Hello,
 My name is Keith and I am setting up a Granite 1340 lathe/mill for a client in Scottsdale. It has been challenging as the machine is a little sloppier than what I have become accustomed to calling a CNC machine. The reason for my opinion is the acme thread lead screws. Anyway - I like the software with one exception - there are no limit switches installed on the machine yet and without fail i have to touch off on the workpiece with an edge finder because something in the software loads unusable values into the DROs. This happens at the end of each run of a program. I have tried to understand what is supposed to be happening in the offset section of the program but there does not appear to be any way to zero everything out. It's like these useless numbers keep leaking back in and messing everything up. How can i keep Mach 3 from digging up mystery numbers and polluting my hard won setup coordinates/ I know that this is probably not the way to introduce myself but - oh - by the way - hello and thanks for the forum.

Another newbi,
 Hello my name is rob and have been using a Techno-isel machine for about 6 years and am still using a dos based controller card.  I would like to change to mach3 but I don't know what cable to use to connect to the printer port. I think I have a scsi connection at the box.  Any advise would be great.  Thanks in advance

Rob

Hello All!!  First timer, here!!  I'm in desperate need of a GIBBSCAM programmer!  atiracing.com  Baltimore, MD USA. Email me at alabadie@atiracing.com if you're interested in learning more!!!

Hello, My name is Bill. 
After a 22 year career in Naval Aviation, I bought a used, poorly fabricated cnc table to make some parts for my many automotive projects.  Wound up making many improvements to the table (live and learn) , upgraded the software, and replaced the computer etc. Used the machine sucessfully for about a year and a half.  Moved cross country and built a new house and shop (myself) took almost 5 years.
Just dug my machine out of mothballs, added a new computer and MachIII.  Learning curve was steep at first, but i have thus far gotten the machine sorted out and operating as it should. I am now trying to learn to use LazyCam to turn my DXF's into g code so I can actually cut something

Wave......

My name is Michael, I'm a wheelchair bound former US Marine. I live in Texas and have built a machine based off of the plans for a Joe 4x4 CNC Hybrid. It has a 4' x 4' cutting area, running Gecko 203v's some 425 oz Nema 23's and a CNC4PC Controller Board. I currently have a Hitachi 2 1/4 router on the machine. I will be making various plaques, yard art, and holiday decorations. Thanks in advance for your help and guidance to this new CNC addict

My name is Ed V. from Whitelaw WI. US.  I'm 68 years old,retired machinist/tool & die maker/engineer. been in this trade since 1962. bought my first machine in the 60s, a 1918 # 2 Kempsmith horizontal mill. I took out the bronze bearings,bored out the casting , and put in all Timkin bearings. It has power feed on all 3 axis. {original} I also have a vertical Gorton Master Mill, which I totally rebuilt. Also an old Hamilton engine lathe-18" X 70".  A made in Taiwan {JET} 15" x 50" lathe which really works great. A Yamazen vertical mill w/ 40 taper which I retro fitted 2 years ago with the Ajax cnc kit.. I am now doing a Ex-cell-o vertical model 602 / w 40 taper with Mach 3 and Gecko 340s and PMDX bob. Mach can do way more than the Ajax, and lots cheaper. ALSO mig and tig welders,plasma cutter, bandsaws, drill press, bead blaster.hyd press, and lots of tooling. collect a lots in almost 50 years. Had to buy a big building just for all my stuff I also used to build custom Harleys.[ had a couple in Easyrider]
 Enjoy this forum, and think its the GREATEST, for any cnc people, A special thanks  to Art and Artsoft for the greatest program ever, and everyone else on this forum for all
there support.









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Hi to all:
I am new to this group but not new to CNC.  I am an old CNC programmer of 20 some years. I am presently building myself a CNC Plasma system.  I will start by asking a basic question.  In Mach3 are there provisions for telling the different axis that one axis has a lead screw that is one inch per revolution and another axis is .200 per revolution?  Or is this operation handled by the motor controller?  I ask these questions because I already have a very nice XY table with ball screws of these pitches.  It will be nice if the difference in pitch can be handled in software rather than hardware (gear reduction).
I am looking forward to getting into the real mechanics of CNC not just programming.  I look forward to hearing from many of you. Thanks Ferrall

Hello. I'm an engineer started life designing hardware then got in to software now doing neither. I built a CNC pcb drill machine over twenty years ago designing and building all the parts including software and stepper drivers etc (good old Qbasic). I started doing some Google searches on CNC machines as I want to convert my Chester 626 mill then hopefully my Chester craftsman lathe. Finding this Mach 3 software and the boards from CNC4PC as well as the drivers from motion control products showed me just how far behind the times my designs were and with them being so reasonably priced it really isn't worth my time and effort to try and redesign all the bits again. Forgot to mention I'm in N Wales UK.

hi all. name is brad
we just got a new tormach pcnc 1100 at work
we make little tiny medical devices
hobbies are model trains,
i find live steam have some fantastic projects to practice on
regards

Hi;
My name is Claude and I live in rural Manitoba, Canada. I was given a cnc that was built but never worked. It was basically complete but was dismantled for transport. It appears  the rails for the x axis are too small and bind under the heavy load of the gantry. I have never worked with cnc but have done a lot of work with steppers. My main hobbies are electronics, computers, phtography and fixing things. I have my ham radio license but now the internet has made that hobby redundant. I am now retired after having spent a lifetime crunching numbers as an auditor.



I am presently building a computer controlled fountain for my wife's flower garden. I still have a little ways to go so I have had to temper my desire to get to the cnc machine.

I have downloaded the Mach 3 software and sort of went over it. Seems the documentation was written in Greek. haha. I have a serial controller so will have to buy a CNC4PC c11g as the cnc came with three gecko drives 210g. My first project will be to use the PWM signal for spindle control and try to use it along with a zero crossing detector to control the router at 110v.

Anyway, I still have to fix the cnc first. Ordered some heavy tubular rails and bearings so will see what gives.