who are just using 500 lines at a time to use the free version.