Messages

391

General Mach Discussion / Re: NEW Mach forum subject

« on: May 29, 2010, 11:07:36 AM »

Well, personally I would not object to the idea, nor would I be in favor of it, either. Right now, we don't have dedicated sections to specific machines. This helps keep most of the information localized to a single section. Plasma machines are pretty similar to mill. Yes, they have differences, but they do have allot in common, and information pertaining to one usually can benefit users of the other. Once you spread out topics across child boards, information gets harder and harder to find. It can really really REALLY be a pain to even search for the correct board to go to post questions or seek answers to a problem. A fine example of this is CNC zone. It's a massive forum with a treasure trove of information just waiting to be discovered. The problem is, actually discovering it. If your not familiar with the zone, it takes forever to find the correct forum, and even then an answer to a question is often found in a totally unrelated section, or multiple post across multiple forum sections. A prime example of the difficulties of having a forum with to many choices..is this very post here. Yep, this post is in the incorrect forum section. It belongs in the "Support" section, sub-section "Forum suggestions and report forum problems." Actually if you go there and read down the list of topics, you will see that 80-90% of them do not even pertain to forum problems and suggestions. It's really no big deal now, but when you start branching out further and further, it can be a real nightmare for forum administrators trying to keep the place neat and tidy, AND to the average user trying to find answers in the correct place. Most of the users here are not computer wizards, and simply want a painless experience when they visit. Sometimes having "not enough" is better than having "to much".
I'm not trying to bash your idea in the ground, I'm just stating a different view. We do appreciate input from our users, and it is a pretty rare occasion to actually have suggestions. Thanks for speaking up, BR549. It has not fallen upon deaf ears.

392

General Mach Discussion / Re: Newbie gonna try to make one

« on: May 29, 2010, 09:46:55 AM »

Best of luck! We look forward to seeing your progress.

393

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Some New Gifts of Silver

« on: May 21, 2010, 10:56:38 PM »

Those look great Dave, I'm sure they will please. Congrats on the 21st. Thanks for sharing your work with us!

394

G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: 3d cam

« on: May 18, 2010, 06:18:25 PM »

GMax is a polygonal modeling program. It is a watered down version of 3DStudiomax. 3DSmax is used mainly for the film industry. Generally, most cad programs that are used for machining, are nurbs based (curves), not polygonal (segmented lines).
You can use "CNC Toolkit" with gmax to produce code for whatever you design. I believe it is a free program. The website is http://www.cnc-toolkit.com/. It has been several years since I messed with the program, so I can't really give you an accurate description.

My magic 8-Ball says that it foresees a high learning curve in your future with gmax. 
Best of luck!

395

Tangent Corner / Re: Welding a motor mount

« on: May 18, 2010, 05:54:33 PM »

I too agree with Tweak. If somebody put the welder ground on the shaft when they welded it, then the bearings will most likely be damaged. I wouldn't think replacement bearings would be all that expensive, but installing them might be a PITA. It's a shame to see a Baldor motor done that way. They are indeed quality motors......which makes you wonder why its new and for sale in the first place. They might just be trying to recover what they can from the cost of it. I would suspect shipping charges alone might be a deal breaker. What a pity.

396

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Gertrude Gets Some!

« on: May 13, 2010, 05:52:55 PM »

Hehe....stash rings. I'm afraid the 80's coke craze already beat ya to that one, so much for the "new" line. Besides...I'm sure the clientele would not be nearly as pleasing to deal with.
Looking forward to the video, Chris. Nice job as usual.

397

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: The Laser Project.

« on: May 12, 2010, 05:45:26 PM »

I have no educated idea really, but I'll throw an uneducated one out there... Ink the first pass in with black, as white reflects a good deal of the laser light on the second pass. I think Barry had a good idea with etching. Never tried to eat away an eggshell with vinegar, but it does make sense, as that's how coloring eggs for Easter works, I'm assuming.
I think they'll slice your brain up for examination upon your demise, Tweakie. It sure works in mysterious ways.

398

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: 2nd Build - Steel Tube, Gantry Style, Mill / Router

« on: May 10, 2010, 04:04:56 PM »

Allen Bradley

399

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: 2nd Build - Steel Tube, Gantry Style, Mill / Router

« on: May 09, 2010, 09:41:47 PM »

Anyone have any pointers on laying out the electronics in a enclosure to keep it neat and help prevent emf noise?

I've done a bit of wiring in my time, but haven't really had to be concerned with EMF. The box itself should do the trick, I would think, as long as it's grounded. Generally, when I wired up enclosures, we tried to maintain 20% free space for upgrades/additional components. Personally, If I were to do one for myself, I would leave even more than that.There's always something you will find a need for. Relays, PLC, more inputs, more outputs, switches, indicators.... the list goes on. Space becomes a premium real quick. It looks a bit cramped already, so you may find yourself with an additional box in the future, or rewiring the whole thing in a bigger box if you do many additions. Small zip ties can help keep bundles of wire tight and neat. It looks like your moving right along though. Keep posting pics as you go, and thanks for sharing.

Here's a pic of the last enclosure I done. With the type of terminal blocks we used, we were far from 20% free. As the project progressed, I had to cram in a Danfoss VFD, an electrical outlet, more relays, and TONS more wire that came in and went out to all the components. The box is about 5 feet tall. As you stated....

Looks so neat without the wiring.

How true indeed!!
 Remember, too much space is always better than to little.

400

Others / Circle holes constants chart

« on: May 01, 2010, 08:40:37 PM »

Here's a handy dandy chart that gives evenly spaced hole locations around a circle. It's came in handy several times on the shop floor, especially when you don't have time to sketch something out on the computer, or don't have access to one. The PDF file is clear and can give a good print resolution, unlike the small photo.