[polar8]

I use a Tormach 1100 at my local Techshop (public workshop). I'm considering getting my own TTS tool holders, so I won't have to touch off every tool each time I work on the machine.

Would it be possible to create a table of the tools I own, and load them into pathpilot off of a USB stick or something similar? I think the only alternative would be entering the tool offsets manually each time I use the machine, which would be annoying.

Thanks!

[kstrauss]

The "official" Tormach way is:
In the MDI line type “ADMIN SETTINGS BACKUP” you can then save your tool table (zip file).
The restore command is “ADMIN SETTINGS RESTORE”.
When you run the command, it generates a folder called GCode with two sub folders called engraving_fonts and thread_data.

Alternatively you can load the tool table using a GCode. For example, "G10 L1 P3 Z1.111" sets tool 3 to have a length of 1.11 inches. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a way to set the tool description field using GCode.

[polar8]

Interesting- thanks. Did not know you could load the tool table through gcode. That seems to be the best way since it's already streamlined into the post process workflow.

[polar8]

Currently my HSMworks post processing is not writing anything to the tool offset table in PathPilot i.e. the G10 code you mentioned is nowhere to be found.

How do I fix that?

[kstrauss]

Sorry but I do not use HSMworks. I've done a bulk load of the tool table using G10 but have not otherwise used the technique. It was just a suggestion that I hoped someone would find useful.

[GLCarlson]

Sorry but I do not use HSMworks. I've done a bulk load of the tool table using G10 but have not otherwise used the technique. It was just a suggestion that I hoped someone would find useful.

Sounds very handy, since the table is not in some weird database format, can be edited with any text editor, and probably maintained with a spreadsheet. My biggest problem with the save and restore tooltable in PP is that it's not editable -so far as I can tell- outside PP. This is a pretty easy fix. OK, no names. I can live with that in return for making my PP table concordant with GWiz or whatever, and the ability to load a "real" tool table and an identical one that cuts 2" above the work (for debugging). Thanks!

[kstrauss]

An easy way to cut 2 inches above the work is to manually set Z-zero for any tool 2 inches above the correct point. All tools then cut 2 inches above the "right" place.

[Steve Seebold]

I can touch off 10 tools in about 4 minutes.