Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Re: upgrade problems

« on: March 10, 2008, 04:08:25 PM »

Thanks for the reply,
I'll look at the tutorials when I get home tonight, but I'm not sure that can take care of my problem.
Everything would be good as is, but I have to load the tool and touch off at each tool change. I don't have a system like the Tormach tool system that locates each tool accurately each time it's loaded.
I'll look at the scripting for the M6 and see whats there, but basically I just want it to update tool and not return to the previous position if I move it. As an aside, even if I start the program over, it still wants to return to where it was before I moved it.

Mark

32

General Mach Discussion / upgrade problems

« on: March 09, 2008, 03:37:21 PM »

I realized yesterday that I hadn't upgraded to the lasest release lockdown, so I downloaded it and applied it to my mill; this is where the fun starts. I had I believe V2.40 previously.
Even though I saved my XML file and reapplied it when I started having problems, I'm still having problems. Somehow an index value of 3000 was applied and the RPMs were way off. It took a couple of hours to find this and correct.
Now my problem is with the tool change. I don't have a tool changer so what I do is: Let the program call for a tool change, bring down the Z and touch off the tool and save tool offset. Then I move the Z up 2" or so, then single block as program moves x & y, starts spindle then moves Z down while applying the offset. It's worked for me for a couple of years. Now, I touch off and save offset, then it goes back to the X&Y where I moved it from and the Z goes to where I set the offset. What has changed?
Enclosed is the screen dump of the config page and my XML file

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limit switch / Spindle start problem

« on: October 30, 2007, 09:01:20 PM »

I have a similar occurrence. When I home my X axis, the mist coolant relay clicks on then off. Not really a problem, but I just wondered, why?   

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: Turnning wizzards

« on: July 17, 2007, 10:31:27 PM »

I've used the boring wizard and it does work. What was the error? What were the parameters you input for the wizard. If you post this info I can try it on my lathe

Mark

35

General Mach Discussion / Re: Status bar and messages

« on: July 05, 2007, 08:47:19 PM »

Try this:
"  "

a line or 2 later
basically a message with no characters. My machine is down now so I can't try it, but I don't see why it won't work

Mark

36

General Mach Discussion / Re: Help with tool change in mach3 turn.

« on: June 17, 2007, 10:32:48 PM »

Instead of using: T1
G43 T1

try this:
T0101

this will use T1 offset#1

Mark

37

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach Lathe questions/problems

« on: June 16, 2007, 07:30:59 PM »

Thank you for the reply Dave. 
I kinda figured it all out myself today. I just locked myself in the garage and tried stuff.
I think my main problem was, I was using the"Part Zero X" and "Part Zero Z" buttons because they seemed to do what I wanted.  Not sure what the difference is between them and the "Touch" buttons, because they both set the DRO to the value in the part zeroing DRO'S. I suspect it works if you're only using one tool, or could this be how to change the G54 offset? Not sure. It's different for sure than what I'm used to, Fanuc controls.
I do have a quick change toolpost, so I want to use this feature.
For some reason, the DRO'S now now set to zero at home with no tool offset active; suspect that maybe I didn't restart Mach after changing the homing values.
Still not sure about sending it home after program is over. I'll experiment.
When I'm all done, I'll post a thread or FAQ about how to do things, because, like I've said, lathe stuff is kinda sparse

Thanks again
Mark

38

General Mach Discussion / Mach Lathe questions/problems

« on: June 15, 2007, 10:26:45 PM »

Hi guys & girls,
Me again. I'm having problems using lathe. I've worked most of the problems out myself, changing my post, but 3 things I still can't figure out. I'm hoping a lathe guru can help me out. I've learned a lot lately about what to do and not do and I'd like to do a FAQ or other posting where all I've learned is in one place. I've seen that lathe is not near as popular as mill and documentation is spotty
So on to the questions:
1st: when I send the axes home, they do not "zero out". I have set everything I can find to make them do that. I set x & z zero at home and no tool (T0) active when starting Mach
2nd: The offsets do not repeat after homing the axes, so if I have a G28.1 at the end of the program, I will need to touch off again; the amount they are off is different than the # on the screen when homed before I set it to zero.
3rd: Is there a way to just send the axes home without "any other" move taking place? G28.1 X0 takes x to X0 at rapid then home at a slower pace, G28 X0 goes to program X zero. On a Fanuc G91 G28 x0 goes straight to X0. , here it didn't do that, but I don't remember exactly what it did. My brain is frazzled.

I'm using the latest version of Mach3
Any help is appreciated

Thanks
Mark

39

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe offsets

« on: June 14, 2007, 10:12:27 PM »

Thanks Chip
Hopefully it will happen

Mark

40

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lathe offsets

« on: June 14, 2007, 09:53:00 AM »

Anybody?