Messages

91

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 demo GUI behavior

« on: November 03, 2009, 07:06:08 AM »

I have mach on a W2K PC with 1.4gig Intel P4 and 512mb ram and it runs fine with no problems yet, I did a clean reinstall of W2K though and don't use the network adaptor.

Steve

92

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: more stupid questions bits and end mills.

« on: November 02, 2009, 02:55:37 PM »

I have both a mill and a router. The mill is used for metals and I try to use carbide milling cutters, usually 2 flute.
On the router I cut plastics and wood, on the plastics I use single flute carbide from ITC, they wi resharpen them as well.
On woods I use tipped carbide router bits but make sure they are sharp.

For plastics and wood you'll need to have fast feeds, with a 3mm single flute on cast acryic I cut at around 800mm/min but thats still slow.
Wood I take a little slower but only because my little router would start complaining 

Steve

93

General Mach Discussion / Re: Engraving font

« on: October 23, 2009, 05:04:59 AM »

I've seen a few stick fonts around but almost all the engraving fonts I've seen are for a perticular program, I have Cadlink's signlabs and it comes with their engraving fonts for engravelab and the fonts only work with their programs.
You could also try Deskengrave http://www.deskam.com/deskengrave.html

Steve

94

General Mach Discussion / Re: re: Whats happened to Mach.4 update

« on: October 20, 2009, 04:56:10 AM »

Just checked and my licence is letters and numbers so it must be a serialised one, there is a message at the bottom of the about box that says about getting in touch with artsoft for a peronalised licence if I want one.

I was starting to panic for a moment there

Steve

95

General Mach Discussion / Re: re: Whats happened to Mach.4 update

« on: October 20, 2009, 04:41:01 AM »

I'll have to look at it, but it was bought from Routout CNC (along with some drivers) about 2 years ago for £85, I seem to remember it was about the same as buying direct with exchange rates.
I'll look at it and check.

Steve

96

General Mach Discussion / Re: re: Whats happened to Mach.4 update

« on: October 19, 2009, 04:49:43 PM »

What about people like me who bought from a reseller in the UK, as far as I can see I have a general licence issued by the reseller.

Steve

97

General Mach Discussion / Re: Paralell Port on PCI Card

« on: October 19, 2009, 12:47:49 PM »

What was the PCI card?
It's handy to know of one that's worked for someone.

Steve

98

General Mach Discussion / Re: re: Whats happened to Mach.4 update

« on: October 16, 2009, 10:41:05 AM »

Like Ray I'm not interested in the tool number, I just make sure it's different for each tool used, be it Meshcam, sheetcam or Vcarve Pro.
It's the tool description I look at.
But, A big But, I'm only a hobby user and so most of my jobs don't get repeated in X months time.

I hate Dongles, never ever put Mach on a dongle please.
They break, get lost, get in the way in short I hate them and I currently have 2, Wasatch RIP and Signlabs sign software and they are a pain.

Not too happy about having to activate via a web site but I can understand it, maybe some code to unlock the program that can be published in the event of Artsoft no longer being available for activation?

Steve

99

General Mach Discussion / Re: Homing a machine without limit switches installed

« on: October 09, 2009, 04:57:36 AM »

I have 2 machines.
One is a smallish mill with quite large steppers, this has home switches which are just N/C micro switches wired in series to one pin, works great and is very close on repeatability. I wouldn't want to use any mechanical stops as it'll just damage something or even snap a casting, this thing drove the collet chuck through a clamp and only lost a few thou in steps.

The other is a home built router with out any switches, this one I just home till it stops and then click the ref all, again very repeatable but it runs quite small steppers so not much chance of mechanical damage.

Steve

100

General Mach Discussion / Re: Different speeds on lines and arcs

« on: October 01, 2009, 06:41:21 AM »

that's why I said it but then lloking again he said he's tried it with G02/03 moves.

Aonther one is maybe power supply, does it supply enough to run 2 axis at once?

Steve