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Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« on: May 19, 2012, 02:09:31 PM »
What am I doing wrong? If I create a drawing, say a rectangle 100mm x 200mm for instance in Autocad, and import it into Mach3 through the File | import DXF | Generate G Code then Done, it works fine other than when I come to execute the G Code, the machine draws a tiny version of the job about the size of a postage stamp.

To my simplistic thinking it is needing to scale things up to a 'Real World' size.....

 
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Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2012, 02:12:40 PM »
First thing is you must be using an ancient version of Mach if you have that Import DXF option as now you would use LazyCAM instead.
Sounds like you may have the units set wrong, possibly in CAD or possibly on the machine, ie one is metric the other imperial.
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2012, 02:30:51 PM »
Mmmm... Need to check that out. Not sure about the version though, it came with my Chinese Wonder (a wonder it's working from the cr@p chinglish manual that it came with) I'm allready having a run-in with the EBay seller expecting me to use pirate copy software, and run a patch on it, so it comes as no suprise that the version I'm using is antique - it's probably been hacked. It says it is a Demo version, but it runs the machine okay with a 1,000 code line limit. (another bone of contention!")

As soon as I am settled up with this little yellow guy, I'll purchase a licenced version - I'm allready in the dog house for spending money, the other half has found the receipt for my machine (800 quid :o )


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Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2012, 02:47:50 PM »
99.99999% of the versions of Mach that come with Chinese machines are pirated licenses so you are not alone, also they are old versions for this very reason.
I would update if I were you as there have been lots of bug fixes, you can just run it in demo mode.
Demo mode will allow you to do most things but there is a 500 line limit, Run From Here doesnt work, Threading in Turn doesnt work and a few other things that I cant remember but it is still very usable for most people.
Pirate licence versions are known to do funny things.

Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2012, 04:36:09 PM »
Hi again and thank you for your reply. I don't know what makes the little yellow bugga's think they can get away with trying to sell kit with hookie software. Bad enough giving me a copy of ArtCam Pro7 and documenting in the User Manual how to apply a Patch on the Sentinel Lock.... :o but giving/selling me a hacked demo version of Mach3 takes the biscuit!

Anyway, I have now downloaded and installed the latest version of Mach3 - Looks different and the Mill seems to be more responsive. Still have my scaling problems but I'm sure it will be much easier to follow with this newer supa-dupa version. 8)
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)
Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2012, 06:43:39 PM »
Still having a hell of a time setting this contraption up. The 'Chinglish' Manual gives me a boatload of settings on the Steps per Scale but it is all in Chinese. Surely I cannot be be the only 'Plonker' in the World who has one of these machines.....  :'(
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

Offline Hood

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Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2012, 03:17:59 AM »
If you attach your xml I will have a look, also a link to the manual for your machine would help.
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2012, 06:16:28 AM »
Thanks once again for your reply...  XML ? Xmas Mailing List?, really !

I'm going to have to have another study of the Mach3 User Guide, but I'll get back to you on that one. 
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)

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Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2012, 06:24:15 AM »
The xml is the config file, it will have the name of the profile you are using and the file extension is .xml
If you open Mach as normal and look lower right you will see the profile name. Look in the main Mach3 folder on your drive for a file with that name and the .xml extension, right click on it and then copy and then past to your desktop (or any other location you like) then right click the copied xml and rename to Buggalugs.xml. You can then use the additional options button on the reply page to browse to the renamed xml and attach.
Hood
Re: Newbie Help Please to another Stupid Question
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2012, 06:34:27 AM »
Wow.. Mr Hood, that was one of those things which was easier done than said ... for a change!
God created Ale to make us all happy ..... 8)