Messages

141

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: Taig Mill, LazyCam, and CADX11 ROCK!

« on: May 15, 2007, 08:44:39 AM »

Thanks, Benny.  First attempt at posting pics on the forum.  Will do a better job next time.  You would not believe the frustration I experienced while trying to upload them.  New tricks, old dogs, etc.

Bob @ BobsShop.  Too pretty a day here.  Going riding instead of making chips.

142

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Taig Mill, LazyCam, and CADX11 ROCK!

« on: May 13, 2007, 06:00:12 PM »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attached are pics of the forward controls I made for the Harley.  The finished parts are layed out for your inspection.  The larger pieces pushed the limits of my small mill.  The stainless steel shafts and large round spacers were made on a friends lathe.  Everything was fabricated except the chrome peg mounts.  These are the first pieces of anything like this I have ever attempted.  Took a while.  Had to learn how to operate a lathe, teach myself how to run the cnc mill, and design with the CADX!! software.

Mach3 and LazyCam were invuable during this process.  CADX11, a free cad program, enabled the artistically challanged design deficient to build something workable.

The design of the after-market forward controls I have been using were (imho) clunky and my goals were to maintain the comfort and funtionality while improving the asthetics.

Prior to taking some basic lathe and mill (not cnc) classes I have never worked with machinist tools or designed anything.  This 67 year old has found the experience to be extremely satisfying.  Guess old dogs can learn a few new tricks

Bob @ BobsShop

143

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: lazycam

« on: April 02, 2007, 08:56:56 PM »

Hi, Houseboater:

If I  read your questin correctly; There are two ways to leave an island.  Easiest is if you have paid for the Pro-version of LazyCam.  Then all you have to do is add an offset and key in different values for depth of cuts.  If you want a lot of space between your outer perimeter and the island, you could then select the pocketing function. 

The other way, and this is the way I have done it before LazyPro. is to draw your dxf with an offset and then select different chains.  It is more difficult to leave a larger area using this metiod.

Hope I understood the question, and that this helps.

Bob @ BobsShop- Back to cutting and polsihing.

144

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: Mach3 Ver. 2.0.060 and NEW LCAM

« on: March 26, 2007, 03:21:57 PM »

Brian,

Can't seem to be able to get the pocket function to cut all the way to the edges.  Am sure it is something I am doing wrong, but have tried all sorts of combinations and keep coming up short.   Please post the settings for a simple 1 inch circular pocket.

Thanks

Bob@BobsShop - He who runs in circles shall be known as a wheel!

145

LazyCam (Beta) / Mach3 Ver. 2.0.060 and NEW LCAM

« on: March 24, 2007, 10:41:33 AM »

I had been thinking of two things (not at once, no multi-tasking for this old chip cutter).  First thought - would be nice to have the ability to have LCAM draw the offsets for me.  Second thought.  I need to put a pocket in this part.

Have been drawing parts with two outlines - one offset for rough cut, another for the finish cut.  Worked, but extra work, and then using Pocket function in Wizrds to produce the pocket code and cuting and pasting the pocket into my major code.  Worked, but again more work.

Just downloaded the latest and greates Mach3 - and paid my $50.00 bucks for new LCAM Pro license.  WOW!!!!  Cleaner, faster parts.   Keep up the good work.  This software just keeps on keeping on.

Bob @ BobsShop - More metal, I need more metal to cut!

146

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I am CYCO, but did I miss the BOAT?

« on: March 16, 2007, 12:05:40 PM »

Cyco,

Not trying to beat a drum for any product over the other, but as I said, CAD X11 works for me, others have said they don'tl prefer to use it.  And, the price was right (free unlimited version).  Their website is - http://www.graytechsoftware.com/.    Documentation is limited and CADX can be quirky, but it appears from your abilities with other packages you would have no problems.  I have had no cad/cam experience and, so far,  have been able to build anything I wanted.

I am using CADX 11, Mach 3 (whatever the latest/greatest version is - I upgrade with every change they make - never know when a new problem they have solved will save me trouble), and cutting on a small TAIG mill.  Largest part cut so far has been about 8 X5.5 with half inch thick 6061 aluminum.

BTW - I just went into your code again.  Your tap program required 3,770 lines of code just to produce the circles.  The circles.tap I sent only required 180 lines.

Good luck.  Would like to see your finished product - when it is finished.

Bob @ BobsShop

147

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I am CYCO, but did I miss the BOAT?

« on: March 16, 2007, 01:33:47 AM »

Cyco,

I did not reproduce your entire file, just the 4 circles.  I drew them in Cadx, exported into a DXF file, then uploaded the dxf into LCAM, and produced the attached code.  As you can see, the code produced arcs or circles, not individual dots.  Don't know if this will help you or not.

Once again.  Good luck

Bob @ BobsShop

148

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I am CYCO, but did I miss the BOAT?

« on: March 16, 2007, 12:32:54 AM »

Cyco,

I downloaded your dxf and tap files.  The tap file produced your TOP with two inner circles, two larger outer circles, and one wavy outter perimeter.  I did a digital run (one line at a time) and the simulation worked fine.  The inner circles ran in a counter-clockwise direction and outer perimeter ran clockwise (climb milling).   The code (all 6,695 lines!!! of it) does not appear to have any curves, but seems to consist of individual dots that make up the entire file.  I don't know what type of software you are using to generate the dxf file, but that seems to be your problem.   I am not a cad-cam expert and cannot offer you much insight on this issue.  I use a free ware program called CADX11 to produce my drawings and dxf files.  Your dxf file seems to overwhelm my CADX program.

Good luck on figuring this one out.

Bob @ BobsShop - Studying the code.  It looks good - Its just so damned long!

149

General Mach Discussion / Re: Should I remove the gallery ?

« on: March 15, 2007, 09:02:41 AM »

I just found the gallery for the first time.  Interesting.

It could be be that the label is misleading since it says "All machinery related..."  Sounds like it could be restricted to machinery related pics and not projects (despite the fact there are projects included).  But, and it is only one shop guy's opinion, it appears to be redundant given we have "Show and Tell," serving the same purpose.  One or the other could be eliminated.  Your choice.

And, I second previous posters' thoughts that the button is so small it could (was in my case) be overlooked.

Bob @ BobsShop - I enjoy looking and watching!

150

LazyCam (Beta) / Re: I am CYCO, but did I miss the BOAT?

« on: March 13, 2007, 11:38:05 PM »

Cyco,  I downloaded your dxf file.  It appears you have 12 unconnected pieces in your drawing.  The top, bottom and sides are continuous, but each of the corners contain two separate pieces that are not connected to the other pieces.  In order to get a continuous cut you will need to connect everything.  LCAM can be quirky, but I have produced some complex pieces that contain continuous runs.  Moving lead-ins is not hard and you can put it about anywhere once the drawing is correct.

I took a stab at redrawing your piece, but it looked like the task was going to take more time than I have this evening.

Good luck

Bob @ BobsShop - Turning off the lights.