Messages

271

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

« on: May 14, 2006, 06:18:14 PM »

I used the PDMX spindle sensor at http://www.pmdx.com/SpindleSensors/index.html it uses 5 volts, and is an optical. Found out now, the problem seems to be coming from the sensor itself, no amount of grounded shielding changes it a bit, messed with the index debounce, still no change. If I pull the sensor off the lathe, it goes to zero, if I put anything in the sensor gap, it goes crazy, metallic, shiny, dull, it sends it through the roof, seems like it's got problems of it's own, there is a correct 5 volts to it, and a decent ground back to the parallel port board, and the signal line is shielded, as I said. I'll contact PDMX and find out more there i think.

272

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

« on: May 14, 2006, 02:51:26 PM »

Yeah, it's starting to annoy me a bit, I ran a seperate shielded cable, grounded one end, even ran a shielded cable inside the controller box, and no luck. Wierd though, it sometime works for a short time, exactly right, then goes crazy again, wondered if it's not just noise. Like you say, maybe the best thing is to convert it up to a higher level, low level signal stuff gets noise so easily it seems. But I don't know how to do that.

273

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

« on: May 14, 2006, 02:26:58 PM »

Make stuff? I need to get the spindle index sensor to read right yet, still running in the 4 or 5 hundred thousand rpm range, not at 500 as it should be, so the feed per revolution is a problem and I don't have the confidence with it like that, still need to pay you guys for all your work with the software too...

274

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

« on: May 13, 2006, 02:44:50 PM »

Yes, both are ballscrews, this is a chinese lathe, still made and sold by different companies, this one was from MSC, actually quite a nice lathe as it was.

275

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

« on: May 13, 2006, 01:26:46 AM »

Thought I'd post a couple of pics of my lathe as it is, most of everything is done and working, just now need to machine all the turret toolchanger parts, the wiring and everything is ready for it to bolt on. This lathe uses a 400oz/in stepper driving the X axis through a 2:1 reduction belt, plenty of power there. The Z axis is a 1200oz/in direct drive, it's marginal in power but I still have some drag to deal with yet. Both ballscrews are 5 turns per inch. Uses Gecko 201 drives, 34 volt power supply from a 500VA torodial transformer, PDMX 50 volt AC/DC converter- power conditioner, Cambell breakout board, huge fan cooled gecko heatsinks. Stainless sliding half cover for coolant and chip control makes it really nice and cleanup easy. Computer/ worktable cart is an old Indy car shock dyno cart that was perfect for this use. I still can't believe how much equipment, gears, feedscrews, front apron, threading gearbox and assorted crap I had to ditch off that wasn't needed anymore, you'd think that the ballscrews, steppers and electronics would't be much more, if any, money to manufacture and add for a low cost commercial CNC lathe. And without all that mechanical stuff the thing runs so much quieter now! Been a really fun project but I need to get back on the aircraft stuff...
    Dave.

276

General Mach Discussion / Re: 1st timer...Mach 3 help

« on: May 11, 2006, 09:49:43 PM »

Have you hooked a gecko up to one of the outputs as well as the step and direction connection? Some crossed wiring maybe? Easy to do, I have 30 wires from my electrical box to the lathe and it's quite a job keeping it all in order. Sounds like a relay is being activated or something, I have just this same setup and there is no sound from the board at all, or from any of the electronics.

277

Works in progress / Re: Mach3Turn - 1st 'Beta' release of the SilverBlue Screenset for lathes

« on: May 10, 2006, 10:28:10 PM »

I ran the silverblue screenset tonight again, never got the strange render on the cycle screen again, all was well. Like you just posted, it is a random thing somehow. One thing, the flyout jog screen that pops up on the right side of the screen when you hit shift, it has no background at all, just black, but you don't really use it that much for a lathe, well, at least i haven't used it that much yet....! The whole screen is so nice, I never seem to get tired of looking at it, i'll never be able to go back to a Fanuc screen ever again, even the newest colour one on our new $150k 5 axis lathe, Fanuc should be so lucky!
                        Dave.

278

Works in progress / Re: Mach3Turn - 1st 'Beta' release of the SilverBlue Screenset for lathes

« on: May 10, 2006, 01:21:21 AM »

Very nice screenset. I ran it tonight, only thing I noticed so far is the part graphic in the 'Cycle' screen does not render properly, seems to in all the other screens though. I ran one program and it does everything the old screen did before as far as buttons, etc. Really is a nice upgrade from the original display. Thanks again to you guys!

279

Works in progress / Re: The start of Mach Blue Lathe for those that requested a Lathe Set

« on: May 07, 2006, 01:30:39 AM »

Wow, very nice, very glad you guys could do this, even though you don't have lathes yourselves, thank you very much!
      Dave.

280

General Mach Discussion / Re: Home switch position

« on: May 06, 2006, 01:37:15 AM »

Very nice Brian, thank you for that! The soft limits work great now. I still got spindle feedback going crazy, so I messed with the feedback debounce as well, didn't get anywhere with it, I'll have to shield the spindle indexing sensor then. Thanks again.
                            Dave.