You are a legend my friend! Your videos helped me retrofit my chinese cnc router with UCNC motion controller all the way to the last bit which is tool change. Very much appreciated from your neighbour Australia.
Thanks from across the ditch Peter - a very helpful video. I'm only just starting with CNC and your instructional style is excellent for helping others gain knowledge and experience.
Thank you for showing this . I had been doing tool changes the hard way. and now that I have some of the Tormach TTS endmill holders I needed to set my cnc mill up so my Mach3 controller could account for the offsets and tools.
Maybe you could show how to use the tool offset page in Mach (for when you want to switch from 'top-of-stock' reference to 'top-of-table' reference. Your T2 H2 would become something like T2 H12. You could set both of these at the time of the second tool change, thereby bypassing the need to stop to machine for the T2 H12 toolchange. This is how an ATC would function anyway, rather than resetting the G54 Z-offset every time. Again, another excellent video Peter. Thumbs up and best wishes for the New Year :)
+Keith Gree Thanks Keith. Interesting Idea but I think I will keep things simple. Never really thought about the tool offset tables as I knew they were there for ATC but I can see what you mean. Happy new year
Thanks Ted 007 For different cutter diameters you need to change the Gcode file. There is cutter compensation but this is for adjusting for cutter wear. Cheers Peter
Hi Peter, happy new year! Your spindle looks like mine but my spindle is water cooled, doesn’t yours require water cooling? Your videos are helping a lot, thanks mate Malcolm
Very nice I did not know you could move the cutter and that it would take off where it left off. Question if I have a auto z probe can that be run while MACH is waiting?
Hi Peter. Thanks fpr sharing all these videos. I have a questions regarding to find a Z0 spot after changing the tool. When you put the second tool, do you always need to put it down manually? Is it possible to program it to do it automatically?
Sir how to set z zero when we use three tools for portrait designing because I use one tool for roughing , second for semi Clea and third final finish,so where we set z zero for semi clean and final finish tool after roughing tool, complete
I propose to somewhat lower the sound level on start of the videos? We all appreciate your videos w/o getting an ear blust into headphones ;) Just humble proposal.
Thanks for the suggestion, I do boost the opening music a bit at the opening so I will try it next time set to the same level as the rest of the audio and see that is better. Cheers Peter
Happy new year, Pete. Nice informative video. I have a question - My CNC uses Mach 3 running on an old Dell PC with Windows XP OS. My issue is I no longer have the Windows XP disk and life in the shed has been pretty hard on the old Dell. I would rather use a laptop that I can design on inside the house, then take it outside and plug it into the CNC. My new issue is that the laptop has windows 7 on it and it doesn't have a 25 pin serial port. What is your opinion on what is the best solution? Do I persevere with the old Dell (while she still has life), or is there a better way (either different software and / or hardware). I would appreciate your input. Cheers
Thanks and Happy New Year. You ask an interesting question and I can only offer my opinion on the matter. The Parallel port is a thing of the past in Laptops at least. Mach3 on Windows 7 64 bit version won't work with a Parallel port anyway so you are probably best to forget Parallel ports and move on. A dedicated motion controller is the most popular options and products from Smoothestepper and the UCCNC seem to be the most common. The Smoothstepper range work with Mach3 & 4 while the UCCNC products work with Mach 3, 4 & UCCNC software as well. My personal opinion is the UCCNC is the better of the 2 because it covers a wider range of motion control software. The fact that UCCNC make their own software and hardware should be an advantage as it should give the best compatibility unlike Mach3 which is the jack of all trades. Next problem Ethernet or USB. Here the answer is clear. Go for the Ethernet version. I personally dislike USB in the workshop and don't believe it has the required noise immunity that Ethernet provides. It is the worlds most common wired communications protocol and is very robust. I know that many people have no proble using the USB versions of the various products but I personally still don't like them. So if you want to take your laptop from the house and use it with your machine I would get a UC400 Ethernet motion Controller . If I needed more inputs and analogue I/O than a UC300ETH-5LPT Motion Controller would be my choice. I would keep using Mach3. This is just my thought and may be entirely wrong for your setup or budget but it will give you something to think about. Cheers Peter
Hellow, Peter your video is so clear, I've done exactly what you explain, and it's perfect, the axes follow the path, perfect, but when it is already finished, i can't put the Z axis in 0 it keeps the hight of the piece I cut. ¿ how can I solve this? thank for the answer.
An idea for a video: I have had problems with my work materiel moving while the CNC is machining it. How do you decide where you need clamps/braces for cutting something?
Hi Raymond, A interesting question. I am limited as to where I can put my holddowns as the tracks determine where I can put them. I generally put them where they won't get hit (I hope) and if I can see an area that is raised because of stock warping I will put a holding clamp there as well. If I can't get a clamp there I sometimes resort to a nail or screw for additional fixing but try and avoid itif I can. To make sure I don't hit a clamp I bring the file to be cut up on the screen and tehn jog around to watching the screen to make sure the clamps are outside the cutting area. I will add your suggestion to the list of video ideas. Thanks Peter
If you re-zero to the top of the spoil board then you must be setting the top of part a positive number in your toolpath say something like "top of part 0.75" rather than saying top of part 0. Also, I assume you must be zeroing the axis's somewhere off the part in order to not drive the cutter into the workpiece when you go to zero. These are questions I'm not criticizing. BTW what does the To Go button do?
You misunderstood Jim. The spoilboard is - 0.75 the top of the material is 0 ish. In CAM the z0 point is the top of the stock. Have a look at the video below. It will explain better. GOTO Zero moves the X, Y & Z to 0 Cheers Peter ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1MHyDKkRN0Q.html
@@cncnutz Ok, I think I'm getting a better idea of what you're doing. Normally I've been using 0 as the top of my material, what I seem to be needing to do for generating g-code is call out the nominal thickness as the top of my material for and set the target depth as 0 which is the top of the spoilboard. This now leaves me with G-code that needs to be edited (I use Cam-Bam). In order for me not to crash into my stock before the spindle is raised to a start position, I have to make an edit that raises the cutter at least as high as the nominal part height. Not that hard to do since I edit a lot of start and end code to my G-code anyway (such as G28 and G30 and G4's for spindle run-up). Also, I get the "Go To Zero" button. It's the button between go to zero and machine co-ordinates button I'm wondering about. The one called "To Go". Thanks for your reply. I think this is going to be helpful to me.
hello, I found your video is very good, I have art cam pro, i have named different tool number, but when I am going to save the project, it tells me that the postprossero does not support tool changer. and it does not have the output file that you sho on your video, for tool change. can i use any other one?
Have a look at this video. ru-vid.com?o=U&video_id=rzsuPMN7U94 I install UCCNC complete with my pendant. It will give you an idea of how it works with the screenset provided by UCCNC. Check under the video for a link to my pendant setup info as well as where you can get a pendant like mine. Let me know if you need more info Cheers Peter
Hi, excellent video ! You may have covered it somewhere, but I'll try anyway. So I add a tool change in my setup, but I cannot Jog the tool. I have to hit Stop to be able to jog. Any ideas? rgds
I cannot imagine why it would do that. Mach3 and UCCNC have always behaved as shown in the video when it comes to a tool change. Which controll software are you using? Cheers Peter
Thanks for the video. I was hoping that you would have information about the same, but with a touch plate script running at tool change. I use a touch plate with a script that does height, or x y and z to corner. I want to be able to have an m6, change the tool and then run the touch plate script and then start the cycle again. Can you run a touch plate script while the job is paused and then go back to the job?
+M W When the machine stop for the tool change you can use your touch plate to reset the Z height as you usually do then hit cycle start and the machine will continue from where it left off. Cheers Peter
I have done what you are asking. I just copied my touch plate script in the M6Start macro, now when I start my tool path. The router does its touch off (I have mine at a specific Location) then returns to my start offset which is a G54, then i hit the cycle start and off it goes to the next change.
+M W I think there is a tool changer location in Mach3 that you can configure. Not sure it will automatically move to that spot but it might. Cheers Peter
Hi, Thanks for the help. I tried exactly what you said. the circle cuts and wait for the tool change, when I change the tool for square, then the square is cutting from the different location, did I missed something? I tried some other videos but they are playing with Macro kind of things which is not my kind, I don't understand a single bit of coding. Please Help me Spiderman
Make sure you're only zeroing the Z-axis after a tool change. X and Y-axis should be left so the position isn't lost in the middle of the project. Hope that makes sense :)
Hi Alan, Not really sure what you mean by tool offset in this instance. The only thing you need to do is zero the cutter height using whatever method you like, manual or auto. The X&Y do not change. Only the Z. Cheers Peter
Hi Michael. Downcut bits are what you want for plywood followed by straight flute bits if you can't find the downcut. Note that you cannot drill holes with either of these bits as you risk a fire. For holes use either drills or upcut bits but these will give you chipout on the top of the ply. Cheers Peter
Any chance you know how to do a tool change using the tool table offset in mach3? this would prevent from having to zero each time Im thinking zero out at the first tool of the run then the next tool changes dont need to be zero, maybe it does not work that way not sure, Im not having any luck, my spindle wants to crash each time I get to N230 G49 G0 Z0 it starts to go down in to the part. N100 G20 N110 G0 G17 G40 G49 G80 G90 (1/8 drill) N120 G49 T3 M6 N130 G0 G90 G54 X-.61 Y.61 A0. s2139 M3 N140 G43 H3 Z2. N150 Z.1 N160 G99 G83 Z-.55 R.1 Q.1 F4.11 N170 X.61 N180 X-.61 Y-.61 N190 X.61 N200 G80 N210 Z2. N220 M5 G230 G49 G0 Z0 any help in pointing me in he right direction would be appreciated
I haven't used the tool table in Mach3 because that is for auto tool changers with measured tool heights that don't alter each time you put the tool in place. The tools are in holder's. Line 230 tells the cutter to rapid down to z0 which is why they head in that direction. If you are using an auto tool changer you need to get your supplier to sort out the issue. If you are manually changing the tool it needs to be measured each time. Gerry has the 2010 screenset for Mach3 that does that automatically if I'm not mistaken. Check it out and see if I'm right. Gerry will be able to answer your questions and here is a video I found that seems to show what I mean. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ysw7qevPG-g.html Cheers Peter
Hi Peter, Not sure if you can help, but, I just purchased an Auto Tool Change spindle JGL-80/2.2R30-20 to replace my basic 2.2kW spindle from www.jian-ken.com/automatic-pneumatic-tool-change-spindle-motor/jgl-80-1-5kw-2-2kw-2-5kw-24000rpm-40000rpm.html and the problem is that there is no Screen set for Mach3 to run it (now I find out). I will be using an 8 tool rack, not a rotary changer. Would you have a screen set or macro that would run this, or be able to point me in the right direction? There is one i can purchase for USD100 but would prefer the less expensive option (free). I have no idea how to write code so this is not an option for me. Thanks, Kind Regards, Dean
Can't help you Dean. I have never played with a tool changer and if there isn't a suitable screenset available from the Mach3 website all I can suggest is you ask on the CNCzone website. Cheers Peter
I've never looked at a tool changer, not having one, but are you sure you need a special screenset? Surely the logic is all part of Mach3. I don't know as I have never looked. A screenset could have special scripts etc for the tool changer I suppose. Now you have me wondering. Cheers Peter
@@cncnutz Not sure so much that I need a screenset but more the macro, but having a screenset would be much easier to use. Mach3 doesn't have anything for ATC as part of its settings. There is one that I can download form Mach3 website which someone has uploaded, but it is in German. This is the screenset I am looking at which is USD100. See here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gdekoAPNO6A.html&gl I contacted this guy and asked a few questions, but he advised me to wait until his next release in Mid Feb, but in the meantime, I am seeing what else I can find.
