Thanks Rich, but your manual is very clear, my friend. I'm doing exactly what you're telling me to do as far as the tool saving but it just doesn't work for some odd reason. I just sat here for a half hour trying different things to get it to save and nothing works. I had a similar problem at one point where if I opened and old LazyCam program project, no tools were saved into the program. Every time I chose an entity or chain, there were no tools or values saved at all. I reinstalled LCam and viola, it worked.

I'm wondering if somehow I'm corrupting the Lcam program or info for the program. I honestly believe it's deeper than just that I'm not following your direction. I'm an idiot but not that much of an idiot as your instructions are pretty straight forward. 

I'll keep biting at it but my little cnc lathe is running now and I suck badly at trying to stitch code together from the wizards. I want to be able to just draw something up in Cad, save it as a dxf, import into a CAM (which friggin one, I haven't a clue!!) and then post to Mach with my custom post processor.

Thanks again,
Dave

You're a real trooper RICH.
I've been tinkering with Vector CAD/CAM. It's pretty deep but it seems to do what you ask it to.
They are to be at the show too. Might get a deal.
RC

Don't know what to say there Dave. I also have just existed out and came back in and magic happened!
As far as which CAM program to use, don't know what to spend my slush fund on yet.
CAM can be real neat and someday that's were all this will lbe. I don't know how many programs I want to spend learning / trying.

RC, Isn't vector a DESKCNC program?

Dave
 Try something easy out of the Wizards like a ball end and just change the code at the end of it so the tool goes to say X0/Z0. Then do another wizard and change or make sure the code starts at x0,z0. before you know it you'll be abale to go in and do more advanced stuff. No matter how you cut it, no matter how good a program is, you will be forced to into learning to what ever level you want to go. i am no code guy in any way or form and can get by with what i have to do.
rICH

Not sure RICH....Here is a link.
http://www.vectorcam.com/vectorindex.html
RC

Yep that's the one. Ron Smith of IMS service is always at Cabin Fever Expo. That program isn't exactly inexpensive $800 and remember following the threads on the IMS forum as it was developing.  Now for $60 a year you may be able to go up to his site and get a few answers should you run into a problem.

RC,
Are you using it or tryinig it out?
RICH

Thanks for the wizard tips, Rich, much appreciated-

Dave

RICH, do you mean FRED Smith ?
I see him frequently on the forum as SUPPORT.
I have the 30 day trial.
They offer a deal for hobby and non production users. I think I saw it in the site somewhere.
Thanks,
RC

RC, I figured out why I can't save tools. Follow this instruction and it should work for you:

-with LCam-Turn open, select roughing tool button.
-choose any tool at all from the drop down menu (lets use "#4 -- UnNamed " tool) but do not try to rename the highlighted text in the drop down menu.
-now fill in your parameters for whatever you want but you do not have to do this to save a tool.
-now in the lower white box where it says "UnNamed", clear it out and put in what name you'd like to give it.
-click the save button and then select and then it will always be in your drop down menu from now on!

My Problem:

I kept trying to change the text in the drop down menu and that's why it kept reverting back to "UnNamed". What kept throwing me was the fact that "#4 -- UnNamed" would be highlighted when selected so I automatically thought it wanted to be renamed.

I was sitting here watching a movie with my wife and a light bulb went on in my head and sure enough that was it.

Yes it's true, I am an idiot-

Dave

Hey Dave, I got that to work as well. Just like you say...and RICH said earlier. Thanks..good on tools now.
What gets me is when I use the very DXF that RICH sent for the 3 ball handle, and duplicate the settings that he used EXACTLY, I get the unrecoverable errors.....or no tool paths....or solid blue and white lines...or dotted white and solid blue...sometimes will clean and convert...won't clean and convert. Like ART said..if you have used CAM programs before and have a good understanding of the processes, you stand a better chance with LCam....but Turn is especially difficult.

I have a feeling that ART will winter well with LTurn. That will be the BEES KNEES when it is done....I'm sure.
Till then, I will just use the wizards for turning.
Anxious to talk to Fred..or Ron at the expo too.
Thanks Dave.
See Ya,
RC

Dave,
Just like in Figure 3, Here's how, easy as 1,2,3,4 . Ok, ........next time I'll put numbers on the figures.
Your not alone as i never paid much attenton to that box. It's the simple things that drive you bonkers!
Having fun yet? 

RC,
yes,I meant Fred. Is Vector intuitive such that you don't have to read 300 pages?
Try a simple one like the one shown in Figure 4. i'll modify this post and attach as I need to get out of here to draw it.
Now you can use a grooving tool, but try and see if it will generate profile cuts not using a grooving tool. I must of tried this one
30 times in Lazycam and gave up,then, magic, it did it!

RICH

modified:FIGURE4.dxf attached