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New to everything, and a big question
« on: May 03, 2006, 03:13:26 PM »
Hello everyone,

I wanted to introduce myself on here.  I am a current university student and have been running a small business for the past couple years.  Last week I purchased a new TAIG cnc machine with the Xylotex board (4 axis).  I make and sell pewter pendants.

I am using solidworks 2004 to design, exporting to MeshCAM, then to Mach3.  So far, I am great at solidworks...but after that I'm lost.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about my setup in Mach3.  Does anyone have their machine set for a Taig with the Xylotex board, and I could just copy your settings file?

Since I am so new to this, is there anything I can do to break the machine while playing with it?  Anyway, I hope to participate a lot on here as I begin to learn this exciting new hobby. 

Thanks in advance,

-CG
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2006, 02:12:09 AM »
Did you get your mill up and running?  I'm in the same boat and learning more every day.  I just received a taig CNC ready mill with the 4 axis zylotex board and am figuring out how to set this up as I go.  So far, I've got the motors turning but at what feed rate, etc... not sure yet.  I'd be interested in hearing how you got it going!  Thanks, Keith
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2006, 04:37:40 AM »
CG & Keith,  Hello.  I don't have any answers for your questions.  I am not a CNC expert but I got my K2 about 10 months ago and just started feeling comfortable after about 6 months.  I learned by asking questions in the forums and just playing around until I learned enough to create some things.  Just keep at it and you'll figure it out.
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2006, 12:13:47 AM »
Hey in the same boat, and would love for Mach, or Zylotex to have an xml/set up file for Taig and Zylotex controller, or some one who has already done it to make it available. I have found that the very smart folks who produce these products forget that we newbs need everthing spelled out in sometimes not so technical jargon. At least in the beginning!
I can't get the motors to turn, and have no clue what is wrong. I just keep going over everthing and trying, but no luck.
Any info that u guys find out on this set up please post here.
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2006, 02:46:44 AM »
VanGogo - Have you looked at the video tutorials on setting up the software?  Check them out at this link: http://www.machsupport.com/videos.htm  -  Very helpful!
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2006, 02:33:47 PM »
Hi all, I am seeing a lot of posts from Newbies struggling with machine/software set ups.
As a newbie to Mach myself I understand your frustrations. My advantage is I have 30+
years experience in machining and cnc programming so I have managed to get everything
working by reading between the lines (experience). I suggest to you all that you look through the tutorials
section, particullary the video section of this forum.
 Seems as though this forum is mainly being watched and replies posted by those I would call experts with Mach.
They tend to forget what it was like to be a newbie themselves as they seem to be so deeply envolved with
the computer aspects of "tricking things up". In other words it would be great to see an expert or two
reply to some of these newbie questions in a slower, from square one, teaching type, manner.
To the Newbie a suggestion I have is contacting a ebay seller that goes by "Deepgroove1" for
your Taig/Xylotex/Mach set up questions. Quite some time ago I contacted him and he was very helpful
even though I had not purchased any thing from him. He is quite knowlegeable on Mach/ Xylotex / Taig
set ups. The only way I know of to contact him is through one of his listings. This is a current
ebay listing item #160026946378.
Thanks for listening.
Al
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2006, 07:31:56 PM »
Thanks for the answers and help.
Yes I watched all the tutorials,read everything etc.

I now have motion!!!!!!   it was the Estop (needed to be active low instead of off since I don't have one), and setting pins to port1 which wasn't done. Info that would have been great to know before wasting an hour or 2 trying to figure it out.

Now on to setting up the motors' speed etc. Pretty sure I'll need some help there too. lol

As I have questions/problems I will post them here and hopefully the answers as to help others in the same situation.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Xylotex/files/  this has an xml file and set up info for Xylotex/Taig/Mach, but don't think I would use his set up (it is for 3 axis board) might help with your set up to look at it. His info doc is in word97 and the pics will not translate to newer format, but every little but helps.

Still glad to get any info on motor tuning settings. x y and z sizes for soft limits etc.
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2006, 07:34:46 PM »
Allan, thanks for the deepgroove info, hate to bother him, but if I get really stuck I will not hesitate.
Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2007, 11:43:59 AM »
What is an xml file and how do you load it into the program?
I am very new at this.

Thanks for the answers and help.
Yes I watched all the tutorials,read everything etc.

I now have motion!!!!!! it was the Estop (needed to be active low instead of off since I don't have one), and setting pins to port1 which wasn't done. Info that would have been great to know before wasting an hour or 2 trying to figure it out.

Now on to setting up the motors' speed etc. Pretty sure I'll need some help there too. lol

As I have questions/problems I will post them here and hopefully the answers as to help others in the same situation.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Xylotex/files/ this has an xml file and set up info for Xylotex/Taig/Mach, but don't think I would use his set up (it is for 3 axis board) might help with your set up to look at it. His info doc is in word97 and the pics will not translate to newer format, but every little but helps.

Still glad to get any info on motor tuning settings. x y and z sizes for soft limits etc.
"Gravity, its not just a good idea its the law"

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Re: New to everything, and a big question
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2007, 01:02:32 PM »
An XML file is a file that stores all of your settings for a Mach profile. You can drag a xml file into your c:/Mach3 folder and then go to your mach loader and open that profile.

Brett
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