Emco PC120 Turn

[cropwell]

I use P16 for coolant (just an air blower really) and P17 to turn the spindle on (Kress, not a three phase one with speed control)

You may like to play with active high / low and whether you connect to NO or NC on the relay as there can be some activity on the pins before Mach3 takes control.

Cheers,

Rob

[Chaz]

I use P16 for coolant (just an air blower really) and P17 to turn the spindle on (Kress, not a three phase one with speed control)

You may like to play with active high / low and whether you connect to NO or NC on the relay as there can be some activity on the pins before Mach3 takes control.

Cheers,

Rob

Thanks. Appreciated.

[Chaz]

So I ordered this one - https://www.shop-apt.co.uk/part-off-...2mm-shank.html. Its like 2mm too long but I can grind away some of the lip that's in the way. Kudos to APT for the quick delivery as usual.

[jamesgates1000]

Hi, does your lathe have a Baruffaldi TOE80 turret like on a denford cyclone?

http://www.1stmachinery.com/Resource.../1008_6790.JPG

Is so I have a few spare blocks and boring bar sleeves that i made up and also some spare ER25 and ER16 Holders that I bought and modified to suit the 25mm tool holder if you are interested

[Chaz]

Hi, does your lathe have a Baruffaldi TOE80 turret like on a denford cyclone?

http://www.1stmachinery.com/Resource.../1008_6790.JPG

Is so I have a few spare blocks and boring bar sleeves that i made up and also some spare ER25 and ER16 Holders that I bought and modified to suit the 25mm tool holder if you are interested

Nope, similar but not as 'angular' as that. Ill take some pics.

[Chaz]

Please talk to me about Mach 3 tool ofsets.

Mine work however I am confused about one aspect.

This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAY6M4Q7fIE shows that a Master Tool is set at zero (against an arbitary plane, defined by a bar in the chuck) and all others tools are set against this. I understand this principle, its the way I use my mill offsets.

However, what I am not sure about is how to ensure that the machine 'knows' where X is say 0 or 10mm from the centre line.

The way I have done mine is to home my machine and set all tools from this point. My DRO will therefore say '20mm' and give me a 20mm stock if I cut along that plane (both diameter mode).

The problem is that the limit switches do not repeat 100% and whilst its reasonably accurate, I am not 100% getting the same diameters once the machine is rehomed.

I could use some form of a dialguage and reference of this (for X). Thoughts?

The other option is to home the machine once, then never again. Instead of homing it I should use G Code to 'go to home' but not use the limit switch. Assuming the machine is powered down and restarted with the turret in this location, it should repeat however as I use steppers (not servo), this is not perfect. Any replacement of a tool / tool tip or need to rehome means that my 'diameters' are no longer 100%.

I find that then resetting the diameter size (John Saunders does similar) needs you to cut a part manually, then measure it and then do some sums to get the offset correct. I find this tedious and long winded. Is there a better way?

Thanks

[m_c]

Take test cut with known tool, don't move X after taking cut, measure cut, and enter value into X DRO.

Provided you're not doing anything that affects tool offsets into relation to each other, then you don't have to touch individual tool offsets. All you have to do is establish the actual X axis position.

However, install a decent homing switch on the X axis. On a lathe, it makes life so much easier.