Messages

5401

General Mach Discussion / Has anyone gotten this email from the Machsite conserning emails?

« on: August 10, 2011, 02:27:07 PM »

I received this email today from the MachSupportSite email system. It seemed strange. I rarely send an email though the Mach support site so I could not have exceeded a quota. The admins may want to double check the system for a hack into the site to steal email accounts info.

"Hi. This is the qmail-send program at machsupport.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
<forum@machsupport.com>:
Mail quota exceeded."

Now to be SAFE I need to resettup the account info and password,
(;-) TP

5402

General Mach Discussion / Re: inconsistant cuts, THC, older version

« on: August 09, 2011, 04:12:03 PM »

I would suggest that you find a qualified TECH in your area that could go over the machine and check it out for you. At least he could write down what items are in use on your machine such as THC make and model, drives and motors. AND check the setup for the motor parameters, Check for binding on the Z axis ,Check the % of rapid setting on the THC controls, Check the Zheight switchfunction,  LOOK for noisy wiring configurations and ground loops ,etc,etc

(;-)TP

5403

General Mach Discussion / Re: inconsistant cuts, THC, older version

« on: August 09, 2011, 11:28:38 AM »

Upgrading the Mach sofware will NOT help your machine BEHAVE better. Most of what you describe is a function of Gcode programming and  machine setup.

Your torch dragging senario is a lost steps problem. That is a machine hardware OR machine setup problem. The ignoring commands can be an improperly written macro that provides a function.

IF you can accurately describe the system perhaps someone here can help out.  What brand THC controll does it have? Type of drives and rail system? .etc,etc.

(;-) TP

5404

General Mach Discussion / Re: How can I continue g-code tomorrow ?

« on: August 09, 2011, 11:14:17 AM »

hIYA Blue I understand where you are going with the discussion I have had the same decision with different generations 100s of times.  My point IS there is very little MONEY in the DIY cnc market for the developers of things. Most use the same model that has been used for years and years.

 I create the gizmo but you have to figure out HOW to use it because I cannot afford to write a concise manual to bring you from scratch to CNC master. BECAUSE Most of that Documentation would have nothing to do with the Gizmo I provide.

It was the same when I started playing in metal ART. The machining side I had done for generations knew it top to bottom left to right. BUT the design side software (Graphic design programs) was like a Hot Spanish romance novel written in Latin. It took a long time for me to figure out what they were implying function wise in the software.

NOW if you want to be a millionare sit down and write a precise simple Book for the market to use. But you will find quickly that it is a very BROAD subject that does not lend to easy explanation as they are SO many ways to do each function and none of them are wrong or right. SO the terms Precise and simple don't go together well.

Now there IS a CNC book for CNC beginners. " EASY CNC"  written by David Benson. It is written for a CNC beginner and covers most of the BASICs but is more specific to a different controller.

 http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/bookeasycncbydavidbenson.aspx

(;-) TP

5405

General Mach Discussion / Re: How can I continue g-code tomorrow ?

« on: August 09, 2011, 01:55:21 AM »

Also IF there was really that much interest there would be How To BOOKS out the gazoo. Everywhere you looked you would see books on CNC maching.

Normally IF there is no market there are no books.

(;-) TP

5406

General Mach Discussion / Re: Running back to limit switches with G28

« on: August 09, 2011, 01:44:55 AM »

As long as it works for you(;-). 

IF the machine always loses the same amount independent of file size or whether the spindle is on or off then I don't think it is necessarily your machine. Normally the more you run it the more it looses. AND it should loose SOME on both sides Might want to check your Gcode carefully and make sure you don't have any strange offsets floating around in the machine setup.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

5407

General Mach Discussion / Re: How can I continue g-code tomorrow ?

« on: August 09, 2011, 01:32:02 AM »

That market is not growing as you think it is. People are forever coming and going as they find they do not have what it takes or care to spend the countless hours LEARNING to master the MANY skillsets required to do it as the magazine adds show it.

ON your trucks were you born with the knowledge of how to drive it. (;-) NO you had to learn from "experience". The truck did not come with a "How to drive on the american highway system" manual did it?
But you were willing to PAY the PRICE of having a ready to drive truck engineered for the ease of doing so.

Same with CNC you can BUY a ready made engineered system and be provided with hands on training that can bring you up to full speed on ALL the aspects of Making parts. FOR a price.

BUT if you do not MAKE the effort to LEARN the basics of CAD/Cam/Gcode/Machine operation you wil be limited to just driving it around the block and then parking it not getting anything that you really want to do done.

Then you leave the CNC world. I have been around machines/ncmachines/cncmachine for almost 40 years and have seen generations of wishfull really want to be a CNCer come and go. Most simply because they would not put forth the effort it takes to learn it.

(;-) It is no different than learning to be a professional or hobby musician. Most will tell you all it takes is a lifetime of practice to master it. Simple and easy(;-) so the book says. Not so easy in real life.

(;-) TP

5408

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: G40, G41 and G42 have no effect.

« on: August 08, 2011, 11:52:09 PM »

Also note the the shape of the ROOT will be different. You cannot cut a inside square edge with a round tool. It will always leave a minimum radius the size of the tool. Depending on the application whether this is a problem or not with tooth clearance.

This is the 2.5d method of CNC gear cutting. Some Gear generation programs  may use the 4th axis method to Machine the gears. Check before you buy to make sure it matches the method you have to make the gears.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

5409

General Mach Discussion / Re: How can I continue g-code tomorrow ?

« on: August 08, 2011, 11:05:50 PM »

How well the RFH works is VERY Gcode program dependant. Some ways of writing the code lend to easier interpretation for the RFH. Most of those are VERY large for their function as they are loaded with duplicate modal code that repeats over and over again each line.

Others that are written for efficient coding only have the modal calls where actually needed. OR may run sub routines and parametric values or Macros to complete the PRogram in a manner they need.

SO if I told you exactly HOW I did it it may not work as well for you. In time IF you learn to "READ THE GCODE" it will become apparent when and where it will work well  OR why it won't.

The manuals HAVE to assume some level of understanding on the Operatotrs behalf OR it would be 10"thick and cost $10,000 a copy. (;-) The manuals for the $1,000,000 machine are not much different. Most time worse(;-)

(;-) TP

5410

General Mach Discussion / Re: Transferring Mach setup to a different PC

« on: August 08, 2011, 10:15:31 PM »

What I do is install  Mach3 on the target machine.

then Copy the C:\Mach directory and all its files over to a USB stick and then to the new machine C:\Mach directory.

This ASSUMES you did a standard install to each computer.

Also NOTE that the setting for the LPT port(s) if used will most likely be different and you need to reset Mach to the current computer port address.

(;-) TP