[revwarguy]

Actually, it bothers me a bit that everyone seems to get burned on that problem.

I don't really understand why the problem even exists - if a G code writer (whether its a person or a program) is going to require a particular mode to be set, why don't they include a Gcode to set it in that mode, rather than assume that someone's machine is one way or the other? Seems silly.

[Pandinus]

I was thinking that same idea...
Personally, I haven't done much yet,but I like to code in absolute, and if I want to use incremental, I'll G91 and then back to G90 right away. So I think I will get in the habit of starting with a G90 G90.1 at all times. I'll probably make a template for my machine to code from. Sometimes its easier/faster to cut a simple shape with hand coding...
Incremental reminds me of turtle graphics on the apple II... :-/

[CarveOne]

Thanks everyone! I'll do that. I figured that it had to be a software thing of some kind. Hmmm, I never had EMC2 do this.....

I don't know if I will fire up the machine this evening or not. I'm working on other things CNC related tonight but will take the computer back out to the work shop late this evening or tomorrow morning. I put some other gcode files on the computer to play with.

My first computers were a Sinclair Z80, then an Apple ][+ clone, then a PC-XT clone, then a long string of PCs after that.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I haven't used LazyCam before, so I tried it out this evening.

I created a gcode file for plotting one of the gantry end plates and it seems to run as I expected it to in simulation mode. I created a "Pen" tool #0 with a zero diameter to draw a line.

I'll create cut files of the left and right gantry end plates. There will be a couple of 1/4" deep pockets on the back side that fit the gantry supports and some 1/4" deep pockets on the front side for some text. These will be the first cuts this weekend.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I loaded the Xmas Tree02 final file into LazyCam simulation mode and nothing appears in the display. Changing the IJ setting from incremental to absolute allows the file to act as it should. I have to wonder why absolute is not the default setting. I suppose it's just one of the joys of learning new software.

Outside temperature is 22F this morning so I won't be doing anything in the work shop before going to work.

CarveOne

[milhead]

Outside temperature is 22F this morning

Brrrrr, I'm so spoiled, If the Garage goes below 50 or so I bail and go play on the computer...

[CarveOne]

Brrrrr, I'm so spoiled, If the Garage goes below 50 or so I bail and go play on the computer...

Me too!! I spend half of my year wishing for warmer or cooler temperatures.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I have a few questions for you guys. Do you use LazyCam or do you use something else? If not, why not? Is it too unstable?

LazyCam has apparently corrupted two files I created this morning. Web searches indicate that this is more or less normal but I didn't see anything that indicates what I did to trigger a crash. I was attempting to generate gcode for a relatively simple 1/4" plywood part that we use at work. It has a profile and a few holes in it to reduce weight.

Is it just Windows Vista? I installed the patch for Mach3/Vista. I have a Mach3 license file in the Mach3 folder where it should be. Lcam seems to be easier to use than CamBam to me. Ummm, when it works.

CarveOne

[revwarguy]

I use Cambam, Aspire, and Mach 3. Wasted time on Lazycam, just too unpredictable - I couldn't really depend on it to produce what I needed to do, so if I have to learn something well, I'm gonna go with something that is more solid. Not knocking it, as the price was right, but I just don't seem to have the time anymore to invest in learning erratic stuff that will probably force me to use something else anyway. Don't think there is a solid open source CAM freebie yet.

But hey, if you've already got Cambam, you have a lot. If you take a bit of time to get used to Cambam, it is very fast for making simple parts. I just used it to make the disks of mdf for the PVC drum sander. I don't think it took me longer than 2 minutes, including a pocket for the rods to fit in, complete with holding tabs, etc. and I am not what you call a power CAM guy. I was a bit frustrated with it at first, but then the light bulb flashed and I was off with it. It suffers from the lack of a good tech writer to do a little documentation. The video tutorials are a help, but they're just not nearly enough. Cambam's pretty new, and there has been good stuff added in each release.

Started off with V Carve, and it is very, very good. Easy, intuitive, and I don't use those words lightly. I ponied up and went to a Vectric user group meeting in Dallas last November, and was sold on Aspire (an upgrade to Vcarve that uses exactly the same User interface that does 3d modeling and 2 rail sweeps) but its pricey. With these I can take an image and convert it to a vector drawing and then to a toolpath pretty quickly, depending on the image.

If you need any help with Cambam, just let me know. Stay warm.

[gd.marsh]

My two cents if I may ..

We use Cut2D & Cut3D (purchased as a bundle) and have yet to run into a situation where we could not accomplish our goals for the parts we needed.

In my opinion .. the Vectric software has a good balance between being a simple home user level program that's pretty easy to learn and an industrial strength package that costs more than your machine & takes years to master. Just an opinion - no sales pitch here!

gd.marsh

[FandZ]

I had a lot of problems with mach3 and vista, even with the fixes. I haven't had a problem with it at all in win7.

I gave up on lazy cam real quick and spent about a weekend stressing over cambam till I figured it out. Cut2d is extremely simple and am glad I bought it. But you know my process... sketchup - export as DXF useing a plugin, cam it with cut 2d. You can draw in cut 2d too but other than editing, sketchup to cam still seems the easiest and fastest to me.

Cambamplus is interesting because it has some 3d functionality too. That's not something that you really see in cam programs under a 1000. It's either 2.5d or 3d.

[CarveOne]

I use Cambam, Aspire, and Mach 3. Wasted time on Lazycam, just too unpredictable - I couldn't really depend on it to produce what I needed to do, so if I have to learn something well, I'm gonna go with something that is more solid. Not knocking it, as the price was right, but I just don't seem to have the time anymore to invest in learning erratic stuff that will probably force me to use something else anyway. Don't think there is a solid open source CAM freebie yet.

But hey, if you've already got Cambam, you have a lot. If you take a bit of time to get used to Cambam, it is very fast for making simple parts. I just used it to make the disks of mdf for the PVC drum sander. I don't think it took me longer than 2 minutes, including a pocket for the rods to fit in, complete with holding tabs, etc. and I am not what you call a power CAM guy. I was a bit frustrated with it at first, but then the light bulb flashed and I was off with it. It suffers from the lack of a good tech writer to do a little documentation. The video tutorials are a help, but they're just not nearly enough. Cambam's pretty new, and there has been good stuff added in each release.

Started off with V Carve, and it is very, very good. Easy, intuitive, and I don't use those words lightly. I ponied up and went to a Vectric user group meeting in Dallas last November, and was sold on Aspire (an upgrade to Vcarve that uses exactly the same User interface that does 3d modeling and 2 rail sweeps) but its pricey. With these I can take an image and convert it to a vector drawing and then to a toolpath pretty quickly, depending on the image.

If you need any help with Cambam, just let me know. Stay warm.

Ok, thanks! I have the free beta CamBam right now, and I'll also be looking at other options.

I gave up on LazyCam and went back to CamBam to create a cut file for a tank mount that I have been making by hand for the past four years when we need them. I made the attached file for it this evening. The feed rate is probably wrong but that can be fixed easily enough. It uses a 1/4" end mill to cut two steps into a 1/4" piece of birch plywood. Zero is on the top surface. Origin is at the top right corner. Rename to .TAP file extension. It runs ok in Mach3 simulation but I won't get a chance to use it for cutting until Saturday. I don't know how to add bridges yet but will need to find out. Feel free to check out the file and see if it looks ok to you.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

My two cents if I may ..

We use Cut2D & Cut3D (purchased as a bundle) and have yet to run into a situation where we could not accomplish our goals for the parts we needed.

In my opinion .. the Vectric software has a good balance between being a simple home user level program that's pretty easy to learn and an industrial strength package that costs more than your machine & takes years to master. Just an opinion - no sales pitch here!

gd.marsh

Cut2D is high on my list. Maybe Cut3D as well. Most of my work related stuff is 2D, but my gantry is set up with clearances to do at least 5" thick molds.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I had a lot of problems with mach3 and vista, even with the fixes. I haven't had a problem with it at all in win7.

I gave up on lazy cam real quick and spent about a weekend stressing over cambam till I figured it out. Cut2d is extremely simple and am glad I bought it. But you know my process... sketchup - export as DXF useing a plugin, cam it with cut 2d. You can draw in cut 2d too but other than editing, sketchup to cam still seems the easiest and fastest to me.

Cambamplus is interesting because it has some 3d functionality too. That's not something that you really see in cam programs under a 1000. It's either 2.5d or 3d.

I figured as much. The CNC machine has Vista Business Edition on it. As a follower of the "belt AND suspenders" philosophy, it also has Ubuntu and EMC2 on it just in case.

I will consider CamBam Plus and will check out the website info.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I took the CNC computer out to the work shop this evening and fired it up to see what a pen plot of a real part looks like. It's not perfect, but shows promise for a machine that has had no precision alignment yet, a pen holder that has a little free play, and paper that is moving a little because it is not spray glued down flat. The Z axis also has a little looseness in the carriage adjustments that needs to be corrected.

This part is a tank mount for an RPV model that we have built in the past. I will cut a first sample using this cut file this weekend. The holes are created as pockets, but I suppose I could have made them profiles in order to cut them faster.

Btw, the second plot in the third picture shows that the circles got more round after I improved some of the looseness issues I mentioned.

CarveOne

[.xXACEXx.]

WOW!!

nice, good to see it moving ,and plotting a part

just wondering ...what kinda feed rate were ya running?

(ill not ask what rpm) LOL

[FandZ]

I hope you post some cool parts that you make. I know you still have some fine tuning but I'm guessing the Y axis has some backlash. I'm sure you'll get it all worked out. You and oldhack are still going to have to put up some racing videos!

[CarveOne]

WOW!!

nice, good to see it moving ,and plotting a part

just wondering ...what kinda feed rate were ya running?

(ill not ask what rpm) LOL

I have the maximum jog rate set at 200IPM, accel is 30, feed rate in the gcode is 100IPM. Spindle is 0rpm of course. If I knew the ball diameter I could calculate the rpm at 200IPM...... and for fun, at 1,400IPM.

The jerkyness is happening when the pen draws a circle and then jogs at 90 degrees to the next circle that it draws. The work table is oscillating a little during the time that the gantry mass is being slung around. Good thing it's not set for exact stops?

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I hope you post some cool parts that you make. I know you still have some fine tuning but I'm guessing the Y axis has some backlash. I'm sure you'll get it all worked out. You and oldhack are still going to have to put up some racing videos!

I will. Possibly tomorrow. None of the scrap plywood I have on hand is flat enough, so I'll pick up some poplar boards today to play with, then cut an oak side plate.

CarveOne

[MyCattMaxx]

None of the scrap plywood I have on hand is flat enough

CarveOne

We won't be able to see how flat it is in a picture...;-)