[hinksj]

Educate me on your drill bits.

I've read the nice write-up on MillPCBs.

A 45 degree bit - at .002 inches of depth cuts a path about .002 inches wide.

If you were looking for a .020 isolation width - that would require more than 10 tool paths per trace (some overlap required).

How wide do you normally look for isolation?

I was of the belief that most people used endmills because that is what I saw in several youtube flicks on milling PCBs.

Also on the pcb-gcode forum, several people were asking about running with different size tools ... I assumed endmills since the the bits on your site are pretty much all the same width - changes slightly with tool angle and milling depth.

[Greolt]

Seems no matter what sizes I put in the "Board Size Display" small or large numbers, it won't open at a viewable size.

Need to put a G90 in the preamble

Need a setting for an S word. Spindle speed. EG, S20000M03

Get rid of that setting the tool guff at the start. Or at least be able to turn it off.

And of course if you want users outside of the US then it must be able to select metric.

Greg

[hinksj]

The board size is used to control the graphic display.

The display comes up very large - Max resolution to view the tooling paths.

Click the down arrow several times on the keyboard to scale it down.

[Greolt]

I know there are some who use endmills though I can not work out why.

Those spade bits from Andrew are cheap and last for ages. I'm too tight to spend $35US (about $55AUD) on a bit that will break if I sneeze.

One bit does the whole job. No tool changes.

Yes 0.02" isolation tends to suit me. In practice that works out to be about 5 passes. I cut about 3 to 4 mil deep. Less if needing very fine isolation.

There are a couple of videos here that are doing fairly fine traces.

http://www.millpcbs.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=13

And a video of mine. Usually I use a small benchtop machine for PCBs but this was to show some friends my larger R&P router can do this sort of thing.

Greg

.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHCCCjdnbQ4"]YouTube - PCB milling[/ame]

[Greolt]

The display comes up very large - Max resolution to view the tooling paths.

Trouble is it opens and I have to go searching for the graphic. Not on screen at all.

Better open at full size and then have the option to zoom in.

The scroll bars are not always there. Sometimes the graphic is off screen but no up-down scroll bar.

[Greolt]

There is something screwy with the drill tap.

Simple little board in Eagle, route tap is about 110k, drill tap is about 1.5gig

Try to open it in notepad and first it won't open till I shut down your exe.

Then notepad chokes because it is so big.

[hinksj]

Please find attached a updated versin based on Greg's comments.

I could have swore I had a G90 but missed it.

Config now includes "Spindle Speed" and "Disable Assisted Tool Change"

I don't have a tool changer so that code was put in place to assist and remind me of proper tool height.

If you don't need or want it, click the Disable box.


View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 2.A ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[hinksj]

Greg:

Can you make the design available to me so I can produce the issue here.

There must be something in it that is causing me not to complete but loop longer than required.

I can not produce the issue with my test designs.

[hinksj]

I've revised the drawing to remove empty X space.

Should make viewing and scaling easier.


View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 2.B ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[Greolt]

It is a pretty simple little board I am testing with. I have sent it to you. Check PM.

This morning the drill tap is coming out at 13meg. Crashes notepad. Mach will not load it. Wordpad won't either. Definitely something screwy with it.

It seems that if I open a tap file (either one) while exe is still open then the exe hangs. Must shut it down first.

Graphic should open full screen. Then user can choose to zoom in if he wants.

Spindle speed needs more revs. 9999 is not enough. Typically I etch at 24000rpm. 30,000 would be OK if there must be a limit.

See pic. Looks like you meant to put feedrates in top highlight. Speed comand got a bit mixed up in second highlight.

Greg

[hinksj]

Your last drill size of .1299 was the bugger.

It did not round correctly so I was never able to match drills.

I have addressed that issue.

Since the bits you use may cut as little as .001 to .002 inches, I revised my quality checks. I used to say the min cutting path was .005 inches - it is now .001 inches.


View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 3.A ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[hinksj]

I did not read the Image you posted.

This release addresses those issues.


View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 3.B ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[hinksj]

Increased Max Spindle Speed.

View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 3.C ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[Greolt]

Joe

All the issues in post 30 are still there.

Let me know when these have been addressed and I will have another look.

Greg

EDIT: we posted at the same time.

let me know when the other issues are good.

EDIT2: you forgot to post the latest version again

[hinksj]

I just reloaded my site with the files.


View Documentation:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GCode.htm

If you would like the Full package - Include Microsoft's Run Time Lib:

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2GcodePackage.exe

Just the latest Software - Version 3.C ... Now displayed in lower right corner.

http://joehinkle.com/Eagle2Gcode/Eagle2Gcode.exe

[Greolt]

Still loading 2B

EDIT:

No because the file is the same name then my download just pulls back the previous download.

I have got 3.C now. Call each fresh version by a new name.

[Greolt]

No program still hangs.

Graphic is still zoomed in way too far.

Need to be able to set dwell to zero. Mach has that built in.

First issue is major. Not ready for testing yet.

Let us know when you have it usable and I will have another go.

Till then I will give it a miss. Program crashes are disconcerting.

Greg

[hinksj]

Greg:

Thanks for all the time you put into help with this.

I will remove the program until I can get MY machine up and running.

Debugging locally is far better than over an Internet forum.

Thanks again.

Joe

[Greolt]

No worries Joe.

I have not taken this any where near a machine. You don't need a machine to get these issues sorted out. Don't put it off till then.

Greg