Hi guys I’m new here.
I have a new 9x49 VS ENCO that I was looking to
retro, a friend told me about Tormach. I run 50-75 parts
at a time mostly aluminum and plastic.
Most parts are no larger than a box of kitchen matches
and can be done in a vice.

It looks like I can buy the Tormach with all the options
and spend less money and have a extra machine in the
shop.

Are you guys happy with yours?

Thanks
Chris

I am happy with mine. But to be fair I am NO machinist. So I have nothing to compare it to. I can tell you that I cut lament wood 8 hours a day and have no snags. I would buy another if I needed one. The guys at Tormach have been VERY helpful! Because of my lack of ANY machinist skills it took a lot of patience to get me started, and they were there to help. And they didn't even laugh at me :) I have had some Machinists look it over and they say for what am doing it is great!
Steve

I am also very happy with my Tormach. I make small aluminum injection molds on mine and it works great. The customer service is excellent.

I've been very happy with mine as well. Finding the right CAM software at a reasonable price has been a much bigger problem for me and you might want to check into that if you are making multiple parts at a time. Some custom fixtures and CAM software that nests might be useful in that case.

Mike

Ya your write cam soft wear can get pricey.
I was looking at Mecsoft and Sprutcam.
Need some help here too.
I have Autodesk Inventor for designing parts.

I am happy with my Tormach. I make all the parts for my focusers see: http://www.clementfocuser.com and the Tormach is doing a great job so far. I use SprutCam to create most of the programs that run on the Tormach. My parts are modeled in a 3D parametric modeling program and imported as IGES file into SprutCam. SprutCam is a bargain when bought with the Tormach and is at least 20% the price of comparable CAM software such as MasterCam. Tormach PCNC is at least 20% the cost of almost any VMC and the TTS is a good inexpensive alternative to more expensive toolholding systems.

Don Clement
Running Springs, California

Chris,

Like Don I'm also using SprutCAM, but I've been finding it tough going to get productive in SprutCAM. Lots of SC users (including Don) seem happy with it though so it's probably just that my brain doesn't think the same way it does. Then too maybe I have a lousy instructor, being self-taught. Profiling has been a snap, it's the more complex operations that are giving me fits.

Mecsoft is supposed to be releasing Visual Mill 6 next month and I may be taking a serious look at that if a mental breakthrough doesn't happen soon with SprutCAM.

Mike

I know this question may need to go in another
forum but here it is.

I’m just about ready to pull the trigger on a new Tormach and the good deal on the Sprutcam software.

My question is I would like to engrave but may Autodesk
inventor doesn’t do font for that purpose and Sprutcam
is just cam. I have looked until my eyes are bleeding!!! there are sooo many cad/cam software’s to chose from
please help!
Oh by the way I don’t have an extra 5 grand for software.
I would like to be able to engrave on cylinders using my
rotary table.

Thanks guy
Chris

My question is I would like to engrave but may Autodesk
inventor doesn’t do font for that purpose and Sprutcam
is just cam.

SprutCAM Expert 4.0 (which Tormach sells) does have some engraving capability but I haven't tried using that yet. There used to be a tutorial for engraving on the UK SprutCAM site so you might check there to see if it is still available.

I'm pretty sure, though, that SC 4 can only use the 4th axis in indexed mode. If so you might have problems engraving all the way around a cylinder.

Try posting the question in the SprutCAM forum here on CNCZone or in the Sprut-run forum.

Mike

Thanks M.H.

I have used my rotary table/Tormach to engrave on cylinders. The Tormach manaul give an example of letter engraving on a cylinder that could be done with free software. How difficult and the cost of software depends on what you want to engrave on the cylinder. Simple letter/number engraving type work is a piece of cake. If the engraving has any "depth" to it then you are into expensive software.

Tell us more about what type of shapes you wish to engrave.

Regards
Phil



I would like to be able to engrave on cylinders using my
rotary table.

Thanks guy
Chris

Nothing in particular, just looking at all my options.

Well I made the plunge, a Tormach mill is on it’s
way!!

It with all the options with shipping run me 11,986.25

You guys where a big help in helping me make my
mind up.

Thanks
Chris

good for you! I think you will be very happy. I had to name mine:)

Steve

Hi Steve did you get a printed instruction manual?

I down loaded it from there site and the pics wouldn’t
print.

My machine won’t be here until the end of the month.
I’m just trying to get a head start on everything.

This will be my first experience with cnc and when
it gets here it will make the second one I’ve ever seen
in the flesh.

You guys please bare with me.

Thanks
Chris

Yes you do get a physical manual. It is the same as the one on line... in fact the one on line is the more up to date one. They seem to keep it updated. You and I are in the same boat, I have never seen a cnc mill before I bought this one. It took me a little time to get it going but this site and Tormach is very helpful! The biggest problem I have (still) is writing a program, in fact I needed a program in a hurry so I just hired a guy to write one for me. So now I can take my time to learn the programming end of things. Do you have any milling experience? IF you do you are one up on me :)
Steve

I was in the same boat also, having never programmed a CNC mill before I got my Tormach. I found information on the internet and “CNC Programming Handbook” by Peter Smid very useful. http://tinyurl.com/243lqa .

Don Clement
Running Springs, California

Hey Don,
Thanks for the tip! I have been looking for a good book on cnc! I ordered that book today :)
Steve

A good way to start is with the wizards in Mach2, there are even more in Mach3 and for a few bucks you can buy even more. You just type in some basic information an the Gcode gets generated automatically. It's a very quick way to get started. Gives you a chance to see what it's all about and do some useful work before you commit to that $2000 3D CadCam software package.

Regards
Phil

Yes you do get a physical manual. It is the same as the one on line... in fact the one on line is the more up to date one. They seem to keep it updated. You and I are in the same boat, I have never seen a cnc mill before I bought this one. It took me a little time to get it going but this site and Tormach is very helpful! The biggest problem I have (still) is writing a program, in fact I needed a program in a hurry so I just hired a guy to write one for me. So now I can take my time to learn the programming end of things. Do you have any milling experience? IF you do you are one up on me :)
Steve

Real work with the Tormach begins with Cam software. I purchased SprutCam with my Tormach and after a small learning curve ( SprutCam is Russian software translated to English through Polish translation) I am now able to quickly produce a program from a Solidworks 3D model. One still has to have a working knowledge of the G-code when using SprutCam. But the manual editing of the post-processed is minimal. Here is a video of a part being machined on my Tormach http://tinyurl.com/yvyaym The program was created using SprutCam 4(build 1.3) from a Solidworks model imported as an IGES file. I used a roughing waterline machining operation and left 0.02" for the
waterline finishing operation. SprutCam postprocessor generated the G-code directly. The only editing I did to the postprocessed G-code was to add my fixture offset G58 to the safe block and added G4 P2 (2second delay) after M8 (turn on coolant).

Don Clement
Running Springs, California

When I bought the Tormach back in January, They sold me the Alibre and Sprutcam software. It looks like it won't be horribly difficult to learn. I have putz around and made a 3x3 block. And I feel I owe myself an award for that! But the tutorials are waaay good so I think it will work out. I have a retail store that keeps me pretty busy in the summer, so it will be fall before I can start the "big experiment".

Any body Buy and use the high speed spindle kit ? I just ordered the PCNC 1100 and it ships the 25 th of June. I ordered the 20,000 RPM Die grinder kit with it. So I was wondering if any members have used it. I plan on cutting Garbon Fiber Graphite on it. Mostly R/C Chassis, The tollarences are not that close +/- .002 is right on. Been useing my old boss's 4020 VMC w/10,000 RPM spindle, and it's not enough. Parts are all right but more is better. So I am interested in some feed back'

Hi guys I’m looking at the Tormach 5” vice
dose anybody have one? They are saying it is
US made maybe Kurt is making it for them?

Is there a cheaper alterative?

Hi guys I’m looking at the Tormach 5” vice
dose anybody have one? They are saying it is
US made maybe Kurt is making it for them?

Is there a cheaper alterative?

I've got one and have been pleased with it. It's similar to the Kurt 5" (which no longer made) but has a smaller footprint and fits the Tormach fine. Nice job on the grinding and all relevant surfaces seem properly finished. Like the Kurts, you can remove either/both jaw plates and switch them between inside and outside positions. Placed on the outside, you can grip much wider stock - looks like 11" or so. The quality seems equal to the Kurts.

Keep in mind that it comes without T-bolts or other mounting hardware and you'll hav to order that separately or make due with studs and T-nuts from a clamping kit. The included handle doesn't enough clearance to be used inside the coolant enclosure, but a 3/4" ratcheting wrench deals with that nicely.

I didn't look real hard but don't think that there are any better prices for the quality, unless you want to take chances with an import Kurt clone.

Mike

They are saying it is
US made maybe Kurt is making it for them?

I have one and love it. It's just the right size for the Tormach. It's a rebranded Minimag from Conquest Industries http://www.conquestind.com/machiningVises/miniMAG.asp

The next thing I want to do is make up some soft jaws for it.

Best regards,

Randy

I was planning on buying one of the Tormach vises and then realized it was actually more expensive to buy it than the Kurt. Tormach sells the vise for $495 plus about $90 shipping. I have the seen the D688 for a low as $450 with shipping that is comparable.

I like that the Tormach vise fits the machine better but it does that by giving up a lot, especially in the size of parts that can be held without switching the jaws around. That is combined with the fact that 5" vise accessories are a lot harder to find.

The D688 overhangs the back of the table about an inch but the loss of some travel doesn't bother me. The hex bolt also sticks out an inch or so through the plexiglass insert (the deluxe stand coolant containment shield) but I also see that as an advantage -- allows you to open and close the vise with a speed handle even when the shield is in place.

A member of the yahoo Tormach group posted a picture of his D688 mounted to the Tormach. Check it out at http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/tormach1100/photos/browse/4a78 (have to be a member of the group to see it though).

My PCNC 1100 arrived about 3 weeks ago and it is on the deluxe stand, the PC is connected, PCNC1100-Mach3 is loaded and functioning. I have completed checks of a number of the tests in the inspection sheet that was delivered with the mill and my measurements meet or exceed those made by the factory inspector, the mill appears to be performing well within spec.

I came across an add for an import 6 inch vise from Shars (202-1030) on sale it is slightly larger than the 5 inch Tormach vise and smaller than the Kirt 6 inch. I decided to try one finish on the vise is excellent, operation is smooth, and tight, at about $130 it appears worth considering.

David

David,

Have you checked the vise to see how well if the important surfaces are aligned and/or square to each other?

Running a few alignment checks is on my list of things to do with the Tormach vise.

Mike

Mike

I have only checked a couple dimensions so far. Parallelism base to top ways of vise came out 0.0003 in the width (x-axis) of the vise (a little less than 6 inches) and 0.0003-0.0004 (y-axis) in about 5 inches of sweep.

And parallelism of the keyed vise's stationary jaw to the x-axis travel, that came out 0.0004 again over the width of the jaw, since there is no adjustments those were the two I was most interested in.

I don't expect to use the vise on its side so I haven't concerned myself with squareness of base to sides.

With the vise keys in the T-slot farthest from the column (where I checked it) and the jaws open half an inch or more the rear edge of the vise extends about a quarter inch beyond the table so there is less chance of hitting the column than with the Kirt 6 inch vise.

David

Where do you get one of these vises? Thats a steal at $130!

well looks like it's going to be hear a week early WhooHoo!
this tusday I'l try to take pic's.

Chris

Can Tormach Make Prototipes From Stainless Steel..

I unloaded my Tormach this afternoon!!!

Yes

Can Tormach Make Prototipes From Stainless Steel..

Is there any one that can help me with Sprutcam
training (that will answer the phone).

I bought a Tormach 1100 mill and all the goodies
and the Sprutcam I spent about 12,500.00 with
Tormach.
When I was asking questions they were telling me
what I wanted to here.

All I need is a little help with one or two parts to get me started and I’ll be fine the guys a Tormach don’t know any more than I do. Sad……

That wasn’t the case when I was looking into buying
one.

Well they have my money now no need to waste any more time, on to the next sucker…………

If any one can help thanks.

Singed
Very disappointed Tormach owner

Have you been to the SprutCAM forum (not the one here on CNCZone, though that might do)? The folks there are quite helpful. There are also some pretty useful tutorials available here at the UK SprutCAM web site.

Forum ==> http://forums.sprutcam.com/

UK Site ==> http://www.sprut.co.uk/37402.html

I too have found SprutCAM to be hard slogging but it's starting to make more sense each time I use it, though it's taken me 6+ months to get to the point where the blood pressure doesn't go up when it's used. The tutorials above were a big help though they still leave much to learn. The support on the above forum has helped to fill in the questions that the manual and tutorials don't cover.

BTW, which build are you on? The current build is 1.30 I believe and has resolved some issues with Imperial units that were present in earlier versions.

Tormach sells SprutCAM for around 25-30% of the normal market price and I suspect that they've arranged that pricing as a service to Tormach owners. The downside of the discounted price is that you can't expect the level of support that you would get with the product sold through a re-seller.

Mike

Sprutcam is, I think, a deep pool to jump straight into as a beginner. If you just want to get started try the wizards in Mach 2 or 3. I was machining my first parts something like 3 hours after the packing case arrived. One step at a time.

Phil
PS: Its not a food mixer, its going to take time.

Is there any one that can help me with Sprutcam
training (that will answer the phone).

I bought a Tormach 1100 mill and all the goodies
and the Sprutcam I spent about 12,500.00 with
Tormach.
When I was asking questions they were telling me
what I wanted to here.

All I need is a little help with one or two parts to get me started and I’ll be fine the guys a Tormach don’t know any more than I do. Sad……

That wasn’t the case when I was looking into buying
one.

Well they have my money now no need to waste any more time, on to the next sucker…………

If any one can help thanks.

Singed
Very disappointed Tormach owner

I expected the learning curve to be steep
but my thing is that I MADE MYSELF CLEAR
about getting a little one on one after the
machine is up and running. And Bob says
“ya” no problem!

Well come to find out there’s no one at Tormach
that knows any thing about the software.
There’s no crime in that but when you tell a man
you can do something and you are just blowing smoke
to get the machine out the door that’s wrong.

I don’t need help on a part the I’m stuck with a problem
on.

I can import the part and that’s it, period!
I need to e-mail some one a part or two and
we take it step by step to the end. And explain
what is going on along the way and I’ll be fin.

I thought I was going to get this from Bob but
when we got on the phone it was the blind leading
the blind.

The guys at Tormach keep reminding me of how cheap
it is, It got Sprut from them so if I had any problems with
any of this. I could call one company.



I want my money back so I can buy VisualMill at least I can buy support.

Sprutcam expert W/dungel 900.00 shipped any takers.

Unfortunately, this is reflecting badly on SprutCAM, and I have e-mailed Sprut to make them aware of this problem.
I sell SprutCAM in the UK & Ireland and cannot get anywhere near the price that Tormach sell it for in the US!
In the UK I include a full support contract which includes use of our online NetViewer system and all also updates are made available to our customers as soon as they are available.
It looks like one of the ways that Tormach are keeping the price so low is that it is just a sale for them, and nothing else.........
If it will help, I could work out a price for you for buying one of our support contracts?
Send me a PM if you are interested.

pm sent

Let me clear some things up.

I don’t what a potential Sprutcam buyer
to read this and run away. My gripe is not
with Sprutcam but a non supporting dealer.

If Sprutcam fits you needs than buy it, but make
shore you are buying from a supporting dealer.

Chris

Depends on whether you want to pay USD900 or USD3,000. Not everybody has the same criteria regarding support.

Regards
Phil

PS: If after a full study of the situation you can't work out who made the mistake then it was probably you.


Let me clear some things up.

I don’t what a potential Sprutcam buyer
to read this and run away. My gripe is not
with Sprutcam but a non supporting dealer.

If Sprutcam fits you needs than buy it, but make
shore you are buying from a supporting dealer.

Chris

“Not everybody has the same criteria regarding support.” That’s for damn sure!

I see the Tormach offer for SprutCam Expert as an outright bargain for <$1K, even with no support. MasterCam, the US standard, is $5K for the equivalent CAM software. I got to try the full version out for a month by downloading from the SprutCam website. So no surprises when I took delivery with the Tormach PCNC. In my case there was a steep learning curve since I had never even programmed any G-code or used any type of CAM software. Although I was quite proficient in using Solidworks CAD software and have been programming for over 35 years starting with BlatIV Fortran on 80 column punch cards using an IBM 360 mainframe. Unlike US software (e.g Solidworks.) where one can drive over to the Technical bookstore (or nowadays order on Amazon.com and get delivery the next day) find many books about the software, SprutCam is Russian and there are no books (that I found). To complicate things I believe SprutCam was translated thru Polish to UK English. BTW UK English is not the same as American English as any American that has read books by George Thomas would know. But searching the Internet I found a few tutorials and searched the SprutCam forums. I would highly recommend learning G-code in conjunction with learning SprutCam. The CNC Programming Handbook by Peter Smid was invaluable in learning G-code. I find it necessary to edit SprutCam post files to gain the maximum from it so learning G-code is a necessity. So after about three months I can go from a Solidworks IGES file to working .TAB file running on the Tormach in about a half an hour. It took some effort on my part but it can be done without any SprutCam support from Tormach. YMMV.

Don Clement
Running Springs, California

It sounds like I'm in the same boat as Don Clement and maybe Phil. I couldn't find anything with the capabilities of SprutCAM for anywhere near the price that Tormach offers and also had zero experience in CNC or CAM. I just assumed that support from Tormach would be minimal at best and never tried to contact them for help on SC. I'm afraid that most of the burden in that area for me has fallen on "S4 Monster" and if not for him I would have given up on Sprut long ago.

As Don says, the manual is a bit hard to decipher and I really wish that there was a product out there somewhere that would go a lot more into the concepts that are important to using SprutCAM productively. I'm thinking here about how to select an operation that is appropriate to the job at hand and which of the many options in that operation should be used and how and especially *why*.

S4 - have you ever considered a beginners book on SprutCAM? I'd pay good money for that though I suspect you'd end up working for pennies (or is that pence) per hour on the project.

I'd be interested in what you'd charge for a support contract, though it may be hard for me to justify the cost on a hobbyists budget.

Mike

In my case there was a steep learning curve since I had never even programmed any G-code or used any type of CAM software.

Don,

Can you comment a bit on the approach you used to learn SprutCAM, especially in trying to learn to think the way SprutCAM does?

I started by reading the manual cover to cover and then dove right into a few projects. Followed shortly thereafter by running through S4 Monster's tutorials and more diving into projects. It's been a frustrating road at times and there must be a better way.

Mike

duplicate

I have spend a significant amount of time talking with the folks at Tormach when I decided to purchase Sprutcam. They made no claims of supporting the product. They told me support would be limited. Are you sure you may have missunderstood? I can pretty much guarantee that Greg and his team would NEVER intentionally misslead any of their customers. That's not what Greg or his company is about.

You are getting an AMAZING deal on a very powerful program. For that discount, you trade time and frustration on the learning curve. Nothing is for free.

This software is very complex and its taken time to learn the program, but reading the manual cover to cover and doing Spruts and Monsters tutorials really allowed me to ramp up and learn. Make sure you have the latest version of the software.

If Dave(monsterS4) is willing to offer a support deal you can afford, I would take him up on it! He is remarkably knowledgeable on the product and an amazing help! Im certain you would be thrilled with his service.

Maybe post a pic of your part, maybe some of us can offer some advice on how to proceed.

david

I didn’t buy the Sprutcam for the price, I bought
it so every thing would come from one place and if
I need some help I could deal with one company.

I asked the guys at Tormach before I ever put my deposit on a machine if they could help me with
one or two parts and they said yes get it hooked up
and call us when your are ready and I did.

I’m sorry if I don’t catch on as fast as some people.

The Tormach mill looks to be a nice peace and I’m shore
it will do everything that I got it for.

If the guys at Tormach would have made it clear from the start that in no way do they offer support and I bought Sprutcam anyway, I would understand and take
it as it comes, But only after I find out that they can’t
help me they make me aware of support polices.

Here is a copy of an email from Tormach,

Chris,
Your decision to purchase SprutCAM may be something you regret, however it is impossible for Tormach to take responsibility for that decision. The opinion and guidance we provide on our web site is quite clear. The following is from our page at http://www.tormach.com/Product_CAM_opinions.html :

I didn’t think that I needed my used car salesman
bull**** scanner set on high alert to buy a mill.

Chris

S4 - have you ever considered a beginners book on SprutCAM? I'd pay good money for that though I suspect you'd end up working for pennies (or is that pence) per hour on the project.

I'd be interested in what you'd charge for a support contract, though it may be hard for me to justify the cost on a hobbyists budget.

Mike

I did indeed start writing an e-book on SprutCAM..........then Sprut dropped it on me that they were writing a new version (SprutCAM 2007) and so the project is on hold until the new production version is released.
It's a lot of work though, so don't expect it to be available immediately.........

The main problem with offering support contracts into the US is our difference in time zones.........and the problem with a hobbyists budget.........
I'll have a think on this and see if there is something that I can come up with......

Dave

Dave,

The hobbyists budget might be hard to work around but the time zone shouldn't be if you don't mind providing support via email. Hobbyists usually don't have extreme deadlines to meet so response time is usually a bit less of an issue.

So far as the e-book goes - maybe a pre-publication offer at one price with an adder for the final product would make sense. You'd get a sort of "advance" to support the work as you go and could get feedback before things are set in stone. If you have much done on the SC 4 project I'd pay money for that right now. I'd be especially interested in getting a good grounding in the concepts important to getting started with SprutCAM. I'm concerned that I may be developing bad habits that will be difficult to un-learn later.

Mike

I can import the part and that’s it, period!
I need to e-mail some one a part or two and
we take it step by step to the end. And explain
what is going on along the way and I’ll be fin.

I thought I was going to get this from Bob but
when we got on the phone it was the blind leading
the blind.


Im really sorry to hear you are so frustrated with your experience with your CNC venture. Ive had my share of them. What I found to really help, was to spend conciderable time doing the sprutcam tutorials and searching spruts forum that Dave moderates.

My assumption is you are a reasonable person... If this is the case, how can you expect Tormach to provide personal phone support for a complex program like Sprutcam? Its just not a reasonable expectation. They would eat up any profit in a couple hours on the phone. It takes weeks/months to ramp up by just experimenting and doing the tutorials. Once you catch on, the tool is very easy to use. If someone walks you through one project from start to finish, you probably wont be fine. Each project will be different and offers different challenges.

I think somone may have already asked this.. but I dont think you've answered the questions. Have you gone through all of Sprutcams posted tutorials? Theres a TON of them and they are very helpful. Dave has also posted a number of video tutorials on spruts forum. Have you gone through them, or spent time on the forum searching and reading?? He has provided excellent advice and direction. It just takes a search.

It appears you are spending your energy attacking tormach, a company we have all gotten great service from.

The truth of the matter is you are working with a hobby that has a farily steep learning curve. Some ramp faster than others. You're dealing with a professionals tool. Its no different than learning autocad, or solid works... or pro-e. They are ALL complex and take time to learn.

If you tell us what you plan on making with the machine and what your projects look like. Maybe someone will step up and help. You may not need such a capable program and suggest something simpler that will help you get started.

If you decide to sell the software, I doubt you'll have trouble selling it... Before you do, understand what it costs for software to do what you need.

If simple 2 and 2.5 D stuff, look into sheetcam. Great simple software thats easy to use.

David

Hi Chris

If the Sprut Cam is also Dolphin Cam, then maybe the tutorials at the bottom of this page may help. I just purchased the Dolphin mill level 3 and within 8 hrs am able to run parts in the Mach3 simulator and CNCsimulator. (my machine is still a work in progress). It took a little bit of time to get to a point where things clicked for me.


http://www.cadcamconsultants.net/Tutorials.html

I’ve been using Autodesk Inverter 11 Pro for about
a year now and love it. So using a complex program is
nothing new. I downloaded Sprutcam expert and played
with it for a mouth and never got past importing a part.

I found the tutorials to be difficult and confusing.

I downloaded Visualmill 5.0 and with one video tutorial lesson I was cutting parts. Total time, about 2 hours.

I called all over and email every one about support
there is none to be had in the US that I have found.
I got more help out of S4 Monster than all others
combine. I wish he was in the US.

Visualmill 5.0 will be the cam making my parts.

It all boils down to if you tell a person you will do
something then DO IT.

Guys let’s move on, I’ve said my peace and that’s that.

Chris

Chris you have made some very good points there, and I feel really frustrated that your experience with SprutCAM has been problematic.
I have asked the guys at Sprut to read this thread, and hopefully they will realise that the market in the US is quite different to other markets.
I can only speak for what I do in the UK, but I make contact with all potential customers and ensure that they at least have an online SprutCAM demonstration, which is usually more than sufficient for most people to start making their own parts.
Once they have purchased SprutCAM (most do) I also ensure that full back up is given which is why over here at least I get a lot of customer referrals.
This shows that SprutCAM is a very good product.
It appears to me that in the US it is more common for people to be left alone to evaluate a product, which is fine if the tutorials etc. that are supplied with the product are of a sufficient quality........this needs addressing by improved SprutCAM tutorials, or, a good dealer willing to support SprutCAM in the US needs to be found.........

Dave

I also thought that DophinCam and SprutCam where the same thing. However now I'm confused as DolphinCam is also available in the USA so are Dolphin and Sprut the same product competing against each other in the same market. Or have I missed something (probably).

Regards
Phil

Hi Chris

If the Sprut Cam is also Dolphin Cam, ............

Hi Phil,

Not to hijack this thread, because Chris has made it clear that he will use Visual cam. But not to leave you hanging either. I simply followed this link http://www.tormach.com/Product_CAM_opinions.html provided by Chris which states, at the bottom of the page, that they are the same. I looked at the screens of both programs and they do seem to be the same at first blush. The reason I posted in the first place was because the first (Dolphin 3DCAM) video tutorial explains how to load iges files and make tool paths. Perhaps you or someone can test the videos on their systems to see if they work. If they do then SprutCam'ers may have a second source of training materials.

Best Regards.

Chris,

Had I not just bought the milling program, I surely would take yours off your hands. I hope you will not have to wait too long.

Best of luck.

I sent mine back.

Well................ this tread seems to have gone cold!

Can I butt in ask while you may be vagely in touch - the thread developed into a sproutCAM and service saga - any other CAMs were discussed. But no mention of bob CADCAM?

I have BCC V21 and make 3D prototypes for my 'from home business' I admit I have had some problems with BCC - freeze ups and go slows........but I thought it was maybe my computer or grahics card - anyway I get by ...BCC gets me there in the end. Anyone tried sprutCAM etc and BCC and can compare? - I'd really like to hear from you.

I am considering buying a Tormach for the shop I work in, for small projects. There is one thing I needs to know, What kind of tolerence can these machines hold???

I would guess less than .0005 buy I cant find it on there web site.

Does anyone have a answere to this question they could shout out for me?

Thanks to all, this is a really good thread. Very informative.

tt350 im just up the road about 60 miles from you, and i gota tell yea after getting shafted by shoptask on their shoptask i would gladly trade places with you. if you are up in hattiesburg give me a call and i will show you about bob-cad. when i get this piece of sh t shoptask paid for my next mill will be a tormach, maybe we can work out a deal to by yours???
584-8450 8to4

Here is the machine performance data, what kind of tolerence you can hold on a part then depends on the part, what type of dimension, the set-up, how well you know the machine and how good a machinist you are.

http://www.tormach.com/document_library/PCNC1100_CertInspect_V3.pdf

Regards
Phil

I am considering buying a Tormach for the shop I work in, for small projects. There is one thing I needs to know, What kind of tolerence can these machines hold???

I would guess less than .0005 buy I cant find it on there web site.

Does anyone have a answere to this question they could shout out for me?

Thanks to all, this is a really good thread. Very informative.

Here is the machine performance data, what kind of tolerence you can hold on a part then depends on the part, what type of dimension, the set-up, how well you know the machine and how good a machinist you are.

http://www.tormach.com/document_library/PCNC1100_CertInspect_V3.pdf

Regards
Phil


Thanks for the link, it helped alot and was very appreciated.

I am very capable in setups of all kinds, and am a red seal machinist. so I should be able to manage this rig with little problems.

The only bad thing I have heard so far it about the sprutcam software, otherwise its all good things.

What kind of post would it use, would a fanuc or haas post work with minor changes?

The only bad thing I have heard so far it about the sprutcam software, otherwise its all good things.

I wouldn't say that SprutCAM is bad, just that it is difficult for some folks (like me) to learn. It actually seems to be quite capable with some nice features, that I've yet to fully explore. There is a Mach2/3 post for SprutCAM that has been customised for the Tormach. You can download it from the Tormach web site.

Mike

Am I happy with Tormach? Mostly, yes. Monster S4 aside (he was a fantastic help for my first couple of parts, way beyond being 'just helpful'. :) ), I too had total frustration with Sprutcam. I eventually figured out how to do some things with it (even some things I wanted to do with it!) But I finally gave up because of all the bugs/crashes/painful support/etc. It got to the point where I would do a function, if it worked, save... do a function, if it worked, save... etc. When in the process of saving, it wiped out my file, I finally gave up.

I'm on visual mill 5 now, and support is wonderful. Software leaves a bit to be desired (didn't anyone on the programming staff USE a pc before writing software for it? None of the 'standard' pc commands work like you would expect!), but support can't be beat. They have even had me send them my model, and then walked me through (on phone, and with a remote desktop tool on my pc) showing me exactly how to do the function that I wanted to do. A couple of times I've sent them a model that wasn't doing what I wanted, they fixed it, and sent it back with notes on how, or what I did that wasn't quite right. That said, the software defaults are almost always wrong, so you end up setting everything every time you start a new project, etc, etc... Sprutcam had them beat there; once setup, if the software worked, what you got had reasonable defaults (mostly).

For Tormach, support was fair to good; I had some problems with the machine when it arrived. I would spin up the motor, and somewhere in the cut it would randomly spin it down again (yep, breaking bits). Took us about 3 weeks and a few spare parts before we figured it out and got it fixed. I guess the only big complaint I've had with them (probably because I see it every time I use the mill, not because it's a big nasty one) is that they would NOT recommend any type of coolant for me; so I finally picked one that looked good, and it promptly ate my paint. I called and asked and they said "Oh, we wouldn't use that one"... That would have helpful before I ruined my paint job...

Ah well, live and learn. Note: I am not an honest-to-gosh machinist, I don't even play one on stage. Everything I have learned I learned the hard way (or by asking questions), so I'm probably doing it wrong anyway. :}

Ciao!
Jason

I have visual mill 5 as well and I don't fill so alone now.

Rumor has it that SprutCAM 2007 has been released, at least by the UK rep - see the corporate SprutCAM forum [not the one here on CNCZone] for the announcement.

Tormach will apparently be making a Tormach-specific version available but it's not clear what the price will be yet.

Mike

Hey Guy's;
I am very happy with my Tormach. I've been a tool macker for a number if years, an been doing CNC work for the last 16 yr. So I know a little bit about NC machining. As far as the tormach goes, it's no VMC. But it works exteamly well for what it was desinged for, the small shop. I make specialty R/C parts for Dirt Oval. So I cut Plastic, Aluminum, an Carbon Fiber. So far no complaints. As with any machinist I want more rpm an feed speed. As of now I had the machine up and running for about 3-4 wks. which is what is required to get used to the control software. But so far it seems exceptable.
Now for the jog/shuttle pendant, I've used a lot of different machines through the years, most with pulse generators. But the jog/shuttle is by far the most interestting. I am really pleased with the ease in doing a setup or just cutting jaws. Well worth the 68.00 plus dollars.

Bobcad is a very good program. The slowing up is your computer for sure. I use solid works and bobcad together and never have had any problems on any machine so far. Even doing the configs yourself on bobcad is very easy. I would say the most user friendly setup is to draw in solidworks and cut off bobcad. And yes bobcad is much easier then mastercam. I do use and like mastercam but have been fadding away from it as bobcad is getting better every year.

Yeah like Bobcadcam also. Good to hear it is easier to use than mastercam - can V21 do as advanced toolpaths etc? I Use it for cad and cam - anyone used it as well as Sprutcam - Im interested in a comparison. I've got V21 and it can do a lot - but I know it is not at the level of Delcam powermill etc. You put so much time into getting fast with a system - I only want to change is there are really big pluses.

Check out bobcad v22