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Offline Hood

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2008, 02:30:06 AM »
When you start Mach you will need to reference and because you dont have limits it means you need to jog so the tool is lower left and fully up, you then press Ref All. Once done load your G-Code and you will see the toolpath, now as you have SoftLimits set you can use the display button to show the table view rather than just the part view. You will notice there is now an area outlined the size of your table. As long as the work is within this area you will be ok but you may wish to get it more central by jogging the X and Y  then pressing the zero buttons at the side of their respective DROs, then regen and look again. Once you have that sorted then you move your Z down ntil it touches the top of the work and zero that, you are now set to start :)
Incidentally the Display button presed again witll take the view back to a work view.

Hood

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2008, 04:37:32 PM »
OK still a bit confused as to the axis, x+ should move the table left?
Y+ moves the table out?
Z+ moves up?
So I should bring the table full right and in and the z axis up to set machine coordinates, correct?
Then ref all home?
Then switch to work/program coordinates?
Then jog to where I want to start cutting.
Bring the z axis down to the workpiece.
zero the Z axis there.

Set soft limits on now or before?

Do I ref all home after I switch to program coordinates or not touch that again?

I think I have it in the right order but the machine either tries to ram the small cutting burr into the wood block I am abusing or stops with a soft limit. I know you have all answered this but it's spread over about three posts and for some reason my brain is skipping and I can't get this clear as a step by step process. Watching the video is not much better as he keeps saying Oops I forgot to set that and going back and forth.

Kristin

I know I am so close I am just missing one simple step here in the process.   

Offline Hood

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2008, 04:57:07 PM »
OK still a bit confused as to the axis, x+ should move the table left?
Y+ moves the table out?
Z+ moves up?

It is easiest (for me anyway) to always think of the tool in relation to the work rather than the way the table is going. Having said that yes you are correct, table left and towards you are postive moves as is Z positive is up.


So I should bring the table full right and in and the z axis up to set machine coordinates, correct? Yes thats correct
Then ref all home? Yes
Then switch to work/program coordinates? you dont have to be in machine coords to home, only if you want to check or be in them for any other reason, if you are in machine coords then yes change to work
Then jog to where I want to start cutting.Yes and remember to zero these axis
Bring the z axis down to the workpiece. Yes
zero the Z axis there.Yes

Set soft limits on now or before?  Softlimits can be left enabled at all times, if Mach wont let you then you have them set wrong,

Do I ref all home after I switch to program coordinates or not touch that again? Only time you need to Referece is when you start Mach or if for some reason you have lost position,eg E-Stop or crashed the tool and lost steps


Hood

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2008, 05:00:56 PM »
Hood,

Thanks I am off the the other room with a printout of your answer so I can follow step by step, I let you know in a bit if I had any luck with this. As every computer user knows GIGO.

Kristin

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2008, 05:06:56 PM »
Sucess at last, worked perfect once I got out of the way and sorted out not pressing the wrong buttons when trying to set up!

Back to abuse my bit of 2x4 wood again! :o

Kristn ;D

Offline Hood

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2008, 05:17:43 PM »
LOL
 It will soon become second nature and you wont even need to think about what you are doing :)

Hood

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2008, 07:23:33 PM »
OK when I try to cut a circle with either lazycam generated or using g12 (g12 I .25 f3 for example) I end up with an oval, checked that all the motors are set to the same steps per, I entered this in the midi box and that's what I get?
attached is my current xml file. Oh the cutter returns to the same position so I don't think I am loosing steps, very odd>  :o

Kristin
« Last Edit: August 22, 2008, 07:25:04 PM by Kristin D »

Offline Hood

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2008, 07:34:00 PM »
backlash?

Hood

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2008, 07:56:16 PM »
Hood, good answer, I need to check but since it's all new leadscrews with adjustable nuts, and the oval is like 1.5:1 off I can't really see that as the problem. I cut a .25" radius and its .5 side to side but .375 top to bottom, that has to be way more than backlash. It looks like it's stopping Y movement and just running X across the top and bottom. Looks good on the tool path.

I would think it was loosing steps but I am taking a light cut, slow and the dang tool keeps returning to the same start position. Perplexing.

Kristin

Offline Kristin D

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Re: Basic initial setup question
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2008, 08:08:06 PM »
Acck! it is backlash seems something came loose and I can see the shaft moving in and out before it moves the table :-[
Time to pull it apart and tighten the offending part!
Kristin