Salut Norm....

"wondering if you got 3 phase going straight in your shop"....

Your truly a funny guy :D.....cheers mate ;)

not wanting to be funny Bob some old shop have 3 phases .well I guess you would have know .
But want to hear a good one , your nice dust foot skirt wont be any good for you any more.ah ah
I could recycle it if you want,I use same router;);)

Tools size compensation ??
 

Not always obvious how to ask question in regards to what your seeking / hopping for ??...right, or…....right !!
So, hoping this is comprehensible !

Say when your programming a toolpath from a CAM, whatever the one, and say you’re selecting a ½’’ endmill for the cutting of the selected vectors out in the file on your CAM software!
Say, you have more then a few pieces to cut with this ½’’ EM, but, say…while not completed done ( qty wise) you must change End mill since the initial one has dulled !
So fare, nothing irregular to most!!
But here come ( or goes) my question / catch !!
How to go about when you changing tools ( end mill in this case) to new re-sharpened one that is a smaller diam, say, .480 vs .500 new….

Is there a way, in Mach3 ( the controller I’m using) to change tool with some “miracle” tool diam compensation ( or call it different diam) from the NC file ( witch has / had been initially programmed with a 0.500 E.M ) ??

Bottom line, in a nut shell ( or 2 version) to my question is:
Is there a mean ( or way, not to say miracle way !!) when one has a NC file with a tool diam of xxx, and must change tool size to a diff tool diam, to change that directly in the controller ( say Mach3 or CNCC) IE: from end mill .0500 to a replaced EM of 0.480 ( .020” less diam)….with out reprogramming the tool back in the CAM ??

Wishing I’m ….clear @_# !!

Thanks, Robert

G41/G42.
This is how we do it in our shop, where most of our tools have been sharpened, and are all different sizes.

Great Gerry, thanks for your input....
Not playing enough ( practically never) with G-codes, that option your steering me to has never cough my attention !
SUPER...I've learned another new thing ;)!!

LOVE what this machine and all it's surrounding effects, .....fun isn't it ,,,@-#

just a thought.....although, strange to me as none of these "popular" controller offers a "kwik" CRC vs going in the nc file and taper/change this G41 & G42 !!

How it goes......they "must" be a better way :D
Till then, I'll pay with this G41 & G42 :rolleyes:

Thanks Ger, R.

When you use G41/G42, you just need to enter the tool diameter in the tool table, and Mach3 will handle the compensation.

You'll need CAM software that supports G41/G42, and can provide the required lead-in and lead-out moves.

Thks again Gerry,

Great, so basically, right in Mach3, it can be that simple through this "tool table" config !
Problem I'm having this past hr++....is I can't find in this "darn" mach user guide (latest V1.84) how to learn to use this tool table ??

A simple picture example would been so simple from this so called "user manual".
Attachment 16377
Now I remember why this past 10yr I can stand Mach user manual......to me, mostly not user friendly ?....again, must be me @-# !!

As for CAM, I'm mostly using MasterCam or Aspire , so not a problem from what I can understand at this point !!

So in a simple approach, when you say "you just need to enter the tool diameter in the tool table"....may I ask you to show me a simple tool compensation say from 0.500 to new at 0.480" ?....or what page / pages in mach user to learn on this ??

Thks much....

I'll show you this evening when I get home from work.

I was going to refer you to a post on cnczone that Gerry answered. Glad to see he is still here for help.

OK, enter the tool diameter for tool #1 in the tool table, then load this code:

G0 Z0.1000
G0 X4 Y-.5
G42 D1 (Turn on compensation)
G1 X6 Y0 Z-0.2500 F50
G1 X12 F100
G1 Y10
G1 X0
G1 Y0
G1 X7
G1 X8 Y-.5
G40 (Turn off compensation)
G0 Z0.1000
M5
M30

Note that the D1 in the G42 line refers to the diameter of tool #1. D2 = tool 2, and so on.
The white line is the path that the tool actually follows. Play around with the diamter in the tool table and you'll see how the white line moves.
Try diameters of 0.25 and 0.75. (Regen the toolpath after making changes to the tool table)

thanks very much on all your input, much appreciated ;)
Test this out & get back to you
cheers @_#

wow! Ger21!! way to step up.

I was in Kamloops last summer. :)

... you should have come by for a beer!! ;) and that applies to all the rest of you if you are out this way!

One of these days.....I'll treat my self and go to BC...
Then, u bet, I'll knock on ur dore....for that beer....:D

a tribute to Nils (sailfl)
 

A while back, really back, our good friend Nils shared a cad file for reindeers.

Well, after "massaging" the cad file, I managed to scale them ( ++ ), closer to realism size ( center back height at +/- 38")

Attachment 16502

Attachment 16503


Thank you Mate, hope you're all fine & healthy.

Yall enjoy a festive upcoming seasons.....even thought these odd "covid" times.

Merry Christmas, old friend. :)

Salut Robert, j'espère que COVID ne t'affecte pas trop.
Une petite question en passant au sujet de tes reines
( center back height at +/- 38") avec ou sans les roues.
Bonne soirée

Thks Gerry, all the best to you, your family & love ones.

Salut Robert ,sont beau tes élans. Savait tu qu'il avait tous le nez rouge jusqu'a ce que
Rudolph fasse un brake test. I have to go to Sutton in a week or 2 , might stop by.
I am thinking about making an indexer and I need some advices .
Funny how much one forget after 10 years and how the technologie change.
Merry Christmas to you and all Mechmaters

Sorry Norm, but I just not of any source or advice for your indexer project, I never got mine "rolling".
And as far as the Covid red alert period is on, I'm not accepting any visitors :(.

All the best on your future indexer quest and....joyeuse fêtes a toi et tous ceux proches de toi....que santé prévaux ;0)

Robert,

I am sorry I never got back to you. I just forgot.

The raindeer look great. Thank for sharing the pictures.

You have a great shop for the little I saw in your pictures.

I should post my machine on the site that it is for sale. It has been sitting in my garage and it is time for me to move on. It cut a lot of plywood, MDF and acrylic.

Happy Holidays to any one that reads this post.
Please stay safe!
Warm regards,
Nils

Hi Robert,

Reindeer look great. Did you cut them from MDF or plywood?

Hi Robert and all. It's good to hear from you all.

Robert, nice work on the reindeer. Good to see you're still making use of your MechMate.:) Me too.

Robert, like Nils, I'm impressed by the photos of your workshop. Are those vertical tubes heat and air or dust collection, or something else? More pictures of your workshop, if you have the time and inclination, would be appreciated.:D

Hi guys....:cool:

Sorry for this very late reply, for some "odd" reasons, I'm not / did not receives notification of follow up on my thread ?
I've corrected it !!

Anyway, to JOHN :
Thks, note on these "tube" there actually, concrete columns covered with reflective bubble insulation wrap....to support the concrete slab sealing :D
Ya...once with more construction / renovation evolution and some finishing done, I'll post some more photos !

To Clayton :
Those deer's where made for outdoor, so.....defiantly NOT MDF :p
I used "EXTIRA", kinda MDF, but especially made for outdoor architectural or else type work !!
Hope this helps !!

BTW to all others....While back, I PM Mike to please consider increasing the darn old file upload size limitation established way back in the 90s.....and he has yet even reply since :(

Some of you guys would like a DWG file of this, BUT, being just 550mb, Can't upload it !! :o
if Mike could bring this forum up to speed file size sharing ( and time warp it to 2021) , well, this would be so simple VS replying to few direct PM :cool:

Cheers Yall, °_ø !!

Pretty sure you meant kB unless the dwg is loaded with materials, 1/2 a gigabit is extremely large for a dwg with only t-splines on it.

Another option is to use a Dropbox link. I tend to do this with the restrictions of email servers and website upload restrictions. I have a folder on Dropbox for all my shared items and create a shared link. You can use that link to post the file availability for download on the site. Once you have a file uploaded on Dropbox, when you hover over it (on the Dropbox website I do not install the Dropbox tool for the computer, just log on and upload when I need to, I have enough crap programs on my computer as it is) there will be three ... at the right. A single click on that will give you options, choose share and a popup window will appear, choose copy link and then copy the link to share.

By default the link will be a webpage link and anyone viewing it can save from there. See an example of this by clicking this

If you want to make a link that will be download only to make it easier for people overall you only have to parse one section of the shared link from a 0 to a 1. See an example of this by clicking this


It sounds overly complicated but it is really simple. See here.

If you go the Dropbox method I recommend as with anything online to use setup 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) either through email, text or authenticator app to protect your files better.

I hope that helps

Gecks...showing terminal hill signs
 

Hi yall….

Been a…very while since I’ve lurked back around here :rolleyes:
Not my fault…. My B-beast working quite well ( till a cple weeks ago, more on this lower) but mostly all…well.
Allow me to be “frank”….
The forum format isn’t quite up to date, same format since I’ve joined…. Over 15yrs ago !!:eek:

So….
About my beast @!
Well, another gecko drive gave up ( say another….as, this is only my 2nd one from original set up in 2008 !!)
BUT, a 3rd showing some going sings…..heating ( sign of going!? )
Not so bad after all….. I, first, would not thought it would still ( the beast and all) still be kicking !!.... as is, that is, in it “original” format / design as Gerald intended with very minor maintenance thus far !

My coming out isn't because my Gecko....but (kinda !!), made my think what's new ??!!
Curious…. What’s the “latest” trend in motion controllers set up !
Back in my early days, nothing was ( and “remaining“ still...ok !!) couldn’t beat PMDX, Smooth Stepper & Gecko set up.

Remaining with stepped motors, wondering what’s the latest “top-trend” among M-Mate fellows ?
Thinking going with UCCNC…since, funny to some, I’m still with my original motherboard set up ( V-old P4-i motherboard) running on Win95 with ports & pins….scary dinosaur hen !!:eek::D:cool:

But till +/- a month ago ( Gecko 2 out and 3rd heating and → heating motor more then other 3)…. It got me a “yellow” (not red yet) light on :confused:
…..It might be time to change before all….. goes to a silent mode Loll

Well, there it is…. My update.:p

Thanks for any pertinent (to my curious trend quest ) comments
Cheers, Robert

HI Robert - so good to see you back in the thread. I quietly lurk.
The last 2 machines from 2008 still running fine, but haven't found a better low cost solution to the PMDX / smooth stepper / Mach 3/4 combination. With the cost of the drivers from Gecko so affordable, I would just replace early! Cheers!

Robert M, I havnt been on this forum in a while either, a while back I upgraded my 5x9 with clearpath and centroid acorn and love it, my next upgrade is coming very soon, new z slide with 4.5kw tool change spindle

Hi Sean & Mark.....and, sorry for this late reply ( did not receive notifications of these replies ?!...will have / need to adjust my setting :o) ( weird as the notification box is checked ??)
PS...this forum backbone structure should be....well, one should realize this was "ok" 20yrs ago.....NOW....there's lot's better / offered formats !!
My 2cts...:cool:


Sean....thks, it's also nice to read you're still around and....I've always have HI regard of you suggestions. Bear in mind, you're the "father" ( one how as help tremendously) on / for my controller set up.
Bought a Gecko replacement (V203)....but, will still "lurk" around to see what's the mains stream "reliable" thing now ..?!?

Mark, thks... looking forward to see your setup. !
I've purchase to (a few yrs back) a new water cooled spindle....yet to installed :o:eek:.

Although my "BB" still in it's original config as made it's proven reliability (aside minor maintenance and this latest Gacko issue).....may take some time this upcoming "slower season - Winter...) to refresh all !!

Cheers for now....till....soon :cool: