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Messages - WRMorrison

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1
General Mach Discussion / Re: point me in the right direction?...
« on: June 03, 2007, 10:35:20 AM »
Thanks for the advice Hood, I'll check out the videos and see if I can find something that helps.  Is there a good place online that I can find an E-stop and other related switches?  If I order the E-stop, I may as well get the other switches and things that I want, and install them all at once.  I'd like for the home positions to be in the middle of the X/Y axis, and have the Z home on an adjustable track of some sort.  How about where to find an MPG wheel?  Lots and lots more reading and searching to do...

-WRM

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General Mach Discussion / Re: point me in the right direction?...
« on: June 02, 2007, 09:46:47 PM »
Alright, I downloaded and installed the Mach3 demo, and I read about half of the 170+ page tutorial.  I understand pretty much everything, until it starts talking about the limit/home switches and setting up the ports/motors for Mach3.  If I had an electrical engineering degree, maybe I wouldn't have such a hard time understanding all of it... :D

Basically, I just want to get this thing up and running some small parts to see if it will do what I want.  Do I absolutely have to add home/limit switches right now?  I'll probably add them at a later date, but for now, I'd like to just machine from an origin on the part.  With these small parts, the tables won't even come close to their limits of travel.

Also, I just don't understand how to set up the inputs/outputs to get everything working.  I don't suppose there's someone here that can tell me exactly what to click?  Like a "Complete Retard's Guide to Mach3?"  (BTW, sorry if that offends anyone, but it's just a joke... :D).

Thanks,
-WRM

ETA:  It would probably help to know the specifics of the hardware that I'm trying to use. 

I'm using this 4 axis kit from stepperworld: http://www.stepperworld.com/FET3dynamo.htm

I just want to know how to assign (what ports/pins) the motors.  I have no limit/home switches at the moment, but I think that I will eventually buy at least homing switches (maybe make the Z axis home switch adjustable for machining different height parts to reduce time in homing that axis?).  Eventually, I would also like to add an E-stop switch and a MPG/feed rate override switch/4 axis switch (similar to older FANUC boards).  Where is the best place online to find all these goodies?  Since I only have one parallel port, I assume that I need to limit my options due to lack of inputs.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: point me in the right direction?...
« on: June 01, 2007, 07:51:57 AM »
Thanks for the reply!  I guess I read the page wrong...I was assuming that the M2 was the free download and M3 the paid version. 

-WRM

4
General Mach Discussion / point me in the right direction?...
« on: May 31, 2007, 11:58:30 PM »
Hello all!

I'm here seeking advice, but first, a bit of background info:

I'm a CNC mill operator (aerospace), and have a little experience writing gcode (but not a lot).  At work, we normally write all programs by hand, as the boss was too cheap to buy CAM software..(until now, we just ordered FeatureCAM, but that's another story).  I've always used manual mills at home for the personal projects, or a bridgeport manual at work, but recently decided to try and convert an X1 to CNC.

So, I've got the mill built, motors installed and everything works, so now for everything else.  What exactly do I need to operate my 3 axis CNC?  I downloaded the trial M2, but haven't had a chance to install it yet.  Once I can see that it will do what I need, I'll probably purchase the M3.  Is this software the only thing I need to go from .dxf to finished part?  For the time being, I'll just be milling 2D (some flat plates with holes...simple stuff).

Is there any other software/extras that I'm going to need that I'm unaware of?  I tried searching, but to no avail...my searching skills are a bit lacking I suppose.

Thanks in advance,
-WRM

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