Messages

361

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Chiron FZ12 on its way sometime soon(ish)

« on: December 10, 2012, 02:42:24 PM »

What an amazing thing to watch!  Looks like something out of a science fiction movie.

When was it produced originally?

362

General Mach Discussion / Re: Safe version # for Turn?

« on: December 09, 2012, 08:55:38 PM »

Hmmm, went to the old versions page and their isn't an .033 version listed??

363

General Mach Discussion / Re: Safe version # for Turn?

« on: December 09, 2012, 05:51:21 PM »

Thanks Rich, I'll install .033 and go from there.

364

General Mach Discussion / Safe version # for Turn?

« on: December 09, 2012, 05:05:45 PM »

What's the least buggy version of Mach 3 Turn?  Mine is R3.043.022

I've finally got my opto home switches up & working on the ORAC and want to get this thing into a solid configuration.  I'm pretty sure the weird things it's doing are due to my ignorance but I want to make sure I'm starting with as solid a version as possible as I go forward.  What version are you guys using that actually make parts consistently with your lathes?  I'm using a solid PC with a good PP (no external controller.)

365

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Need help wiring my cnc lathe please

« on: December 07, 2012, 01:23:47 PM »

Arturo Duncan is the proprietor/designer of CNC4PC products.  You can email him at aduncanATcnc4pcDOTcom

I have several of his products and am happy with them.  Being an old guy with more mechanical than electronic experience, I have trouble understanding electronic stuff in general and struggled a lot getting the speed control to work.  It wasn't a fault with the product, just my understanding of a couple key points.

There is a yahoo group for CNC4PC products as well so you might be able to join there & get some help.  I feel sure your C6 will do what you need but be careful before powering it up.

366

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: Need help wiring my cnc lathe please

« on: December 07, 2012, 11:54:28 AM »

Hey Mikey,

Looks like nobody here's been there & done what you're asking about...bummer!  Maybe over on CNC Zone somebody has?

The only thing I can add is that with the CNC4PC C11 (has the same speed circuit your C6 does) I installed on my lathe (with KBIC-120 speed control) I had a terrible time understanding Arturo's instuctions.    I killed one KB speed control and vaporized a track on the C11 before realizing I couldn't properly understand the isolation issue with the C11/KB interface.  I had to get a KBSI-240D signal isolator board to put between the C11 and the speed control to get it to work and it works great now.

Have you contacted Arturo via email with your question?  He responded to mine very quickly; I'm just too weak electronically to understand what he was trying to tell me.  ZING! right over my head.

367

General Mach Discussion / Mach 3 T-shirts??

« on: November 25, 2012, 09:11:48 AM »

The T-shirts from my last hobby are getting ratty.  Couple of searches for Mach shirts turned up nothing.

Has nobody ever made up any Mach T-shirts?  If not, it seems like easy money for the good folks at ArtSoft.  A logo with some kind of catchy statement would be easy for those artsy folks that do T-shirts in bulk.  Something like "Control the world of CNC with Mach 3" or whatever.  Then when Mach 4 catches on you have another opportunity.

368

General Mach Discussion / Re: Accuracy of Homing Devices? Pro's and Con's of Different Sensors

« on: November 10, 2012, 09:59:37 AM »

Sorry for the communications gap...not one of my strongest areas.

The opto I chose has onboard electronics that outputs a voltage when it's triggered by the disc slot.  It pulses once per rev of the stepper motor when the axis is moving but the signal doesn't get through to the B.O.B. until the NO microswitch closes near the end of the axis' travel.  At that time the pulse triggers Mach to do its normal homing stop & reversal (I hope.)

I may be wrong but (hopefully) should find out today.  I'm off of work and have all day to play in the shop.  Unfortunately one tiny little wrong move in the shower this morning triggered a back spasm.  I'm waiting for breakfast and a pain pill to stabilize so I can go out to the shop and ignore the "Do not operate machinery" warning on the pill bottle.  Some people have dinner & a movie; I have breakfast and a pain pill.

(I know, I know...I'm fully aware of the dangers of pain pill usage.  I only have to do this every couple months or so.)

369

General Mach Discussion / Re: Accuracy of Homing Devices? Pro's and Con's of Different Sensors

« on: November 09, 2012, 05:40:06 PM »

Maybe I am missing something but is there a reason using this method would be more accurate than just using an opto alone?

I hope it does Hood.  Lotta wasted effort if not.  A "normal" homing opto reads the axis movement directly and would be pretty accurate depending on how good it is I suppose but I want to try it at the stepper to take advantage of the the reduction.

The way I'm looking at it, a lathe's X axis homing should be as perfect and repeatable as possible.  I figured with the ballscrew pitch, the belt reduction and motor/controller's half stepping the resolution should be very good.  The microswitch is adjusted to switch the opto in just before the end of the axis' travel and the opto will switch the B.O.B. then.  

Admittedly, I haven't set up the Mach homing config on any machine yet and there may be a land mine in the software that prevents it but I was thinking this should work OK, yes?

370

General Mach Discussion / Re: C11t BOB wont talk to C41 pwm board... Im new here and to Mach 3... Help???

« on: November 09, 2012, 10:56:18 AM »

I am a C11/KB speed control user but have no idea about your C41/C11T question.  (What does the "T" mean by the way?)  Have you contacted Arturo at CNC4PC?  He normally responds pretty quick although my lack of electronics savvy creates a communications gap.

The only advice I can offer is to be VERY careful with the C11/KB isolation issue mentioned in the manual.  I vaporized a track on my C11 and killed one KBIC-120 controller trying all the different hookups shown in the many C11 manual examples.  I finally got smart and bought a KBSI-240 signal isolator on ebay and installed it per KB's instructions.  It works perfectly now and after fixing the C11 track Mach has precise control of spindle speed from 50 to 1800 rpm.

Good luck and I hope you figure out!