HI
I am Nathan I live in Lancaster Ohio I began building my home cnc about a year ago. I am a diesel mechanic by trade, my father is a retired tool and die maker and in building the two machines I have made he has proven to be invaluable. I got hooked on cnc when I went to a build your cnc website and just couldn't stop looking at it. I have just finished my second cnc machine and I am working out the bugs so I will probably be on here more often.
thank you all for your help.

 
Welcome aboard Nathan tell your dad that there is no such thing as a retired tool maker there is just unpaid ones  CNC is very addictive ,but oh so much fun.

  Dick 

My name is Stefan and I make surfboards for a living.  I just recently,  like a week ago, purchased a three axes machine designed to cut surfboard files.  I had a heck of a time setting up Mach due first to inexperience and second to a ghost that kept mucking with things .  New nothing about gcode until 4 days ago but over the last few days, dealing with issue after issue, I know a little.  Definately get the foundation of the idea and I would agree it is addictive.

Already seen the benefits of this forum.  Very glad it is here !

S 

 
Welcome aboard Stefan thank you for the positive feedback about the general forum,yes its amazing how "THE GHOSTS"seem to pick on the newbies maybe we should work on an exorcism prayer.I could sure use it my self at times 

  Dick

Hi my name is bob ,I have been a hands on old machinist since 1975 worked at America's oldest brewery as a machinist . My shop was driven with one motor and line shafts . worked there for 23 years as amaint machinist , i upgraded the shop over the years had a bridgeport engine lathe surface grinder etc.  now i work in a coal fired power plant as a maint machinist . I always wanted my own mill but was stuck for head room to buy a bridgeport so i finally decided on a bench top cnc , figured i could learn how to use it ! OK i guess my question is what artsoft mach 3 manual will help me step by step to learn and use machine so far i downloaded and printed , mach 3 cnc controller software installation and configuration guide, a user's guide to instalation and operation it is a novakon 145 machine , can someone recommend a step by step learning manual to print out for mach 3 , I GUESS A BEGINNERS USER GUIDE IS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR THANKS BOB B

  Hello everyone my name is mike i live in state of nevada.  Everything to do with a cnc is new to me . I am embarrassed to say that i am starting out knowing nothing about cnc. I own a small lathe and i have played with a mill a few time.   I am 52 years old . i am a master mechanic on minning equipment, and there onboard pc,s  (hitachi)  (cat) etc.  I have done  welding tig, mig. and stick. Owning my own fabricatiion shop specializing in aluminum tig welding, plasma cutters robotics (bugo 2 systems) .
 i have purchased build your own 2x4 but i am stretching the table to 2x8 cnc from build your own cnc with mach3 and cam bam software. i am waiting for the cnc to come and i am almost done with my torsion table.  i truly need all the help i can get.
                                                                     thank you   mike
     

 
Welcome aboard Bob and Mike
 Mike never apologise for saying that you know nothing about any subject and asking for help,It shows the true mark of a man, none of us came into this life knowing everything, although I have meet some that thought they did.
 Bob great to read that you have bought a bench top CNC machine I'm sure that you will have a great time learning,
   but it will not be your last this form of machining is very addictive.
Any questions should be put to the general forum where I know that you will receive all the help you may need
 
 Dick   

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and to the Mach software. I am purchasing my first CNC router (digitalwoodcarver.com) and am slightly intimidated by everything I have to learn. I am computer literate having built my first PC in 1991, but have no experience with CNC. I live in Everett, WA and have been woodworking with hand and power tools for many years. I am very excited about being able to design furniture and do more than 'one-off's. The threads I have read here indicate that the community is friendly and helpful. I look forward to being a Machsupport forum member and contributing what I can.

vicrider

 
Welcome aboard vicrider some of us are intimidated and some are in awe but all of us would never desert our love of CNC, everyone that that joins the forum brings something, you may surprise yourself with what you do know that will help someone else on the general forum

  Dick

Hello All
I'm John (aka johntech), new to cnc. I have an electronic background with 30 years in the workforce and still going.  I have an inexpensive Zen Toolworks 12x12 machine for a starter system, running a TB6560 controller on an old 1.2 ghz processor via the parallel port. I'm working on building a rotary coal dumper for my future "S" gauge train layout. I have been trying to draw up the end pieces to look like the real ones using Google Sketch-up. Not sure how to get my drawing from there to my machine for cutting. I know I need some sort of CAM program to convert it. Still learing about that. I have finally gotten everything setup on my machine so all the axis' are moving in the right directions. I have setup and programmed the Auto Tool Zero button as found in some of the posts here.

I have tried a couple wizards in Mach 3 one worked great the other, CUT CIRCLE by Kiran, did not. Instead of moving to a location and milling a hole, it just started cutting a huge arc. I assumed you enter the X, Y location of the hole, the diameter and depth of the hole, size of the bit and hit START.

I have had several classes in VB 6 programming but none in VB Script. I have been scanning through the forum looking for information to learn more about running the machine I have.

Thanks for any information you can pass along

John