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IndustryArena Forum > CAM Software > SprutCAM > SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?
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  1. #21
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Weird, I wonder why Sprut or Tormach dropped support for header info from just the lathe? I'm guessing that Tormach never got back to you on your message about the issue.

    BTW, Tormach has a Discord "forum" for SprutCAM support. Not much traffic there, though I seem to have lost access to the Support channel there.

    https://discord.com/channels/6649535...53559544102953
    The example above you posted is for mill.
    Can you post quick compile of a sl15 program?
    Would like to see the difference.

  2. #22
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Well, son of a gun - just checked several lathe posts and none of them show the header info that the mill post does.

    I guess that my lathe jobs tend to be so simple that I never noticed that before. I'm usually standard turning tools that are preloaded whereas my mill jobs use different tools each time. Sorry for leading you astray.

    Mike

  3. #23
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Well, son of a gun - just checked several lathe posts and none of them show the header info that the mill post does.

    I guess that my lathe jobs tend to be so simple that I never noticed that before. I'm usually standard turning tools that are preloaded whereas my mill jobs use different tools each time. Sorry for leading you astray.

    Mike
    I was mostly wanting to know if there was a older post for the lathe that I didn't have. If so I wanted to compare it to current post I use to see if anything is different.

    Yes, having a front tool post and programs with a number of tools requires some sort of organizing to reduce errors. Before I had to scroll down and find tools required for the program. After getting this order wrong a couple times, I decided a tool list in code was required to reduce my errors.
    The mill and router post both generate the same g code program header and I was use to looking at it to get organized. So I added the same header format to lathe post to be uniform across the 3 machines. Makes code readability and machine operation kind of standard for me anyway.

  4. #24
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    I was mostly wanting to know if there was a older post for the lathe that I didn't have. If so I wanted to compare it to current post I use to see if anything is different.
    Both the 1100 and the lathe post that I've been using are dated 9/28/2019. I'd think that there must be one or more between then and now and Yuri at Sprut or Jake at Tormach could provide them or their links if you want to play with them.

    Mike

  5. #25
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Both the 1100 and the lathe post that I've been using are dated 9/28/2019. I'd think that there must be one or more between then and now and Yuri at Sprut or Jake at Tormach could provide them or their links if you want to play with them.

    Mike
    Lathe post has new dates but has not changed much in I bet 5+ plus years.
    There appears to be a code format issue in one of the thread settings. Was going to see if it was in any older posts. I sent info to Jake to look at . It looks like a issue with pp expecting a value that is not generated in g code or required and not how the code is formatted.
    Its not a big priority problem for anyone.
    Just a thread setting I would like to maybe use. Not many sprutcam users and even less lathe users. And I am the only 8l lathe sprutcam user. In short if I want it to work. I better learn the skills to fix. In this case setting up a custom post processor for my 8l lathe is next skill to develope.
    There are also some issues with the machine definition. I dont have access to that software module so I cant fix it myself.
    Main thing is it all works and works good. And I can get full function of the tool while I tune a few parts of the cam. Looking to change 15l post and flip x axis in the posted code to avoid having to setup everything upside down and flipped on 8l lathe. This is my next back office project

  6. #26
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    MD,

    At some point in the future I will probably need to learn how to modify a SprutCAM post for a Pocket NC that I've been planning to buy for a while now, That's a small 5-axis benchtop mill and Sprut has no post for it though Yuri did send me a possible post based on sample G-code that I got from the PNC folks and passed along to him a year ago or so. Do you have any references for post processors that might help? Does SprutCAM still come with a post editor?

    I'd also like to figure out how to create or modify machine definitions. I'd asked Jake about that but he tells me that the capability is an add-on and not well supported.

    Mike

  7. #27
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    MD,

    At some point in the future I will probably need to learn how to modify a SprutCAM post for a Pocket NC that I've been planning to buy for a while now, That's a small 5-axis benchtop mill and Sprut has no post for it though Yuri did send me a possible post based on sample G-code that I got from the PNC folks and passed along to him a year ago or so. Do you have any references for post processors that might help? Does SprutCAM still come with a post editor?

    I'd also like to figure out how to create or modify machine definitions. I'd asked Jake about that but he tells me that the capability is an add-on and not well supported.

    Mike
    I will look to see what might be close to the pocket nc. I have access to post editor and can make changes. "much to learn”
    They have not allowed me access to the machine editor module. I have asked for years. I would have fixed a few issues on the 8l definition already. Given time and a reason, I can figure out most software.
    Next version they are adding basic default fixtures to some machine definitions. But no way to edit them without machine editor. Not a real usable feature if users dont have access to the machine editor module. I use the model tree for fixtures and would not use their fixtures unless I could edit them. Anyway I will look for other similar post, but they limit my access to those also????

  8. #28
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Thanks for checking into possible posts that might work for the Pocket NC.

    Does SprutCAM have a utility to help edit posts? I'd that was the case in an earlier version but can't find any mention of it now.

    Mike

  9. #29
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Thanks for checking into possible posts that might work for the Pocket NC.

    Does SprutCAM have a utility to help edit posts? I'd that was the case in an earlier version but can't find any mention of it now.

    Mike
    On my version you need to enable expert tools on the right side drop down menu.

    Post wise I dont have enough experience yet. But it looks like your miles ahead if you can modify a post that does close to what you need.
    Change and or add preparation gcode required by the machine your modifying it for.

  10. #30
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    On my version you need to enable expert tools on the right side drop down menu.

    Post wise I dont have enough experience yet. But it looks like your miles ahead if you can modify a post that does close to what you need.
    Change and or add preparation gcode required by the machine your modifying it for.
    Is that SC 14? I'm still on SC 12 and don't see "Expert Tools" in the right side drop down. I do have the SC 14 upgrade and should probably install that anyway. I do have the "all machines" version in case that matters.

    Attachment 463820

  11. #31
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    You might need to go into setting and check the expert tools option. Then the other programs like script editor and post editor will show up when you click the square with three bars on it, shown in your clip above. It is just left of help button. I forgot sprutcam simplifies some menu options.

    If you have 14 all post I would install that also. You can have both. Start getting use to newer version. Changes made in tool tables and lathe and also g code simulation for mill make it well worth it.
    They have made a lot of other changes from 12 to 14. Some operation changes can take time to learn how to best use extra settings.
    In all it works good for me. I can setup parts for mill, router, or lathe complete with fixtures and multi sided part ops, often in a matter of clicks. I use templates in iron cad to export part, stock, fixtures and offsets into a matching sprutcam template. Then setup standard ops for each side and add any special ones and compile code. I have the process well rehearsed. Anyway lmk if I can help.

    Just to be clear to readers it sounds easy and it is. But this is complex software and it takes time and effort to learn and use at this level.

  12. #32
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    You might need to go into setting and check the expert tools option. Then the other programs like script editor and post editor will show up when you click the square with three bars on it, shown in your clip above. It is just left of help button. I forgot sprutcam simplifies some menu options.
    I don't see that option under the "hamburger" icon in the upper right corner of SC 12 so maybe that version uses a different method of activating the post editor. I've got a lull period so far as CAM work goes, so I think I'll install SC 14 and see if the post editor is available there. I do remember loading an SC editor at one time but it didn't make much sense to me and I never got back to it.

    Thanks for all the help!

    Mike

  13. #33
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Incidentally, judging from Sprut's YouTube channel SC15 is on the way.....

  14. #34
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    I looked again. The settings dialog has the expert tools option. It then shows or adds the script editor on the right had menu opened by the 3 bars icon. The post editor is shown in this menu by default on my system. The post editor is not well documented imho. It does function more or less like most computer language programming interfaces with a editor, run and debug windows making that part easy enough to navigate. Its all about understanding, order and syntax of post editor code after that.

    New v15 looks to have some added functions like a in program 3d model drawing and editing. Not real useful for people that have dedicated cad but still good for a quicky i bet. I requested that sprutcam add a multiply by offset or some strategy to use large numbers of offsets and operations / tools together. From what I see in video it looks like they added a sorting method for the operation tree to group by tool then offset or other combo when you generate code. Not as easy as what I envisioned but might work about same depending on how its setup.

  15. #35
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post
    I looked again. The settings dialog has the expert tools option. It then shows or adds the script editor on the right had menu opened by the 3 bars icon. The post editor is shown in this menu by default on my system. The post editor is not well documented imho. It does function more or less like most computer language programming interfaces with a editor, run and debug windows making that part easy enough to navigate. Its all about understanding, order and syntax of post editor code after that.

    New v15 looks to have some added functions like a in program 3d model drawing and editing. Not real useful for people that have dedicated cad but still good for a quicky i bet. I requested that sprutcam add a multiply by offset or some strategy to use large numbers of offsets and operations / tools together. From what I see in video it looks like they added a sorting method for the operation tree to group by tool then offset or other combo when you generate code. Not as easy as what I envisioned but might work about same depending on how its setup.
    Thanks MD - finally found it with those directions. It sure would be nice if SprutCAM was a bit more intuitive in areas like this, but I suppose that post editing is not high on the priority list.

    Is SC 14 any better at sketch drawing than previous versions? I always found that part of SC very confusing and not at all intuitive. Almost seems like a throwback to early 70's CAD programs.

  16. #36
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Thanks MD - finally found it with those directions. It sure would be nice if SprutCAM was a bit more intuitive in areas like this, but I suppose that post editing is not high on the priority list.

    Is SC 14 any better at sketch drawing than previous versions? I always found that part of SC very confusing and not at all intuitive. Almost seems like a throwback to early 70's CAD programs.
    I dont use it much. job selection boundary lines is about it. V15 looks like they added a simple but decent 3d cad module. It looks like a Onshape clone.
    I use ironcad inovate with custom templates for exporting into sprutcam model tree. I can set offsets, fixtures, parts and stock exactly how I want them and send it all to SprutCAM template. Helps with added control and less steps for the 3 different machines I use sprutcam code on after you get it all working together.

  17. #37
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by mountaindew View Post

    New v15 looks to have some added functions I requested that sprutcam add a multiply by offset or some strategy to use large numbers of offsets and operations / tools together. From what I see in video it looks like they added a sorting method for the operation tree to group by tool then offset or other combo when you generate code. Not as easy as what I envisioned but might work about same depending on how its setup.
    Watched a couple new videos on v15. They did add a system that does allow you to machine lots of parts that are same or different in any number of different offsets and or sides. With any number of tools and then organize by tool or offset and compile code. and it now looks to keep track of results correctly. I have been doing this for years but it was complicated to setup at times and takes lots of experience. Now it looks to be very straight forward to setup large projects with multiple parts and offsets. Small mill table this is not huge deal because you can only fit so many parts. But large format mills and routers this will be very nice to use.

  18. #38
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    I tried to watch a couple of the SC15 videos but got frustrated trying to understand (what is to me) the presenter's accent, but mostly trying to follow the action on screen.

    I must be getting to old to learn new tricks.

  19. #39
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    Re: SC 12 for Tormach SBL-15 lathe?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    If the 2D or CAD part of SC 14 is more like Onshape than previous versions, I have more incentive to install SC 15. Onshape is my preferred CAD for non-commercial work and it has a connector for SprutCAM.

    Creating operating boundaries would be my primary use of CAD in SC.
    onshape was my first impression when i first seen clips of it. For some things the new cad would be handy. if your running a plasma it would be super easy to draw out forms and cut right in cam program, also lathe parts or forms could be quickly created right in cad. They are often simple enough to not require full blown cad like i use now.

    i also commented about post generator looking like a normal c# compiler system. and in fact you have that as an option to use to create posts. Thought that is cool and more understandable to some i bet.

    last real nice feature i noticed is you can import fixtures and set them as part of your machine definition. i do it in cad and its not hard but this looks to be real easy to setup and use right in cam. they show a cool tombstone fixture with 8 vice fixtures and offsets. anyway this is all still beta version i think for a while anyway.

    as for understanding the videos, i mostly watch what people do and not what they say.

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