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Author Topic: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?  (Read 3792 times)

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What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« on: March 07, 2013, 09:30:18 PM »
I'm bringing up a Mach3 based lathe and at the point of getting the screen setup the way I want it.

On my Mach3 mill I started with the standard "1024" screen and was able to customize it so that 99% of the time I'm always using just that screen so it was a pretty good starting point.

With the "default" 1024.lset lathe screen I don't feel as good about it as a starting point, it seems pretty far off from what I would like to have.

I'm not very familiar with the "extra" screens available for Mach, is there a different screen that is a better starting point for a lathe?

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2013, 09:57:48 AM »
Lots of nice ones here.  http://www.machsupport.com/screens.php

Also might want to look in the Screen design board in this forum.

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 Hood

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Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2013, 01:10:20 PM »
If you like the standard mill screen then you can use that if you change the file extension to .lset rather than the .set.
You can then use as is or can use one of the screen designers to remove the extra axis DROs etc.
Hood
Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2013, 01:36:51 PM »
Thanks for the suggestions fellas. It "turns" out that a user named Poppabear put a nice functional lathe screen in the Screens forum here, it was exactly what I was after.

Thanks a ton Poppabear, you saved me a lot of time by sharing that screen, I owe you a cold one (or hot one or whatever you like, as long as its not moving).

Hood, I'm also following your suggestion to use Mach version 0.057, I also owe you a cold/hot one for all the Mach support you have provided over the years.

The lathe should be coming to life over the next few days, I'm pretty jacked up, having both a CNC mill and lathe is going to be way cool.

Paul T.

Offline Hood

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Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2013, 02:25:23 PM »
Its not so much you should use 057 but rather I would advise against using 066 or 067, especially for a lathe. Only reason I mentioned 057 is because that is what I use and it has worked well for me, newer ones (up to 066) reportedly are also ok but I have never tried.

CNC lathes are nice, bit scary at first, especially if they are big heavy machines.

Hood
Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2013, 09:59:24 AM »
If you like the standard mill screen then you can use that if you change the file extension to .lset rather than the .set.
DOH!!  I've been doing a little bit of reading about screen mods but as usual one of your bits of advice to someone else switches on the (very dim) lightbulb over my head.  I've gathered up most of the pieces to build a small aux. milling spindle for my lathe and was dreading the screen design process to add the 3rd axis.  Starting with a mill screen should be much easier if not fully functional for my needs, thanks!
Milton from Tennessee ya'll.

Offline RICH

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Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2013, 07:41:46 AM »
Have a look at this thread for a modified lathe screen set. I use version #24 of it. Provides for an A axis and no need to keep going back and forth between
screens.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,23083.msg161867/topicseen.html#msg161867

RICH
« Last Edit: March 10, 2013, 07:48:28 AM by RICH »
Re: What's the best starting point for a Mach3 based lathe?
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2013, 12:14:49 PM »
Thanks a lot Rich.  Lotta good stuff there that'll help me a lot when I get to the point where I can understand it! ;D
Milton from Tennessee ya'll.