hey another question, and i did figure out how to create curves/circles with all of your help, thanks very much for that

but i have been trying a new project, Brass knuckles (not really gonna make them, just for practice since the whole area is very curvey)

what ive got done so far, is the basic, square outline .. but now when i got back to re-edit and make a curvey outline, i have errors

this is my code so far

G00 G90 X0 Y0
G00 Z 0.125 X4.5 Y-3
G01 Z-0.125 F10.
G01 Y-2.75
X 3.5
G03 X3.5 Y-2.5 R0.5  -- delete this if your going to try, but this is my first attempt at a curve on the Knucks, (dosnt work)
X 4.75
Y -1.25
X 3.75
Y -1
X 2.75
Y -0.625
X 1.75
Y -1.25
X 0.5
Y -2.5
X 1.5
Y -2.75
X 0.5
Y -3
X 4.5


when i insert the code, nothing at all comes up, but when i remove the 1 curve attempt line, the outline shows up fine, is the curve ratio im attempting to big for the small length? or is the curve to small in general?

any assistance to why this wont work or how my code is wrong would be greatly appreciated and an excellent increase in experience for myself

Thanks in advance

the radius can be no smaller then then the arc if that makes sence but it could be larger
the problem with your code here is your not feeding anywhere your machine position is Y-2.75 X 3.5 and then your telling the machine to make a curve from this positon to this position.

hmm i kind of understand what you mean in theory but to do it im not quite sure

is there any chance you or someone could post 1 line of working code? once i see it in relation to this model, i should be able to figure it out


Below is a code i made with a circle curve, i figured it out fine but using the same method, dosnt seem to work, or im missing something

Thanks for any help, really is much appreciated

The reason why it gives you an error, is because after the arc command, you have not given a line move command, and Mach is still looking for arc information in the next line, which happens to be missing. Simply put a G01 in the next line after the arc. I believe what Ian meant in his reply was that you were specifying an arc with the same end points as the start points. This is not the case, though, as you have moved in Y position.

Below is a code i made with a circle curve, i figured it out fine but using the same method, dosnt seem to work, or im missing something

This is what I was talking about in my previous post about a missing error. Your circle is 3 in diameter. Any smaller that a 1.5 radius is impossible. Replace your R0.5 with R1.5 and you will see that nothing has changed.

ah ic ic, i understand now, thanks very much for clairfying that

so im guessing, the particular curve im trying to achieve at that particular point on the knuckles, its gonna be impossible cause the curve is way below the minimum ratio limit


how come 1.5 radius is the smallest radius possible? would you use Lazycam to achieve smaller curves (radius) then 1.5 ?

Thanks again .. sorry for asking so many questions .. just find this interesting and wanna learn as much as i can during spare time

Thanks tho

If you were to draw it in LC or any other software, it would not let you draw a circle with a radius smaller than half the diameter. You can have a radius any size you like, as long as its not under half the diameter of the circle its taken from. It's just not possible, unless of course the universe collapses in on itself and all mathematical laws go out the window. I hate when that happens, i always hafta reset the radio stations in my car.

yes your right Sam sorry wheels my mistake.

ah yes, i understand now the half radius thing, i read it before but it never really clicked in until now

i was assuming i was using inches with each of my codes, hence the 0.125 = 1/8 or 0.25 = 1/4, etc

im guessing there is a section in program to specify mm from cm to inches

so for example .. i assumed using a 0.5 (half inch)distance from an X plot to a Y plot, half of that radius would be 1/8 = 0.125

forgive me if im wrong, which im sure i am, couldnt you use a "X plot Y plot R 0.125" kind of code in this situation?

also, i really do apologise for all the questions, only way to learn is practice/ask ... but .. is the default measurements for Mach3 mm? or where can i see this / change the measurements to inchs

again, thanks again for the time and effort to post, dont mean to be a nusance to anyone, and it really is appreciated

Ty much