Messages

211

General Mach Discussion / Re: Spindle Calibration Function?

« on: February 07, 2007, 09:06:34 PM »

Not sure what you have for a spindle sensor, but you might try what I did, here's the page http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=650.10
DaveA

212

General Mach Discussion / Re: Keygrabber question

« on: February 03, 2007, 03:01:17 PM »

Thanks Hood, where do I find the scan codes for each function?

213

General Mach Discussion / Keygrabber question

« on: February 03, 2007, 02:47:53 PM »

I installed a small numerical keypad, 17 keys, on the main door of my CNC lathe. I would like to be able to use this as a jog pad, which it does with the arrow buttons on the keys, and also use it for cycle start, stop, feedhold and coolant on/ off. With the keys on the door I can reach in and actually see the top of the tools when setting Z zero on the material, toolsetting, etc. Anyway, I tried to use keygrabber to set up the other keys for the cycle start, etc, and couldn't figure out how it works. I double clicked on the first line and it asked me to press a key, I do that and it appears on that line as that key. But, the problem is, what next? I clicked on the second text box alongside, then on the screen function I would like to make it emulate, but it doesen't work like that apparently. Thanks to all.
           DaveA

214

General Mach Discussion / Re: Trouble With Program

« on: February 01, 2007, 01:08:58 AM »

Is your part drawn in Mastercam using the world coordinate zero, or is it possibly drawn far away from the world X Y zero that the mill can't travel that far and Mach goes into out of limits?

215

Feature Requests / Re: Lathe roughing

« on: January 30, 2007, 10:07:11 PM »

Thanks Brian, let us know when it is ready for testing and I'll do what I can.
Dave.

216

General Mach Discussion / Re: Computer will not shut down

« on: January 26, 2007, 09:01:42 PM »

I haven't really done anything with keygrabber, just started it up to see so maybe it's waiting to see what key I will choose or something. Just really a problem to close it out. I have the version 1.84********* for lathe if that makes any difference.

217

General Mach Discussion / Re: Computer will not shut down

« on: January 26, 2007, 01:22:17 PM »

I have the same problem, if I start up Keygrabber, I can't shut it down, I have to go to the control panel and shut it off that way, and even then it takes awhile. Bug in keygrabber maybe??

218

Show"N"Tell ( Your Machines) / Re: My new (old) lathe almost complete

« on: January 26, 2007, 12:19:27 PM »

Just for reference, I think a good rule of thumb is that the Z axis on a lathe should have three times the power that the X axis has. Mills often get away with similar motors on at least the X and Y axis, but a lathe has a lot more weight to move around with the whole saddle than it does with just the cross slide. Also, you have a long, heavy ballscrew on the Z axis that you have to accelerate up, but the X axis has a small, short one typically.

219

Feature Requests / Lathe roughing

« on: January 20, 2007, 09:47:03 PM »

I know that the turn wizards are Brian's baby from awhile ago, and they are very nice, I use them a lot. I've talked about this before, but really the one thing missing is a turn wizard that will rough to a non standard profile, that is a profile that isn't comprised of simple radius and chamfer toolpaths. The toolpath would be ideally calculated from a DXF profile, but it could also be generated from a G code text profile if that would make it easier to write. Those with a CNC turning background will recognise this as a G71 canned cycle, which is a non-reentrant cycle. Also of use is a pattern repeat cycle, this moves the profile in the X or Z axis, good for a reentrant type roughing profile. I'll gladly pay for this to be written, within a reasonable amount of course, and might hope that there are others on here that would like to share in costs as well. Any takers?

220

General Mach Discussion / Re: Changing init line

« on: January 07, 2007, 08:25:42 PM »

Not sure I should upgrade Mach as it's a lathe and read on here somewhere that 1.84 was best for lathe use. The lathe software hasn't gotten an upgrade for awhile I guess.. I'll keep looking for it, thanks.