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Author Topic: newbie question - MachTurn parting off and inner taper with wizards  (Read 4321 times)

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Now that the little Taig is completely controlled, my first project is making bushings for pen turning.  These are simple stepped cylinders - small diameter fits inside pen tube and larger diameter is desired barrel thickness.  The stepped diameters are straightforward using the OD wizard but I am struggling with parting off and figuring out how to create the 60 degree taper to fit onto my wood lathe centers.

I was trying to use the groove wizard for parting; the inner taper wizard for the 60 degree taper.  The taper goes in the flat face of the larger bushing end.  It only needs to be 1/4" deep to fit onto the wood lathe dead and live centers.

The groove wizard flat out refused to generate G-code.  The graphic from the inner taper wizard didn't look like the simple cone I was aiming for.

What's the recommended way to generate these operations?

Thank you,   Joe
Okay, figured out how to do the operations without using wizards.  Thank you, Chris (guycalledbathgate) for the code snippet at http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,6023.0.html.  That showed me how to do the parting and I understand what's happening.  The 60 degree taper I can cut using a center drill.

Still... does one of the wizards provide parting capability?  How does one cut a 60 degree cone in the flat face?

Cheers,   Joe

Offline RICH

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If you go to the Mambers Docs you will find a listing of all the Wiazrds with pictures of what they do.
FWIW
RICH

For parting off, just locate the cut off tool and put a G01 X ( distance ) F ( feed rate ) and maybe a G0 to return the tool to were you started. For a simple taper you can do an G01 X (DISTANCE ) Z (DISTANCE )
F ( FEED RATE ) combination move.

RICH
Thank you, Rich. 

I pulled the WIZARDS_LIST_hcir.pdf document.  It covers the mill-related wizards but I don't see the lathe-specific ones.  Is there another lathe-related document I missed?

All the best,   Joe

Offline RICH

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Hmm......Sorry about that, yep just the mill stuff and i didn't include anything for the lathe in the listing.
You basicaly  have only the wizards that come with Mach /Mach turn and a another thread cutting add-in
 is available, also Lazycam ,and Lazyturn which is being developed.
You can use LazyCam Turn, but to post you will need to purchase a license, you can use Lazturn and it will post roughs only, or  use the combination of the two.  There is not a lot of free stuff out there for the lathe that is worth much. The lathe porgrams out there are rather expensive.
Welcome to the learning curve of CNC turning.

RICH
No worries, Rich.  Is the license you mention in addition to the Mach license (already purchased that one)?  I haven't yet tried using LazyCam or LazyTurn though these are on the list.  Most of what I want/need to do is pretty simple at the moment so I'm certain things will come together.  It's just time and effort, right?  ;)

Cheers,   Joe

Offline RICH

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Joe,
Yes you will need to puchase a license for LazyCam. You get a lathe modual in LazyCam.  There is very little documentation and Lazyturn ( which is in developement and maybe will be
Beta released a few months , near future whatever that is ) will replace the LazyCam Turn modual. If you have
a license for LazyCam it will apply for LazyTurn.

My opinion is  Lazyturn will be worth every single penny spent for a license as no other program will touch it come near it, for ease of use, graphics, even as now restricted, and a complete manual on using it will be available. That's my opinion for what it's worth. You can take a look at the current manual in the Members DOCS. I strongly suggest you look and search on your owne and make your owne decision on lathe software.

Yep, if you have the time and effort you can hand code stuff. The lathe can be a pain to hand program, but for some simple stuff the learning will serve you well.
RICH