Messages

61

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 18, 2010, 02:32:55 PM »

Just messing around with lazy turn, i made a tool path for the hand grips. When i tried to post the code it doesn't seem to post. I took some screen shots maybe you can figure it out.

62

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 18, 2010, 11:59:42 AM »

Yes neither are checked. Actually i kinda figured out that in the cad program if i set the scale to "25" it seems to get me pretty close.

63

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 17, 2010, 09:57:28 PM »

Rich i am pleased to say i bought the program. Installed it and designed the hand grip. I saved it as a .dxf file and opeded it in LT. To my suprise it loaded without any alarms. My main concern is the scale. When i made it in my program i had the unit scale set in inches. I made the part finish at 5.5 inches. When I loaded the file in LT it was huge. The lengh is at like -200. and the diameter is around 44. instead of being at 1.5. Anything obvious that i am doing wrong?

64

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 17, 2010, 04:20:59 PM »

Rich, Here is where i stand. I searched yesterday on the links page for some cheap or free cad programs and the one that caught my eye was the VectorEngineer Cad Software. Its only $30. I will most likely buy that one unless you disagree. Now looking at your drawing that you have send me, do I draw everything in cad as if it was getting machined in its position. Meaning I start at Z0 X0 and work up and to the left. Sorry for the rookie question but now ya got me hooked on making something on cad haha

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 16, 2010, 08:20:08 PM »

Thank you very much for the responses. I was planning on doing the outer contour for the last step and i'm glad you reminded me . Right after i posted this thread i did some more searching on the forum and was thinking of maybe another route. Is there a wizard out there for large profile radius on an outer diameter? Should i make another topic in Mach Gen Discussion about someone having such a wizard or should i continue on my learning path to cad?

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 16, 2010, 05:50:42 PM »

thank you, i will have a look now.

67

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Please help a newbie with cad

« on: September 16, 2010, 05:14:43 PM »

         I own a small 7x14 metal lathe. A couple years ago i converted it to cnc and purchased Mach 3. ( very happy) Since then I've made some interesting parts. Recently a buddy of mine asked me to make him some hand grips for his motorcycle. He sent me a picture and i began to do some research. Since Mach 3 does have some wizards on metal removal, i tried to produce a program that can cut out the large radius in the center of the handgrip.( check out picture). Sad;y i couldn't get it to work. I reviewed some topics on this for and stumbled across the Lazy Turn Software. I did some reading about it and it says i need to start off with a .dxf file from a cad drawing. That is where i hit the brick wall. I know nothing about Cad or how to use it. I am very eager to learn and am determined to make these hand grips. My question to everyone is what kind of software can i download/buy/trial or even get for free that will make me sleep a little easier at night. It needs to be easy to use as I am a beginner. Any other suggestions with also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all,
Mike

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FAQs / Re: Homing my lathe, please help

« on: September 17, 2009, 03:55:09 PM »

See if this will help you rich

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FAQs / Re: Homing my lathe, please help

« on: September 16, 2009, 10:35:17 PM »

i will grab that tomorrow for ya rich and hopefully it will show the problem i am having with this. Thank you for hanging in there with me on this one

70

FAQs / Re: Homing my lathe, please help

« on: September 16, 2009, 09:56:06 PM »

I did it exactly, but it still wants to move, its doesnt like rapid or move quickly but small steps.