Is there some way to have the 4th or A axis take inches insted of degrees?  I have 2 programs that I used V-carve to design and Bobcad-cam to convert to A but all it does is change the Y to A but the value is still in inches needless to say that does not get the job done.

Do a search under fourth axis or rotary table as the there are  posts worth reading. They provide specific info for manny different set ups.

Got to go,
RICH

Here is one discussion.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,5281.0.html
Hope this helps!
olf20

Hi
Same thing block pops up, no shuttle or buttons
Dan

Hi, Sawdustman

Post some of your code, Dxf & G-code.

Hears a Test 4 th Axis done in BobCad ver. 23, It has A axis in Deg.'s, The Y axis is 3.1416 tall and "A axis setting"  is set to 1 inch.

Still fooling around with it Hear, Would like to look at your work, What ver of BobCad are you using.

Chip

Hi all,
Here is a thread over at Vectric's forum.
Some very interesting stuff.

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=656

Hope this helps!!
olf20

Is there some way to have the 4th or A axis take inches insted of degrees?  I have 2 programs that I used V-carve to design and Bobcad-cam to convert to A but all it does is change the Y to A but the value is still in inches needless to say that does not get the job done.

Can't you just set the axis up as linear? I guess it would depend on how the code is written, but it may work.

You have to "do the math", but CNC Wrapper does a good job. What I mean by doing the math, is to first create a toolpath for your given project, such as a MeshCAM 3D carving, and open it into Mach3. Navigate to the toolpath window, and READ the Y Extents of the open G code. Next, close the G code file, and import it into CNC Wrapper. The surface circumference of the desired stock must be equal to the Y Extents you just read in Mach3's toolpath window. Follow the instructions in CNC Wrapper on how to do this, but the G code file it outputs can the be loaded into Mach3 and (once you have everything set up in Mach3 for a 4th axis machine) will carve the file onto a cylinder loaded into the 4th axis chuck. Works for me, but I am still learning....