Hello, I have a round slot I made with a ball nose.  I'd like to flatten one end of this slot. so picture a half circle slot and coming to the end (past the end there is some material) if you stuck a flat ended rod into the slot the flat of the rod would meet the flat of the slot (the ball creates a spherical ending if you just use the ball).
So, I thought I could use a really small mill end (1/64th") to accomplish this 'finishing' of the slot's end. I plotted an arc in CAD that followed what would create this flat. It exists in CAD in the proper orientation (X,Y,Z) but when I import it as a .DXF into Mach3, the 'Z' becomes the 'X' on screen.
Without scratching our heads to figure out why it does that, can anyone tell me if I edited the 'X' coordinates to a 'Z" would the arc maintain integrity? I'm sure that's simple to answer but have a little brain clog at the moment. Thanks,Keith

Times like this, I run back to my CAD program and do a quick rotate.  Failing that, I'd load the g-code into either Mach3 or my favorite editor with toolpath sim and look at it there after trying to edit the coordinates.  It should be pretty obvious if you've done the right thing!

Cheers,

BW

Right, should have thought of just editing and looking. I'm good at the 'looking thing'  : )

I'm good at the 'looking thing'  : )

Me too!  Not so much at the editing.  Wherever I can look rather than edit, I like to look.

Sort of like Peter Sellers in the movie, "Being There", LOL.

Cheers,

BW

KEITH,
What version of Mach are you using?
Post the DXF.
You should be able to use one of the wizards to do a box so to speak and cut out the end. Don't know how deep your going but those little 1/64" mills break in a heart beat especialy if there is backlash.
RICH  

Can't do a box because then the integrity of the groove is interupted at the box bottom (I need to go right down to and follow the arc of the groove).
Yeah, I know all about 1/64ths" breaking. I've got it down though. Haven't broke one in a while. (and man are they expensive!)
I'll try and post the DXF soon. Thanks

I gave up on generating it with the .dxf translator. Went in and did surgery on the G-code. Starting point (x,y,z), g19(y,z plane) g02(clockwise interpolation) then the destination of both planes and then center of both planes (j=y, k=z).
Looks good but will have to back it into the channel's end because of that tiny mill end. Scary.-Keith

I'm not aware of any .dxf to g-code option that can handle arcs in the XZ or YZ planes. I've done what you did, is draw the arc in the XY plane, add a G18 or G19, and use find/replace to put the K's in.

Hello freinds: I am a beginer and just learning. Can enyone help me on how can I translate a DXF code that I have downloaded into G code, so Mach3 can start cutting it?

Hello DB,
  If it's not TOO complex, you might be able to use LazyCam.
Post your dxf file over on the LCam board and we can take a look.
Start with very simple basic geometry and work your way up.

Russ