Messages

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Digitizing

« on: August 16, 2019, 02:13:45 PM »

DWS - Thanks again!!!! I installed it and everything works great!

This will save untold hours.

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Digitizing

« on: August 16, 2019, 01:05:26 PM »

Thanks - this works great!

I now need to figure out how to import the file into my CAD.

3

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: Here is a Down and Dirty, quick mcLua commonly used coding guide "no frills"

« on: August 03, 2019, 10:05:32 AM »

Darn - I had been using every excuse in the book not to learn Lua. Now you have gone and done it, you took away my last excuse...  /sarc off/

Thanks - Now I will try to turn my M4 Kia into a M4 Ferrari.

4

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Information needed from experts

« on: August 03, 2019, 09:56:54 AM »

I use V-carve pro. It has both a CAD and a CAM embedded in the program. The thing I REALLY like is how it uses a V-bit to do lettering or graphics. It actually lifts the bit to give you sharp corners. Also, it will calculate how far apart two lines are and how far down a V-bit needs to go to fill in between the lines. The program is more directed at sign makers and such.

5

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 ESS with Spindle and Laser Diode?

« on: August 03, 2019, 09:42:50 AM »

I use the spindle and a laser controller. They share the same PWM port. While I have the capability, I rarely use the laser power control. I many vary the feed speeds to get the desired effect - Slow gives more power / fast gives less.

I have two toggle switches on my machine. One to turn on the spindle and one to turn on the laser. I only turn on the one that I am using at the time. I don't have a reason to have them working in the same program. I use the same profile in M4 for both of these.

I have also rewritten my CAM post processor to take out all of those pesky Z axis moves so it does not defocus my laser while I am running a G code file for the laser.

I love the laser. I purchased one from L-Cheapo - 3W. It is solid state and will cut (thin stuff) or burn (cutting boards etc). I have not bought a gift in quite a while 
They have a new 10W solid state laser that will cut thin stuff. I may have to give myself this for X-mas.

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Digitizing

« on: August 03, 2019, 09:26:06 AM »

Did anyone get a manual digitizing script to work? Some were playing with it https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=35896.msg246530;topicseen#msg246530

I would like to be able to move to a point and then add this to a list of points list.

I use paper templates a lot. Right now I write down the coordinates and then re enter them into my CAD program. I am sure there is an easier way to do this. Perhaps it could be added to the options on the shuttlepro script (ooooo la la).

7

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Offset image in tool path window

« on: March 03, 2017, 04:13:58 PM »

Is there ever a case where you would want to move the offsets without regen-ing the tool path?

Just asking,
P

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Weird. Toolpath changing when loaded to mach4

« on: March 02, 2017, 03:26:57 PM »

Did you try exact stop under the motion control of Mach 4?

9

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Offset image in tool path window

« on: February 27, 2017, 08:05:57 AM »

If you reset your zero point for your work piece after you load your Gcode file the tool paths run will be different than the ones originally caculated by M4. I don't know if this is a bug in M4, but it is not the way I would expect it to operate. The tool paths should probably be recaculated after I reset the zero for the work piece. I am sure it can be fixed with a script for the button...

10

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Weird. Toolpath changing when loaded to mach4

« on: February 26, 2017, 05:25:22 PM »

Most likely you have your machine set to constant velocity instead of exact stop. M4 will round the corners to keep the velocity. You can test this by making several squares and give each one a different velocity. This will allow you to see how M4 rounds the corners to keep the constant velocity. I ramped up the feed rate for each square by 10 ipm to see how it worked on my machine. You can either change the feed rate to something that your configuration of M4 likes better, change your motor settings (e.g., velocity, acceleration), or change M4 to exact stop.

I suggest you play with the settings to see what works best on your machine,
P