Topics

21

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / NFS Turn Wizard

« on: November 08, 2011, 05:56:15 PM »

I am pleased to announce the Newfangled Solutions NFS Turn package.

NFS turn is a conversational or interactive package. Its aimed at the toolroom kind of lathe work- making things like bolts, bushings, shafts, etc. You choose from a menu of common lathe operations, like turn, face, thread, chamfer, drill,  bore, etc. Each operation presents a simple screen where you fill in the blanks for the operation you want.

A unique feature of NFS turn is the ability to do an immediate operation. When you have filled in the blanks, you have two buttons- "Do IT" and "Add to File". The Do It button will immediately run the operation. Add to File will let you build a complex part composed of many operations.

There is a Youtube video of this wizard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiuQ9dKVzBM

NFS turn operates under the same license as the Mill Addons, so if you already have an NFS license you are good to go. If not see the links above to purchase a license. NFS turn will work in demo mode, but it wont save a file.

To use NFS turn download the zip file, and unzip it into C:\Mach3\Turnaddons

Please post any bugs or questions to this topic of the forum. I also read the Mach Yahpoo group, but I prefer to keep bug issues here on the forum.

EDIT: changed spelling of the title for you Ron

Latest Version
Version 0.08 is now attached.
 
Added a pitch entry on OD Thread for metric users. Both TPI and pitch fields are on the screen- one of them must be 0 (zero)
The threads.txt file no needs a pitch field as the final entry. If you have made a custom threaads.txt file simply add a ',0' to the end
of each line.

Sorry I had to break the thread file, but now it can work for both inch and metric threads

Remember when you unzip the folder the wizard must wind up in Turnaddosn\NFSturn without the version  number

If you have modified your thread table be sure to save it before unziping or you will overwrite your changes

22

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / NEW!! Drill Wizard

« on: October 05, 2011, 11:30:29 AM »

I have developed a new Drill wizard and added it to the Newfangled Suite.

This wizard is useful for one-off drilling jobs, like doing a base casting for a model engine. You have 2 sets of DROs, one for an absolute postion the other for and incremental move. A third set specifies the drill rapid height, depth, plunge rate and peck increment.

If you want to drill a series of holes you first setup the drill parameters. Then if you have an absolute location you fill in the DROs and click the DoIt button. The move occurs. Then you click the Plunge or Peck button and the drill cycle occurs. Next you could move to another absolute position, or move an increment. If you were going to drill a series of holes all spaced the same distance you could do the whole job by alternately clicking the Inc and Plunge button.

The wizard also has the ability to record a file, so you can both do the immediate job and build a Gcode file to re-use. When you click the Start Record button you are prompted for a file name.

The record function will look for a file named GcodeStart.tap and GcodeEnd.tap, which it will inert into the gcode file it builds.

There is a You tube video showing the operation at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzzoybS-QPQ

the code is attached to this file. Just download it, unzip it into the MAch3\Addons folder and you re ready to go.

If you have a Newfangled license you are unlimited, if not it runs in demo mode and gives you a few moves.

Hope you find this useful

Edit, June 13, 2012
V1.03, Fixed screen size to keep reset and exit buttons showing, and ZeroX label

Edit July 2, 2012
V1.04 Removed use of #Expand so that wizards will work with older version of Mach, mostly for Tormach users

23

Machscreen Screen Designer / Image on an Image

« on: April 02, 2011, 02:47:29 PM »

I am working on a new screen set. It has a background image on page 0, obviously to be seen on every page.

In one area I want to place a small image specific to each screen. I created a few jpgs and placed them on the screens.

Two of them work just as expected- the small image appears over the background.

Two others show in Machscreen, but are not visible when Mach runs. All were created the same way, placed in the same way. I tried on one screen placing an image that works fine on another screen, but it wont show.

Any idea what going on? I cant do any layer switch because the images are on different screens.

24

General Mach Discussion / Build a CNC mini Mill

« on: March 01, 2011, 07:30:28 PM »

Ok, the details are mostly worked out and the official announcement is on the HomeShop Machinist web site, see http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=46691

The short version is that we have made a group purchase deal with Little Machine Shop for 10 of their new high torque mini mills, and with CNCfusion for their ballscrew conversion kits. We also have all the electronics, stepper motors, smoothstepper, gecko540 etc and the Mach3 software.

We have limited it to 10 students, and at least 3 are already signed up. You will get the entire kit of parts, registration at the CNC workshop for all 4 days and all events, for less than the street price of the parts. You will only pay for shipping from the workshop to your home- free if you drive to the workshop and take it home with you.

We will have a formal class each day to work on the machine, then you will have time to attend any of the seminars, or visit the exhibits. By the last day your machine will be running, tested, and ready to make parts.

Brian Barker will lead the day on installing and running Mach, maybe you can get an autograph!.

For all the details see the HomeShop web site. There is reasonable hosing, even dorm rooms.
Its in Ann Arbor Michigan, last week in June.

25

Works in progress / A lathe screew with buit in wizards

« on: February 06, 2011, 06:59:18 PM »

I have been working on a lathe screen set for a while. It is based on the idea of wizards on the main screen set.

Someone posted a link to a Haas LT-1 lathe, and my set does all the same stuff.

The top set of panels is the same on every screen. Down the left edge are buttons to change screens, there is a manual screen and run screen and several wizard like function screens, turn, face, taper, thread cut, bore etc.

On each function screen you fill in the blanks to define your part. There are two buttons, one called 'Do it' will immediaetly do the function you just defines. The 'Post' button will add this function to a complete Gcode file.

It works great for common turning jobs, The thread has a built-in table that lets you select a thread from a list, I have all the normal US threads, 1/4-20, 10-32, 8-32 etc defines, but its just a simple file the user can edit to add his favorite threads.

I hd most of this working at the CNC workshop last June. Ive been kind of ignoring it for a while, but if there seems to be interest I will finish it up and release it as a Newfangled wizard.

26

Newfangled Solutions Mach3 Wizards / V2.85 fixed bug in Cut rectangle

« on: November 19, 2010, 03:33:30 PM »

Cut rectangle would go into an infinite loop if you requested a depth per cut greater than the total cut depth.

As usual, unzip this file in the MAch3 folder. You should wind up with a folder under Addons called Newfngled285. You can delete the old Newfangled and remove the 285 from the new name.

The zip file has been moved to the sticky topic at the top of this thread

27

General Mach Discussion / Win a CNC mill at Cabin Fever Expo, Janaury 14, 2011

« on: September 20, 2010, 08:42:04 PM »

For the past few years we have been holding a CNC activity at Cabin Fever Expo. This year we have a seminar with a chance to win a CNC mill

The mill is the 3501 (aka KX1) sold by LittleMachineShop.com They are sponsoring this event, along with Brian Barker of the Mach3 software and Cabin Fever Expo.

We will hold a seminar on Friday, January 14 starting at 1:00. The seminar is called "From Packing Crate to Making Parts" We will open a new 3501 mill, install Mach3 on a PC, make all the configuration setting, test the mill for accuracy and backlash. Then we will setup and run a program to make a part. The seminar will be conducted by Ron Ginger and Brian Barker.

At the end of the seminar a drawing will be held and someone in the seminar will win the Mill and PC. The mill will be on display, making parts for the rest of the weekend show in the Mach3 booth.

The seminar will cost $50, which includes your admission to the entire weekend at Cabin Fever as well as the seminar. We are strictly limiting this to 70 people, so your chance to win over $4000 worth of equipment is good.

To sign up for the seminar see http://www.littlemachineshop.com/3975
For info on Cabin Fever see http://cabinfeverexpo.com/

ron ginger

28

dspMC/IP Motion Controller / VyTech router with dspMC

« on: September 15, 2010, 12:25:07 PM »

I have a request to help convert an old VyTech router, 5x10ft table to use Mach. The router has Copley Controls amplifiers. The amps are not a current part number for Copley, but were an OEM version. I think they are +/- 10v input

Has anyone seen one of these machines?

Would a dspMC be a good choice for running it?

29

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Converting a Harbor Freight 8x12 lathe to CNC

« on: July 14, 2010, 09:02:43 PM »

I have mostly finished converting a Harbor Freight 8x12 lathe to CNC.  So far I am very pleased with the machine.

I have posted a few pages on my web site with details. plsntcov.8m.com/CNClathe/Cnclathe1.html

Here is a photo of the finished machine



Im now finishing up some wizards for turning.

Edit: fixed link

30

PoKeys / Current limits

« on: March 21, 2010, 10:03:08 AM »

Can I use the pokey 3.3v terminal to supply the voltage to a pot for an analog input? How much current can I draw from the 3.3v pin?
Id like to have a couple pots to control feed and spindle speed.

Can I use the 5v line to power an encoder? What current is allowed? I assume this runs into the limit on the USB bus