Messages

1081

General Mach Discussion / Re: Digitizing

« on: May 29, 2007, 02:12:29 PM »

The old Brown and Sharpe CMM I have has a 19.1mm (?) dia. refernece sphere that you use to calibrate the probe before measuring.  Perhaps something similar could be done with Mach? 

1082

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 25, 2007, 01:35:42 PM »

Got a quick reply from Floyd Automatic: Thank you for the enquiry, unfortunately our quick change system is only available with ESX20 or ESX25 taper so it is too big for your spindle.

So that's ano go for my mill at least.  Did some more web surfing this mornign and found this: http://www.hightechsystemsllc.com/index_files/Page2045.htm.  Which is pretty interesting and low cost.  It is made to thread directly to a Sherline spindle but they do have an adapter that you install in the exisisting chuck, http://www.hightechsystemsllc.com/index_files/Page993.htm, and then the quick change threads onto the adapter.  And it uses the same collets the my machine surrently does.  There are some videos on their website.  I called them this morning and found out that the quick change comes with three tool holders.  Anyhow, it looks it might work for our purposes.

I also adjusted the voltage reference for the X and Y drivers (OEM) as they were a bit low.  Now I am happily traversing at 21 IPM!  A pretty good increase from 15 IPM.

I'll report back after I recieve teh quick change listed above adn let you guys know how it works out.

1083

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 24, 2007, 05:14:18 PM »

I did a more extensive search today for quick change tooling for an ESX16 taper and it looks like Floyd Automatic is about it.  I have emailed them to see if they have something that will work with the Dyna 2400.  The good news is that the ESX16 collet seem to be somewhat popular in the jewlery making industry so at least collets should be easy to get.  I'll post details when I get them.

On another note, I just noticed that the stock Dyna 2400 stepper drivers have a programming jumper to select the axis and a voltage reference to set for current adjustment.  The Z-driver has seperate adjustments for UP and DOWN, with DOWN being only about 85% of up.  The UP current limit is also 20% or so hiegher than X or Y (according to the chart on control box cover).  My X and Y drivers are currently switched, so I guess I will switch them back (I think direction is the only thing diffrent but I dont know) and check the current limits to see if I can then get a little more out of them.

Here is a cell phone picture of the first thing we cut with Mach III.  I screwed up the tool change the finsh pass didn't do much, but it proved that Mach and the machine work.

1084

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 23, 2007, 08:14:50 PM »

Thanks Hood, that last link nailed it I think.  I feel silly now for asking as I guess I should have assumed that maybe the ESX16 meant something.  Anyhow, thanks again, have to see how to get these in the US now.

1085

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 23, 2007, 05:25:40 PM »

I guess that would have made sense 

1086

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 23, 2007, 04:59:36 PM »

I got the old Dyna tuned in pretty well but I had to back the rapid down to 15 IPM to avoid lost steps.  I think that's as good as the stock drivers/steppers will do, though I have a hunch that new drivers would work wonders.  The backlash in both X and Y stinks at 0.002" but any more tweaking on the anti-backlash nut stalls the axis.   I ran a 30,000+ line program today (took 2+ hours) and all went well other than me futzing up the tool change (wrong Z offset) so the finish pass left a lot to be desired.  But, heck is was just wax after all.

 Now that it is running good I would like to get some new tool holders; called Dyna today and they can only get the 1/4" shank (guess I could bore it out) for $85 and the 'quick change nut' is $70.  Does anyone know whay type of tool holder these machiens use?  There is a measured drawing in the manual but it does not state if it is a standard taper or not.

Thanks,

Jeff

1087

Competitions / Re: ******Guess and win a G100 Grex******

« on: May 21, 2007, 03:13:50 PM »

I guess 2,715,371 or for the Europeans 2.715.371  , as it is the first prime number I thought of between 2 and 3 million

1088

General Mach Discussion / Re: MAXNC 10 OL (not another MAXNC Questoin)!

« on: May 21, 2007, 09:19:24 AM »

First, did you do a driver test?  Second, laptops can really stink when it comes to running Mach as all the power control goodies constanly futz with teh processor speed, etc.  Do a search for "How to run Mach from a laptop".  It includeds a link to a 'RightMark" CPU utility which will keep the processor from slowing down.  Also, look at the "Optimization for XP" document on the download page.  I found that "qt.exe" was really eating-my-lunch and causing hiccups in Mach.

1089

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 17, 2007, 10:18:21 AM »

Thanks Brian!  Changed teh code as you suggested and now all is fine.  The Digispeed looks great, a very flexible product indeed, I like how they keep the manual pot as a spped override of sorts.  I guess first I will have to see what voltage reference range the built in spindle driver board on the Dyna uses and go from there.

1090

General Mach Discussion / Re: It's Alive! (El Cheapo Dyna 2400 Mach III conversion)

« on: May 16, 2007, 05:33:17 PM »

Try GetOEMLED(23) = false it is not a user led

Doh!  Thanks, I'll give that a go in the AM.  I spent a good part of the day ripping apart the X and Y axis and cleaning things up.  Plan to get Z done tomorrow.  I spent some time today looking for a refernece design (other than a RC network) for an PWM to voltage converter.  I always like to see what others have tried before designing my own.  Anyone know of one on teh web?

Thanks!