Messages

1631

MACH TOOL BOX / Simple Jog to Point Probing WIZARD

« on: January 20, 2015, 01:01:53 AM »

Someone requested it so here it is . Unzip to your Mach3/addons directory.  THere is a simple HELP button on the screen.

Basically you first clear the file with the button to start.

Then Move to a position and RECORD the point, etc,etc,etc

Then Save the file to a new name

Exit Mach3 when done.


That's ALL FOLKS, (;-)TP

1632

VB and the development of wizards / Re: New Wizards ??

« on: January 20, 2015, 12:56:41 AM »

I found it and cleaned it up a bit. I will load it up into the MACH TOOLBOX section of this site. Under downloads.

It is called "Jog to Point Probing"

(;-) TP

1633

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home switches problem

« on: January 19, 2015, 11:00:06 PM »

OK IS this a LPT version of Mach3 or do you have an outside controller ?

(;-) TP

1634

VB and the development of wizards / Re: New Wizards ??

« on: January 19, 2015, 09:25:33 PM »

ElectroMech31,

So you want to move around the part and at each point that you stop at  you want to push a button and have it record that position XY or XYZ to a point file ?

I think that has already been done, I will look.


DAREGONE,  What you need to do iws set up your machine to do tool changes. You can set up mach3 to do all the processes you needed by a CB script to do all the monkey motions needed as well as the offsetting needed to center each pen over the CenterPoint. You will FIND that th pens dry out very quickly as you move. You may want to find some roller ball pens they will NOT dry out when drawing a lot.

(;-) TP

1635

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home switches problem

« on: January 19, 2015, 09:14:30 PM »

DID you set up homing in config?? Set the port/pins the SAME as limits ?  IS the active High/Low set properly for the inputs ?

Just a thought, (;-) TP

1636

General Mach Discussion / Re: tool consumption

« on: January 19, 2015, 05:12:38 PM »

No way that I know of to do it and it be correct. Wear is NOT a linear value. Best setup a probe and actually MEASURE the wear.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

1637

General Mach Discussion / Looking for a thumbstick mouse

« on: January 18, 2015, 10:47:49 PM »

I am looking for a new thumbstick mouse like was used with a laptop. I used to be to find them but have not seen any lately.

It is a small device with just a thumbstick and 2 small buttons. It velcros onto the side of the laptop. Newer laptops all have either a built in thumbstick or touchpad. They probably made the addon go the way of the DODO bird (obsolete).

They work GREAT on a CNC controls that MUST use a mouse (Mach3/4)

Might be a great new/old idea for someone to reproduce ??   Maybe take the guts out of an analog mouse and replace the roller ball mechanism with a thumstick .

Just a thought, (;-) TP

1638

General Mach Discussion / Re: How to copy setup files to a new computer

« on: January 18, 2015, 10:37:59 PM »

Look at teh settings for teh LPT port I would bet that the new PC has a different LPT address for the port you are using.

JUst a thought, (;-) TP

1639

General Mach Discussion / Re: Live feed gcode into mach3 - is there a plugin / vbscript / c++ code?

« on: January 18, 2015, 05:24:13 PM »

HIYA RAY, I don't think that is a problem .  IF you turn off all the cancel functions in General config I believe everything stays intact. At least with a quick test it did.

I will have to run a full test tonight to see IF it does.

(;-) TP

1640

General Mach Discussion / Re: MACH3 for combined hot-wire foam cutting and A axis milling?

« on: January 18, 2015, 02:32:20 PM »

I would not use TURN/Lathe mode as it sis too limiting to what you want to do.

Use a simple 4 axis Mill setup where A is the rotary axis similar to a lathe. Make Z The hotwire segment to do the rough cutting. Make a V shaped head to hold the hotwire rigid in Z. Then cut the rough profile from the top, left to right on the X axis rotate to the next segment cut,rotate,cut,etc,etc, When you have it roughed out then switch to a router bit and finish it as a normal 3D 4th axis application.

The trick will be getting the CAM portion correct for the roughout cuts . A hotwire CAM should do the job.

Just a thought, (;-) TP