Messages

111

General Mach Discussion / Re: 4th Axis Rotary Table!!!

« on: May 05, 2011, 03:11:16 PM »

Jeff,

What kind of cost am I looking at for the Sherline?  I have about decided to build my own but would be glad to weigh the cost out.  I am toolmaker by trade and have a whole shop at my disposal, but time is money!!!

112

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie Advice on VFD conversion

« on: May 04, 2011, 09:50:21 PM »

Michael,

Not for sure how much help this will be but I will give it a shot.  I bought this vfd on eBay and am currently running it with mach 3.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180515266919&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp3692.m570.l1313%26_nkw%3D180515266919%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
I downloaded the plug-in for it off the Mach 3 forum and used a usb to rs485 adapter to communicate with mach 3.  I have been running it for several months now and have not had any problems.  You need to check your input voltage and make sure that this is the unit you need.  I believe they offer them in different configurations. Also you need to check the out put voltage and make sure that it is the same as your spindle.  I bought mine as set not realizing that the original vfd did not have the communication chip and had to purchase this one.  I hope this helps!!!

113

General Mach Discussion / 4th Axis Rotary Table!!!

« on: May 04, 2011, 09:32:27 PM »

I am getting ready to start putting together a rotary table for my wood router.  I do some fourth axis machining at work and would like to add that capability to my router at home.  I was planning on purchasing a phase II rotary table and retrofitting it with a stepper motor.  My question is:  Have any of you done this and how difficult is it to get set up and going in Mach 3 and is my choice selection the correct one or is there a better option?  My current configuration has two stepper motors slaved together on the Y axis(rack and pinion) and one for the x and z axis.  Any advice and input would be greatly appreciated.

114

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Cad Software!!!

« on: February 09, 2011, 09:30:14 PM »

Guys, I have another question that I could use some input on.  I currently use Alibre CAD/CAM.  I have the expert version of each.  After realizing that Alibre was crippling my cam software(Visual Mill 6.0) by limiting its import options to what Alibre could open I starting looking for alternatives.  Don't get me wrong it works great for most industrial metal working apllications, but not so good for doing art type work on my new router.  I thought I could do at least basic v carving from imported dxf files but the problem elevates when trying to paste the dxf into a part file which you must do to get it in the cam package.  Most of the time if it there is many lines it locks up the computer.  I thought maybe it was my desktop at home so I tried on my workstation at work and pretty much had the same results.  After much debate I went ahead and purchased a bundle which inlcuded v-carve, photo carve, and cut 3-d.(Vectric Software)  I would have liked to  purchase Aspire but it wasn't really in my budget.  So far the software seems really great and I have picked it up fairly quick.  My question is there any programs out there that I can use for creating some 3d relief files that won't break the bank?  Maybe a freeware version that I can use as an interim.  I know that you can purchased 3d models through Vector art and import to give some more creativity but I would rather do all of my own drawing.  After having several thousand dollars tied up in software already I was hoping to get some good input from people already doing this type of work.  The hole art type work is new to me and 3d machining is something I do on a regular basis in metal just not wood.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

115

General Mach Discussion / Re: False limit trip

« on: February 05, 2011, 10:55:45 PM »

Thats the same set up that took care of my problems.  My home switches are set up the same way execept not in a series which basically took care of any potential noise from getting to my bob.  I ran several programs today with no erratic behavior whatsoever and I am using a vfd as well.

116

General Mach Discussion / Re: False limit trip

« on: February 04, 2011, 08:55:57 PM »

I ran into a similar problem when I first started testing my machine.  I was getting limit trigger but couldn't actually seeing it happening on the input screen.  I am not for sure what your set up is but mine were being caused by one of the stepper motors when it was just in the locked postion.(Machine setting idle not moving)  I thought I had a voltage drop causing it but everything checked good.  After pulling my hair out for awhile I pulled the fuses on my stepper motors and then started powering  them up one at a time.  Sure enough it ended up being noise across my limit switch circuit.  I isolated it by running the limit circuit through a relay and then brought the signal wire from the bob across the contacts.  Basically the relay stays pulled in until you break a limit switch.  I don't consider myself an electronics guru but thought the info may be useful.

117

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need Help with Cam Software!!!

« on: February 03, 2011, 07:44:20 PM »

Yeah thats what a fellow co-worker was telling me.  He said it works very similar to Alibre Cam in that aspect.  He told  me what his version cost and I about passed out.  Whats crazy is by the time all this is said and done I will probably have that much or more in several different programs.  Im trying to find a software that I can draw in and then pull into my current cam package.  I'm going to go nuts before this is all done.  My router is complete and I am cutting parts that are basically limited to what I can draw in Alibre.

118

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need Help with Cam Software!!!

« on: February 03, 2011, 04:31:48 PM »

One of my bigger concerns with Vectric software is there is no rest machining.  There is a tutorial that shows how to redefine your vectors then come back with a smaller cutter, but that seems really time consuming.  Maybe wouldn't be so bad once you get use to it.  Alibre cam you basically just pick horizontal re-roughing and change your tool and then it regenerates from the previous roughing path only working where the larger cutter didn't.  Maybe I just need a drawing program that will export out to somehting I can open in Alibre Cam.  Man I wish I would have bought through Mecsoft instead of Alibre.  Oh well thats water under the bridge now and it does work excellent for metalworking.  Any advice on a cad program(woodworking) that I could use in conjunction with Alibre Cam would be great.

119

General Mach Discussion / Re: Need Help with Cam Software!!!

« on: February 02, 2011, 08:03:55 PM »

Some of the files were generated from Artcam from a co-worker.  The original program I had planned on purchasing Visualart,  only export option was a stl.  Used some converters that worked but Alibre was very unstable and laggy due to file size.  I would love to find a program that could generate relief files into something that I could import into Alibre Cam, as I use it everyday at work and there won't be another learning curve.  At this point I am open to suggestions.

120

General Mach Discussion / Need Help with Cam Software!!!

« on: February 02, 2011, 07:47:30 PM »

First of all let me start by saying this is my first post but I have been reading a lot of information posted here.  Thanks to everyones information I have completed building my cnc router and have it up and running without having to post anything new.  Currently I am using Alibre Design Expert and Alibre Cam Expert.  Unfortunately I found out earlier this week that Alibre doesn't import stl files thus making it impossible to open them in the cam window.  My original intent was to purchase Visualart from Mecsoft(already have visual turn and alibre cam) for creating the relief files for woodworking.  That's when I realized that I couldn't import stls.  Visualmill as a stand alone program will open these but since it is integrated in Alibre you are limited to the import options that it has.  I did find an stl import tool from Sycode that does work but the files that I plan to do will so large that it lags the software.  I am leaning towards Vectric Aspire and would like to have some input from people running this program already.  I have downloaded the demo and really like it so far but I know I have only brushed the surface.  One question I have is there a re-rough for 3d roughing?   I use this feature a lot at work with alibre cam as it drastically cuts the program size by only machining areas where the first pass tool was to large to fit in the smaller areas. Those that are using Aspire do you wish you would have went with something else?  I already have several thousand dollars tied up in software and I don't want to make the same mistake twice.  (should have purchased from Mecsoft instead of Alibre)   Any help would be greatly appreciated.