Messages

401

General Mach Discussion / Re: router bits

« on: March 23, 2019, 06:59:32 PM »

"no brand" ebay/amazon  two fluted TCT
1. 60deg v-carve bits (1/2" diameter 3/4" diameter or 1" diameter)
2. and most straight TCT bits
Are pretty OK.
(They are easy to make)

I do not have much success with cheap bull nose & spiral bits and precision endmills.

402

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: March 23, 2019, 06:08:41 PM »

In "gcode ripper", after the offset of the probe and the spindle is known, every correction is automatically calculated. So the probe need not be in the spindle but just mounted permanently somewhere on the spindle mount.

403

General Mach Discussion / Re: router bits

« on: March 23, 2019, 05:30:54 PM »

In America start with bits made by
Whiteside USA router bits
https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com
In Australia
I would use Carbitools
You can change to lower cost brands once you know which shape/model dimension suits you.

In principle,
you need to calculate Spindle Speed and Feed Rate and depth of card for your material
by using a calculator say:
https://pub.pages.cba.mit.edu/feed_speeds/
MDF chipload is listed there.
After calculations, always do a test on scraps to confirm the CALCULATION is correct.

You already have excellent dust system (otherwise I would NOT cut/mill MDF).
Upgrade  to a VFD drive so that Spindle speed can also be controlled by S##### in Gcode.
If you use a router then a table of dial position vs estimated RPM is handy but RPM must be preset before running a job.

Reuel

404

Mach3 under Vista / Re: Pause for tool change and Z reset

« on: March 23, 2019, 04:38:40 PM »

Iapologize if this has been answered before but I've only found info that partially answers my query:

I'd like to do the following: create 2 or more toolpaths, join them manually and insert between each toolpath code that would allow me to:
1-pause the machine and stop the spindle
2-Change tool
3-press button assigned to Autotool
4-Continue program clicking Cycle Start restarting spindle

Any ideas how to do that?

Thanks a lot!
Cheers
Sono

Sorry for late reply (I was most of the time away from forum)

1. You have to click CONFIG | GENERAL CONFIG and for TOOL CHANGE select
Stop Spindle. Wait for Cycle Start (see attached).
2. In you go code file add a line for tool change
add e.g
N##  T## M6  (Change to tool number ##. Click cycle-start when ready)

405

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Number of problems with Syil X4 & Mach3 & Mastercam. Help!

« on: March 23, 2019, 04:09:37 AM »

Thank you for the reply!
Can anyone else address some of the other issues?
Thanks,
Bryan

Hello Bryan,
Go to link below and download manual - it already has answers all your setup puzzles.
https://www.peu.net/syil/X4_User_Manual.pdf

All the units in the manual are in mm. BUT YOU should know how to convert to inches since you just need to divide by 25.4.
AFTER your m/c is UP and working to the letter according to the manual (don't change anything YET), then we will discuss with you if you have any further questions/problems.

Reuel

406

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to CNC and built my own CNC but now come the questions

« on: March 23, 2019, 12:35:02 AM »

Good choice for  buying the ESS.
In the "3 little pigs and the big bad wolf" fairy tale, Only one of them got it right from the beginning.

407

General Mach Discussion / Re: New to CNC and built my own CNC but now come the questions

« on: March 22, 2019, 07:07:54 PM »

Hello everyone, I just have to say sorry for any stupid questions I have but am not be able to move forward with my project without some answers from experienced knowledgeable folks. I also must add an apology but from reading through many of your post on your forum that many do not like the China made components which I am guilty of purchasing. My project started from buying some persons DIY plans but found out after building the structure of the CNC that none the components still existed and had to shop for like kind updated parts. The plans always called for a MACH3 USB (only) interface board. The MACH3 support page on installation and setup which I have read twice seems to only talk about setup for parallel port interface breakout boards. This is where my understanding is very limited and questions are about connecting the stepper drivers and limit/home switches.
 My desktop unit I am using that is 2.5 GHZ with WIN10 home.
 Interface board is named BL-UsbMach V2.1 5 Axis.
 3ea DM860A Microstep stepper drivers.
 3ea power supplies.
 3ea Nema 34 Bi-polar motors.
 I have loaded the MACH3 software with no hickups and did the re-boot after intall. After spending a hr trying to find the Driver Test .exe Only to finally read that its not avaiable for ethernet or USB connections.
 The interface board developers send you config docs but many things do not make logical sense like Pin in / Out. They use same pin# for XYZ. I can only get X motor to operate and this is probably my issue but not sure.
 The Limit / Home switches have been wired with 2 switches on each axis of XYZ hooked in series with shielded grounded wires. I again was thinking each set needed to be hooked up on interface board each having there own pin# but after reading seems there is a better way of hooking to interface board.
 I have no need or desire to hookup my spindle motor since it came with separate power and speed control. I just trying to connect XYZ / Limit/Home switches and config the MACH3 software.

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Will add the 2 PDFs that came with interface board, I did not use there MACH3 software though but have downloaded the demo version from ArtSoft website.

Read/download document from
https://www.scribd.com/document/399210224/USB-MACH3-Interface-Board-BL-UsbMACH-V2-1-Instruction

Your controller will need a MACH3 plug-in to work and the pirated MACH3 from China is version 1.96 which will NOT support plug-ins or any OS other but WinXP.
Uninstall Mach3 and delete the whole Mach3 folder, reboot PC and start over with legal MACH3 (DEMO is OK to test first).
Just follow the manual to the letter.
After you machine is running, think of investing is better Ethernet motion controllers like the ESS from Warp9.
My advise - avoid ALL USB motion controllers if you want to do real CNC work.

408

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: March 22, 2019, 06:45:23 PM »

Maybe think of other ways if Diamond bits are very costly
FYI
A small factory in Sydney invested in a 10 feet x 20 feet 5-axis CNC waterjet and was able to replace a hugh CNC DIAMOND circular saw, a huge diamond wheel CNC grinder, 3 SKILLED craftsman using air powered diamond circular saws/grinders.
Business is dealing with large
Marble slabs, Granite slabs, fake granite slaps, terracotta  etc.
5-axis CNC waterjet use just pressurized water + fine sand to cut, chamfer or roundover the cut edges, and can even engrave (which 3-axis waterjets can't).
He even contracted a sign maker opposite his factory to cut metal and plastic signs for them - replacing their CNC routers.
I was there for two weeks when the waterjet was being installed and tuned up.
A small suction (fork) lift and a suction crane load and transport the slabs on/off the CNC waterjet. Little off leveling is automatically compensated by the waterjet auto probes before the g-code actually start cutting.
Computer is embedded industrial Win XP with 3 parallel ports controlling servos and pumps etc. etc.

409

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switches and PWM for laser

« on: March 22, 2019, 03:43:01 PM »

Attached is a doc for BSMCE04V
From the doc, there is a 0-10V analogue output already used (to be used) for VFD spindle.
There is NO MORE PWM output usable for laser
Do you have the 4th Axis?
If not, I think someone in this forum used the output for unused pulse and Dir pins to control a laser.
Search this forum on laser ...

410

Video P*r*o*b*i*n*g / Re: 3d Probing on Granite slabs

« on: March 22, 2019, 09:08:13 AM »

Agree.
"Horses for courses"