Messages

501

General Mach Discussion / Re: FEED ADJUST MACH 3 LATHE

« on: June 20, 2018, 09:25:15 AM »

What do you mean by the top speed display?  Isn't that the actual measured speed?  If you toggle the button I think it should show the actual speed or zero (thinking machine is stopped).

502

General Mach Discussion / Re: FEED ADJUST MACH 3 LATHE

« on: June 20, 2018, 04:11:51 AM »

Spindle button 3rd to the right of Estop.  You may not need it if using Mach3 to control speed, but when I started doing threading I didn't realise that until you "press" this button Mach3 doesn't think the spindle has started.  Worth a try?

503

General Mach Discussion / Re: FEED ADJUST MACH 3 LATHE

« on: June 20, 2018, 01:43:58 AM »

Silly question, but have you clicked the S button so M3 knows the spindle is running?

504

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Need the answer to this question "Is Mach4 a "MACHINE CONTROLLER"

« on: June 14, 2018, 02:58:17 PM »

AFAIK there is a parallel port plugin for Mach4.

505

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cutting an internal thread

« on: June 14, 2018, 04:19:36 AM »

Answering (I think) my own question, running in simulation mode suggests that this does indeed work.

506

General Mach Discussion / Cutting an internal thread

« on: June 13, 2018, 04:26:30 PM »

Well I've reached the stage where I need to cut an internal thread on the CNC lathe.  I use the Simple Threading wizard for OD threads but there's no obvious way to tell it I want an internal one.  On the other hand if I make X End larger than X Start in the wizard it generates code and doesn't raise an error - is that the way to use it for ID threads please?

507

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 Spindle Speed Control

« on: June 12, 2018, 02:08:08 AM »

Have you got some smoothing in the PWM output that feeds the speed control input on the VFD?  Also the VFD speed control voltage range is usually 0 - 10V whereas the PWM output is more likely pulsing between 0 and 5 V so it needs some gain.

508

General Mach Discussion / Re: SetToolX() documentation

« on: May 23, 2018, 04:26:00 PM »

Dave, just to repeat my thanks, as I've just got my tool setting macro working properly thanks to your input.

I can mount a tool, give it a number in a DRO, position it in the shoulder angle of my test bar of a known diameter, click "Measure Tool", and a minute or so later the offsets are measured and stored in the appropriate line of the Tool Table.  For me, a result!

509

Share Your GCode / Re: G-code help

« on: May 18, 2018, 02:28:46 AM »

F-Engrave, free, can do text or relief image engraving from a png.

510

General Mach Discussion / Re: SetToolX() documentation

« on: May 13, 2018, 12:56:05 PM »

Dave, good input at exactly the right time as I'm rewriting my tool setting macro and you have just saved me hours - many thanks!  To make sure I understand the operative command is:

SetToolParam(<tool number>,<param type from your list>,<parameter value>)

Correct?