[J S Machine]

i took delivery of my machine yesterday and i have gotten it 95% set up. There are a few things I'm not sure what to do with though. I have a roll of what looks like double sided tape, and also the long stainless tray thing that looks like it goes near the front of the table possibly. Also have 4 stainless screws that look like they may go to it.

I'm going to level the machine using a precision Starrett level, but not until I get the Z up off of the table. I guess that will be in the next few days after I get the PC and all hooked up and running.

The plug is one of the weird ones that have one blade turned 90*. i guess I need to run and get a wall outlet designed for that? I was thinking I could just cut that off and put on a normal plug end, but I'm sure this would void the warranty.

[wtopace]

i took delivery of my machine yesterday and i have gotten it 95% set up. There are a few things I'm not sure what to do with though. I have a roll of what looks like double sided tape, and also the long stainless tray thing that looks like it goes near the front of the table possibly. Also have 4 stainless screws that look like they may go to it.

I'm going to level the machine using a precision Starrett level, but not until I get the Z up off of the table. I guess that will be in the next few days after I get the PC and all hooked up and running.

The plug is one of the weird ones that have one blade turned 90*. i guess I need to run and get a wall outlet designed for that? I was thinking I could just cut that off and put on a normal plug end, but I'm sure this would void the warranty.

The "weird 90* plug" you are talking about is a 20A plug. The "normal plug end" is a 15A plug. If you swap these out, you'll likely blow your breaker over and over until you get ultra frustrated =) You also cannot just change the outlet from a 15A to a 20A, the romex wire in the wall will need to be certified to 20A (normally yellow casing). You might want to hire an electrician to help get you up and running if you aren't familiar with this stuff.

15A on the far left
20A to the right of the 15A
Attachment 273254

The stainless sheet metal tray goes on the front of the table if you don't have the splash guard (mine for my 1100 didn't fit with it). I believe the 2-sided tape was supposed to go in between the sheet metal pieces when assembling your coolant tray unless you used a caulk gun (I opted to lay double beads of caulk with a gun, no leaks so far).

[J S Machine]

I had a brain fart. I don't know why I did not think of that being a 20 amp specific plug, but it hit me right after I posted the thread. I know about the wall wiring and all too. Sorry for confusion. It had been a long day.

I put silicone caulk down in mine too.

[Bryan Turner]

I run my 770 on 15 amp. I swapped out the outlet and put a sticker by it to inform future me that it's not actually 20A. I've never blown the breaker and I've stalled the drive many times.

--Bryan

[pickled]

I did the same thing for quite a while too Bryan. I had 12-2 wiring that led back to a 15 amp circuit so it met every requirement except the rating of the breaker. I didn't feel like trying to play poke the bear for no reason in my old service box (it was UGLY). It never tripped the 15 amp breaker even with some ugly situations like you described. Funny thing is that if you take a Fluke clamp meter and watch the start-up amp draw you will find that it is in line with one of those energy hog Keurig coffee makers LOL! I've never seen anywhere close to 13 amps on my 770, but I've seen 12.5 amps on a coffee maker...WTH!?! Fast forward to now I have 2 separate 200 amp services in my building. The 770 is on it's own 20 amp branch circuit. I think that the 20 Amp fuss is just a CYA on Tormach's part to ensure that they comply with the NEC because of the stated peak HP of the machine. JS Machine you are going to dig your 770! I am always amazed at what I can pull off with that little gem. It also makes my 1100 seem huge when I walk back to perform a tool change.

[wtopace]

Awesome! I have an 1100, so I can't comment on the actual power draw of the 770, but if it runs fine on 15A and stalls the spindle, then it should be fine run it on 15A.

My initial thought was, "It would really stink to be 2 hours into a 3d machined part and have the breaker flip", but it sounds like that isn't a concern. I hope you love your 770 as much as I do my 1100!

[mountaindew]

. I have a roll of what looks like double sided tape, and also the long stainless tray thing that looks like it goes near the front of the table possibly. Also have 4 stainless screws that look like they may go to it.

.

Congrats on new machine "exciting to setup and use "
What you describe sounds like the same as my 1100 so here is my guess "no pictures"

Double sided tape stuff is seal material for base chip pan .
SS tray covers the front of x axis and protects home switch. my 1100 uses 4 allen head screws "not ss"
And there is also on ss cover for the chip pan front work edge, it only attaches with 2 screws on my 1100

md

[J S Machine]

I've just about got everything set up. I changed the receptacle to a 20A and checked wiring..the jacket on the Romex is yellow. Also the circuit has a 20amp breaker. I guess I got lucky there.

I have another question. The data cable that goes from the machine to PC...I have it plugged in on the machine but have two options on the back of the PC. I have a horizontal black one down low, and a vertical purple plug up top near the VGA. Which one of these do I use?

Sorry for dumb questions, but the Tormach manual isn't very detailed.

[J S Machine]

Never mind. I see the quick start guide says to use the top purple plug.

[SomeWhatLost]

but the Tormach manual isn't very detailed.

that seems unlikely...
the top purple plug would be the built in parallel port, what you would use for Mach3
the bottom black one would be the super-duper add on card that that you would use with Path Pilot when you are ready to upgrade (freeish, just S&H for upgrade dvd)...
why not just upgrade right from the start to Path Pilot? why even bother with buggy old Mach?

[tmarks11]

why not just upgrade right from the start to Path Pilot? why even bother with buggy old Mach?

Did your controller come set up for Mach 3 or Path Pilot? Did Tormach give you the Path Pilot upgrade disc?

Like somewhatlost recommended, I would also advise you to shift over to Path Pilot if you have the software. Your machine controller comes with two different parallel ports: the motherboard based (slow 25 kHz) parallel port for use with Mach 3 (purple #1 in the picture below), and the PCI-E based (fast 33MHz) parallel port with FPGA-based pulse generator for use with path pilot (#2 in the picture below). Which one you plug into depends on what software you are using.

There is a separate quick start guide for Path Pilot, which shows you which port to plug into.

http://www.tormach.com/uploads/893/T...0315B-pdf.html



Tormach has some of the best documentation I have seen in the consumer level of machine tools. Your confusion probably stems from the fact that Tormach is in the middle of switching their product line from Mach 3 to Path Pilot, and the existing documentation references the old product line. The upgraded PCI-E card is discussed in the additional installation guides for the new product, and in the BETA product manual (available as a download).

You can read more about Path Pilot here:
Introducing PathPilot?, Tormach?s new machine controller

[J S Machine]

I did get the beta disc for path pilot and was wondering about it. I know nothing about Mach 3 other than the little bit I have been playing with it. I am used to the controls on big VMCs. I program for a living, so no issue there. If it would benefit me to move straight into PP, I'll do it.

I got the machine fired up for the first time and moved the Z up off of the wooden block on the table. I'm really excited to start using it.

--

Before I ordered my machine, one of the tech guys at Tormach told me that eventually everything would be Path Pilot. When I talked to Ann in the office she told me they were a little behind and it may be a few months. She said I would have a beta disc for PP, which as I said, I do. I did receive that but I am not sure how to get it up and running.

I guess it is basically just another control software that is proprietary to Tormach and just needs to be installed on the PC? I would really like to check it out.

[tmarks11]

Installation from the disc is very straight forward, and is described in the link I provided above (which also should have been included in hard copy with the beta disk). It took maybe 15-20 min tops.

I installed a new 1TB HDD in my controller, and installed it to that so it would be easy to roll back to Mach 3 if I wanted to.

The FPGA PCI-E card is the biggest advantage, as it unloads the real-time pulse control off the computer onto the FPGA. Occasionally Mach 3 glitches out because of things like USB thumb drives, when your computer decides that finding out what is on the flash drive is way more important then continuing to guide the cutter in the right direction at the right speed through the steel you are cutting. I personally never had problems like that, but Mach 3 did generate random feed holds (which means the machine would stop moving when it got to the next feed command).

[GLCarlson]

i took delivery of my machine yesterday and i have gotten it 95% set up. There are a few things I'm not sure what to do with though. I have a roll of what looks like double sided tape, and also the long stainless tray thing that looks like it goes near the front of the table possibly. Also have 4 stainless screws that look like they may go to it.

Re the funny tray thing (see other comments above). If it is, in fact, the cover for the limit switches....run a bead of silicone sealer along the top of it when installing (between table and switch cover). There was a long-ago thread that noted that the x limit wasn't watertight. I did that, years ago, and have had no limit switch problems. Not proof, but it seemed like a good idea. Probably was. Tormach may recommend sealing that gap now, dunno.

[CNC-Dude]

Congratulations JS Machine! And Welcome to the Tormach club!

In the upcoming weeks you will experience some mild confusion followed by orgasmic realizations of awesomeness! I would envy you, but luckily I still go through such episodes on a bi-weekly basis ;-)

[SomeWhatLost]

Cfollowed by orgasmic realizations of awesomeness! I would envy you, but luckily I still go through such episodes on a bi-weekly basis ;-)

not judging here, as I really am not one to judge how people use their machines....
but doesn't that seem a bit, um, well, on the erotic side for lack of a better description?
and wouldn't even aluminum chips be potentially sharp/painful/damaging to one's tender bits?
anyway, still not judging, but if you do choose to do such things with your mill, I would highly suggest some sort of protection...

[tmallard450]

Awesome glad to hear their is another Tormach user!
Don't feel bad I was thinking the same thing when i assembled my 1100. The part that really got me was the X axis motor cover. It would have bit me if were any more obvious.
My best suggestion when getting started try to keep he tool changes low in your programs. Don't stress over tool lengths in sprut cam unless collision is a problem, Ive found that setting all my feed speeds and stopovers after the cam program looks like its doing what you want. Lastly if you have few tool holders set the tool number in he cam program when you in front of your machine/height gage. Stick to that work flow and it wont be as overwhelming.
O and. make sure if you are using Spruts high speed machining you understand the difference between tool step over and pocket step. Have fun!


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[tmarks11]

I have a roll of what looks like double sided tape, and also the long stainless tray thing that looks like it goes near the front of the table possibly.

That is a roll of butyl caulking to use for sealing the sides of the stand to the middle, rather than silicone.

[CNC-Dude]

not judging here, as I really am not one to judge how people use their machines....
but doesn't that seem a bit, um, well, on the erotic side for lack of a better description?
and wouldn't even aluminum chips be potentially sharp/painful/damaging to one's tender bits?
anyway, still not judging, but if you do choose to do such things with your mill, I would highly suggest some sort of protection...

WHAAAAAAAAAT??? Isn't that what the coolant is for? Well, that explains so many things...

Nah, but seriously. Whether I usually choose to use comedic expressions to portray my messages, the truth is that operating CNC machinery has been a clear example of juicy excitement.

I am an electric engineer by trade and although I have been tinkering with mechanical implementation for my robotic projects since 1995, and while using manual equipment, the output was always either depressing, horrendous, completely useless, or a combination of all. Then enters the PCNC1100 (and many hours of self training later) and the stuff that comes out is just mind boggling. From useless it went to fully useable (as it in actually meshes together!). From ugly it went to gorgeous. Even today, when I remove a part from the vise I remain incredulous of the amazing results for hours.

Literally, I feel a surge of excitement running through my spine. It may be a different kind of orgasm but it is definitely what we live for ;-)