Here's You Sign #98 - Pennsylvania USA

[pblackburn]

I have a lower end graphics card, not a several hundred dollar one in it but not a forty dollar model either so I am thinking it is on the processor end. It is a 1GHz XEON workstation first generation. Don't know if the cores are part of the problem but I highly doubt it as I has seen many posts elsewhere of dual core AMD motherboards. It could be just that style of motherboard. I have 3 other computers lying around so maybe in my time between my projects I can try one. I have MachScreen so I can change my layout to include the toolpath button on the main page. I had to do that to add the spindle control to the Big Tex Blue Probing main page.

[pblackburn]

Danilo,
Was reading up at Yahoo groups on Mach4. It sounds like they are close to Alpha testing but still don't have the parallel port driver quite finished. I was looking at the smooth steppers but will have to wait to see how the first release of Mach4 is. It appears to me that using a smooth stepper is the better option but I don't want to buy the stuff to convert and find that it is not compatible with Mach4.

[pblackburn]

Tom, I found the gremlin....Here he is caught in the act!!!!

[Surfcnc]

Hi Pete

I have seen a video where they are talking about Mach4 and Warp9 are already on board with the new code.
The Alpha build of Mach4 is a complete rewrite of the code still in 32 bit.
The Alpha build test for the talk was using a smoothstepper so it seems the connection between the Artsoft guys and Warp9 will remain intact for the upgrade.

They also made the rather obvious but ominous statement that the parallel port is dying.
Artsoft are readying themselves for the transition away to USB and Ethernet control but even the rewrite of the code itself should give smoother motion they promise.
I get the very clear impression the 'Hobby" release will happen when it happens and not before.
They also indicated that no upgrade path should be expected from Mach3 but some early adopter pricing might be offered.

Danilo - yep that watchdog will time out if you fiddle with the 3D display... everytime !!

Ross

[pblackburn]

Thanks Ross for the information. I figured it would be another purchase as it is a major revision. I saw that Brian was mentioning they were waiting for the OEM's to get onboard and that was the hold up.

The toolpath is definitely the problem cause of my last half a year of headache. I turn it on and start a program....STALL. Turn it off and can run the program at least ten times no problem. Turn it back on and it stalls all axes. Amazing how something you would not suspect is the culprit.

[pblackburn]

Just picked up some white oak and sapele for a table top. Another 'Honey Do' project....the cabinets will never be done.

[pblackburn]

Finally have enough money to purchase components to proceed with A axis indexer side project. Steady it goes.

[pblackburn]

Finished pinch point guarding today. For kids protection and my own.

[pblackburn]

More progress on the 4th Axis


View 1, on Flickr

View 2, on Flickr

[Tom Ayres]

Hey Pete, that looks amazing! Give us a little info, ratios, the sensor, your buddy...you know, the basics.

[pblackburn]

Tom,
It is a work in progress. I used a 6" self centering chuck. Machined the adapter plate and shaft out of steel. Welded, cut and faced the adapter plate and assembled. Total runout in the lathe was 0.0005" Used tapered bearings for the 35mm shaft and uses 3 different types of seals based on the size required. Bearings are loaded to remove play front to rear and packed in high speed bearing grease. The larger blocks are 2"x6"x5.5" that house the bearings. The reduction area is 16:1 using a double reduction of 4:1. The steps per degree should be 88 when and if I ever get it hooked up. The motor is a PK299-F4.5A. With 880 in-oz of torque, I should have 73.3 ft-lb holding torque with the reduction. The proximity switch is for homing the A axis. It is a 24VDC PNP inductive switch with a 4mm range. The finger guard is lexan and the lizard is covering the epoxy patch that I had to make when the saw busted it when making the final trimmings. The lizard came with the Gecko 203V drive from Gecko Drive Products.

My design is for 12" round max. cutting capacity. I will have to modify the crossbearers for this final stage of the implementation process. The center of rotation of the A axis will be the Z zero on the spoilboard. This way I can use the "Use Radius for Feedrate" so Mach will adjust my feedrate automatically instead of turning slowing because it uses degrees per minute and not IPM. I still need to finalize the plans on the removable part of the table. The bedway I am leaning toward 80/20. The Axis will be mounted outside the cut area to give the capability of a full bed length carving. I doubt I would ever need it but I would rather have it and not use it than need it and not have it.

[pblackburn]

Would love to know how to embed youtube videos here, none of the standard wraps seem to work. Here is a link to the testing of the A axis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5olqPYid14E

[pblackburn]

Pics of the simple guarding I posted about the other day


Drive Guarding, on Flickr

Drive Roller Guard, on Flickr

[darren salyer]

That is some impressive work, sir.

[pblackburn]

Originally Posted by darren salyer

That is some impressive work, sir.

Thank you Darren, I love working with anything electro-mechanical that requires designing, assembling, and proving out. I am not so good with wood, too used to working with metal where everything has to be exact. Thanks again for the kind words, they are appreciated.

[pblackburn]

The table top I am making is almost complete. Have to say the without this machine it would have been a bear to do. Using a 0.75"x2.00" bit to surface the edges for gluing. I will post picture when it is complete.

On another note, the gremlins are gone as long as I close their door before starting. Since I have been turning the toolpath preview off, no problems. One time I forgot to shut it off and it did not take long to remember why it should have been.

[Tom Ayres]

Hey Pete, what screenset are you using?

[pblackburn]

A modified screenset. It is Mach Blue Probing by Big Tex. It is located here at http://www.machsupport.com/software/...es/screensets/

I modified the set so the spindle speed was on the main screen using Klaus’ MachScreen and the code for setting z zero only had 6 inches of travel so it was modified also using the button editor.

[timberlinemd]

As to the gremlins, I had a similar experience with the toolpath being shown in my 2010 Mach screenset. If I shut it off the machine would cut properly. After playing with the video card, I changed out the whole computer with a faster processor. I went from 1.2 GHz to 3 GHz. The problem went away. FWIW.

[pblackburn]

Uploaded the tabletop progress to my Flickr account. You can check it out if you wish. Will post the finished picture here when it is done. To get there, click on my username on this post and click on goto pblackburns homepage. It is currently under the CNC Work set. I would post a link but I might move it later and it would create a bad link here.

[pblackburn]

Finished Table Top with tung oil. Now waiting for it to cure. But to cabinets.

[pblackburn]

Finally outside and complete.


Table, on Flickr

[domino11]

Nice Table Pete!

[pblackburn]

Thanks Heath

[bradyaero]

very nice work Pete!!!

[pblackburn]

Thanks Greg

[jessyjames]

Beautiful job once again Pete!

[pblackburn]

Still building my shed for winter storage. Not much time to work with the machine. Rainy days are usually left for prep for the next day however I am at the mercy of the steel roofing supplier so I am in a hold state. Still working on the 4th Axis design. Here is where I am at so far. I purchased a Morse #2 tailstock and have it mounted to it's mounting plate. Have linear bearings but not the 1530 80/20 as of yet. Most all money reserved for 4th axis was used for the shed project. Still looking at alignment dowels and bushings for mounting and removing the 4th axis since it will be mounted just outside the cutting area. Still working out the down draft dust collection for the box.

[pblackburn]

Could not find any models of for Halloween so here is one I made. Maybe some of you can turn it into something great and share it as well.

[pblackburn]

Working on another model. Cut out the tree from a 3dclip posted on Vectric by Jamie Oxenham. I cannot and will not take credit for that. Playing with Blender to create 3d objects to import into Aspire. The house and tombstones where done in Blender. The rest is Aspire. Still learning.