[edmond]

Hi

Greg, I tried the new script you gave me last night still does the same thing adding the plate thickness and z retract.

Rod, you are right, I remember when I open Mach3 there is no value in the plate thickness DRO so its just a matter of making sure I press enter after entering the value, or maybe I must just hard code the value

Thanks for all the help, will check if it works when I get home tonight and let you guys know tomorrow

Edmond

[Greolt]

Edmond for whatever reason the script must not be entering the "Plate Thickness" amount in to the Z DRO at the appropriate time.

At the point it should do that in the VB script, the DRO must be going to zero instead.

Therefore when it moves on to retract the set amount (6.35mm in your case) it starts from zero at the top of the zero plate instead of
say 1.5mm or whatever you have set in the plate thickness DRO.

The only reasons I can think of is,

1. The Plate Thickness DRO is set to zero

2. The DRO number that was assigned in the screenset has gone wrong for some reason and the script is trying to read a non existant DRO.

The script looks for DRO number 1151. If it does not find it instead of entering the correct amout it enters zero in to the Z DRO. Then moves to the next command in the script.

I suspect it will be one of those two scenarios.

Greg

[edmond]

I got it to work properly, it turns out I wasn't pressing enter after entering the plate thickness just as Rod assumed.I have fine tuned the plate thickness and tested the Z retract with a 1/4" height gauge, its now 1/4" on the dot'.Thanks for all the help everyone and thank you Greg for providing the scrip, instructions and support for this wonderful time saving device

Edmond

[bones]

Hi Guys,
Well I desided to stop talking about it and make one for the work machine.
It couldn't be any simplier.
One wire solded to pin 13 on the DB25 connector inside driver box (600W Servo driver/power supply box).
And the other to a piece of PCB.
The only problem was trying to find where to put the plate thickness value in.
I went through every screen looking for it and had to ring Rod.
He tells me it is below where you click "Auto Tool Zero".
Oh yeh so it is. Bloody male blindness.

Lucky no problems with the parallel port or windows, so it worked straight away. I Jagged that one.

BUT! no countdown. Has anyone had that problem with Windows 2000.
I can get the narrator running and tell me every windows that pops up.
And installed to control panel icon. SAM will talk to me.
But nothing in Mach3. And yes I have enabled Speech in Mach3.

Any idea's?

Cheers
Rodney

[Greolt]

G'day Rodney

The DRO does not exist on the standard screen so they are all custom screens. So it could be anywhere.

All sorts of custom screen alterations or complete new screens out there. Screen grabs of few examples below.

Rod is the only one I have heard of that has made his Auto Tool Zero talk to him.

The speech facility in Mach must be be used by some for various purposes though.

I would make a request for info over at the Artsoft site. See if any one else is using it.

Greg

[bones]

Hi Greg,
Thanks. I got the screen off Rod. It was staring me in the face, but i didn't see it. It works great.
I'm still waiting for my cross hair lazers to turn up.
I am thinking of fitting a USB cam aswell and use those cross hairs built into Mach3. I have a spare one here somewhere.

Cheers
Rodney

[Greolt]

I have one of those I use on the X3.

They are remarkably accurate. You can clearly see when you move the axis 0.001"

However to get that sort of resolution they need to focus from just a few mm away form the object they are looking at.

So they don't lend themselves to being fixed permanently in position as do the lasers.

They are commonly fitted to the spindle, used and removed.

From a fixed position much higher I suppose you would get similar accuracy to the laser but then the laser is simpler and more robust.

Greg

[bones]

Hi Greg,
I have a play with them anyway and have the lazer aswell.
With the touch plates too. I coated Rod's with a Tinning solution.
It didn't turn out too bad but it needed a bit more tinning solution.
You can get it places that sell PCB's. It comes in a packet crystalised and you just mix it up with warm water.
A good consentrated mix gives it a really nice silver coating.
And the best part is that it's non oxidising.

Cheers
Rodney

[lovebugjunkie]

Been watching this thread for a few months. Thought it would be a nice addition to my router when I got it.

Well I got the router the first week of Jan (Romaxx) and after Ron (owner of Romaxx) helped me with my Mach3 configuration it is now working. Sure makes setting the Z-axis quick and accurate from my paper/eye ball method.

Thanks to Greolt for posting the script and Mach 3 screen change, sure made this an easy addition. (Not to mention low cost, to what I almost purchased on the internet)
George

[bigbigjimb]

Hi
What screen set are you guys using for cross hair lazers is it available somewhere
Jim

[neilw20]

Somne of the pointer pens come with an array of little masks.
Starsm crosses T's, aniamls etc.
Little mask that sits at the focal point between laser and the lens.

[Greolt]

Hi
What screen set are you guys using for cross hair lazers is it available somewhere
Jim

Jim look over at this thread

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48752

All the info and screens are there if you trawl through it.

Also a link to the laser I used.

Greg

[fourxfour2]

Hi guys, I don't post much but I have been watching this thread and have been playing with the Mach screen 4..with whats been posted I think it's time to try this on my router..
Just one question....I thought I read that someone had done this with the X,Y axis also...and can it you bring the tool to a predetermained spot ...like touch off in X with a 1/2 EM and have Z retract and the tool move to its CL and then Zero the DRO.
Thanks again to all .....

[Greolt]

I believe that Ron Ginger who looks after the New Fangled Wizards development has done this.

Do a search over at the Artsoft forum.

Greg

[fourxfour2]

Thanks Greolt I'll post the same Question over there.....

[touser]

Hi everyone, i am in the process of trying to build one of these, my BOB is a sound logic PC-2-Route Model M2 rev. 1.7 my problem is there are no 5v lines on this board that i can use from what i can tell. The signal line is reading 10.3v and the only other option is 12v. Can i use the signal or 12v line? Also, when i measure any of the outputs on the board with a volt meter, whether its the +12v or the signal lines if i ground to anywhere but the board itself i get no reading. Does anyone know what i am doing wrong? Thanks!

[Greolt]

I don't know what is going on there Touser

5v logic level signals are fairly universally used when connecting to a Printer port.

I would talk to the BOB manufacturer.

What you need is an input that is high when at rest and can be driven low by connecting to 0v/ground.

Greg

[bones]

Hi Touser,
If you look at the very last wiring diagram in this document it shows you how to wire for using a ground.
http://campbelldesigns.net/files/pc%...0rev%201-9.pdf
Make sure you set the pulse input in Mach3 to active low. This might be the other way if using a BOB.
The other problem is that the ground of the machine and the BOB are probably isolated, so you will need the ground from the BOB input to clip onto the milling bit when you are setting up.

Cheers
Rodney

[Greolt]

Looking at the diagram Rodney pointed out it should work fine. Good setup with that BOB.

You may or may not get away without the Crocodile Clip. Depends whether that ground labelled "Router Gnd" is already connected to the machine or not.

Greg

[touser]

Thanks everyone for the help. I ran an extra wire to the ground on the BOB with an alligator clip as you suggested and that seems to have done the trick. However, i am running it off the Auxlim input on the BOB, labeled J11, so i typed port 1 pin 11 into the Probe input under Input Signals, and that is triggering the LimitOV light on the diagnostics page of mach3. Although if i change it to port 1 pin 12 the same LimitOV is triggered. Is that going to be alright? If so, how do i edit the program run screen LED to light up when LimitOV is triggered?