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Author Topic: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?  (Read 68508 times)

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Offline zarzul

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #40 on: February 22, 2007, 09:47:53 AM »
I have some of these for sale, look in the bargain basement.
Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #41 on: March 07, 2007, 06:55:22 PM »
I had already purchased one of the small cams mentioned previously (MicroInnovations) and then Arnie made me a shaft to use with it.  The shaft is really nice - Arnie does nice work.

I did encounter a couple of problems  that I thought might be of concern to someone else using a webcam with Mach 3.  Sometimes the cam would not turn on - that happened both outside of Mach3 and when Mach3 was running.  Other times Mach3 would freeze up after using the cam and I could not do anything.  Lot of trial and errors trying to figure out the cause.   After a lot of thought I stumbled on to the following:

Go into Control Panel and open Internet Options, then go Advanced and scroll down to Security - Look at the "Allow active content to run in files on my computer."  If this item is not checked, check it to make the option active.  I have not had any problems running the cam since I did that.

Although I can use a dial indicator to find center, using the cam is a treat and saves me from having to contort my neck and head trying to see the dial.  I also am learing to jog the computer with a little more precision while using the cam and plan to use it as a visual edge finder while tracing paths in the conversational mode.


Bob @ BobsShop  Next stop - Anyone for eye surgery using the cam, Mach3, and a cnc mill?  ::)  Nah!
Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #42 on: March 14, 2007, 03:53:24 PM »
Hi,

I also bought one of these from Arnie.  The quality of his work is very good!

-James Leonard

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #43 on: March 14, 2007, 04:48:45 PM »
Do tell. ;D Great even.

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!

Offline zarzul

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #44 on: March 16, 2007, 02:09:49 PM »
Hey guys,

Thanks for the positive feed back.  I have sold 9 of these now and have a couple of orders to fill again. 

I find it real interesting to see what everyone is using these for. 

It is interesting when folks share their web pages, lot of them are commercial sites, I go to their sites and look at the type of work they are doing, some pretty neat stuff.

Arnie

Offline Greolt

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #45 on: August 20, 2007, 06:25:36 AM »

I would have liked to purchase one of Arnie's neat mounted cameras but by the

time I convert to our AU dollars and pay postage it was not economic.

So I bought a camera local for $15AUD and made a mounting shaft.

Not as pretty as Arnie's anodized one but will do the trick.

Now to my question, when I have the video window open I can not jog with the keyboard.

I had thought that the best way would be to jog incrementally while watching the video to align the edge or feature.

Am I missing something here?  Do I have a setting wrong that is preventing this?  How do others do it?

Greg

Offline zarzul

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #46 on: August 20, 2007, 09:20:02 AM »
Greg,

It is just a little tricky,  first you open the video window, once it is up and displaying the video, you click on the mach screen,  it can be picky where you click, I usually click on the stop program button, then you are able to jog.

To shutdown the video window, first click on the stop video stream then close the video window.

Hey, how about some pictures of your camera setup?

Arnie

Offline Greolt

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #47 on: August 21, 2007, 06:40:40 AM »
Thanks Arnie

Here is a pic. Not as pretty as yours   :)

This camera's shape did not lend itself easily to mounting like this but it works OK.

Because of the shape I ended up with four set screws instead of three.

The lens barrel was not firm in the body when I screwed it out to focus close,

so when I had it set I then used hot melt glue. That made it firm.

Played around with the "Hole Centre Wizard" by German Bravo.  Works great with the camera.

Aligning an edge or centre punch mark is dead easy.

Greg

Offline zarzul

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Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #48 on: August 21, 2007, 10:02:23 AM »
Greolt,

Hey not too bad !!

It looks like it will work just fine.  I see you had quite the challenge to work with that shape of a camera. 

I lucked out with the camera I used,  it was the first one I bought and it was a breeze to mount, especially compared to the trouble you must of had.

Arnie
Re: anyone know where to get an optical edge finder?
« Reply #49 on: February 17, 2008, 11:11:59 PM »
I find I have to occasionally recenter the camera,  using the adjusting screws I built into the shank.

I picked up one of these units from Attoresearch on Ebay for QUITE a bit more than you are asking. It may have been before you started selling them as theirs was the only purpose built camera I could find at the time. The package from Attoresearch came with some interesting software for stitching images together and measuring things which I guess is really what they are charging for.

In any case...

I was also having to readjust the camera every so often to keep it centered and decided to open it up to find out what was slipping. It turns out the camera board is just floating around in the housing. There's a single screw though the case and board to hold it down at one edge. There aren't really any stops to fix the board in place so any flexing of the case can push the board around. Pushing on the "snapshot" button also causes the board to slide a bit.

As your mount adjusts the camera center externally, perhaps a few well placed dabs of electronics safe silicone would solve the readjustment problem for you.