Optimum BF20L CNC conversion using the Smooth Stepper

[Starleper1]

You can probably get a good idea with your dial indicator but a DTI is preferred for accuracy.

[photomankc]

How did you break a spindle exactly? I'd like to avoid doing that

[Starleper1]

Yeah really.... pretty crazy. I couldn't believe it when I seen it. I really think it was because of those flats. But who knows maybe the heat treating was off and the material was too brittle.

[Mad Welder]

How did you break a spindle exactly? I'd like to avoid doing that

Yup and so do I.... until the next break and hopefully it's only a tool next time........


But have a look at posts 25 to 32 below and when I just checked now they were on pages 2&3 in this thread......it's probably easier that way and if you still want me to clarify anything else be sure to reply.....

[Mad Welder]

Yeah really.... pretty crazy. I couldn't believe it when I seen it. I really think it was because of those flats. But who knows maybe the heat treating was off and the material was too brittle.

Funny thing is the new spindle is an exact replica including "flats" as the one being replaced, and obviously as this is where the spanner holds the spindle in place to release collets etc.., it isn’t really the issue…uneven heat treatment….Naw I really doubt it….maybe in a customised one off item but here it couldn’t really be the issue as these things are baked in the ovens in lots/batches of I’m guessing thousands ….…..



So here I hold my humble hand up and say it was a stupid mistake and really it was entirely my fault of inexperience working Mach….and in fairness to the guys over on the Artsoft website they do express quite clearly in the Mach tutorials NOT to do what I did
………..and all I can do is laugh now at the irony when listening/watching the tutorial videos and I'll be watching them more oftenArtSoft USA - Video Tutorials.

Just one of those moments to chalk up to experience learn and move on……..

[Mad Welder]

.....I'd be willing to bet the spindle is around .0005" or aprox. 0.01mm for you metric lads.

This is about standard for these mills.

Ok so no DTI but I did set up the Dial Guage and had just under 2 hundredths of a millimetre (0.02 mm = 0.0007")Millimeters to Inches (mm to inches) conversion calculator
tolerance so thanks Starleper1 and a DTI is included in my next tool order list. and as I'm not building the next shuttle I'm happy with that

[Starleper1]

Hey if you can live it, that's all that matters. Now go make some chips

[Mad Welder]

Got the DTI in the post today bought it on ebay http://www.ebay.ie/itm/ws/eBayISAPI....E:L:OC:IE:1123 from RHR Tools http://stores.ebay.ie/RHR-Engineering-Supplies

and yup Starleper1 you're bang on the DTI is definetly a more acurate way to test runout and the runout was only 0.01mm or 0.0003" so I suppose that's pretty good, I did try to upload it to youtube but the little electronic gremlins won't connect my PC to the video for some reason.

I didn't do a whole lot over the holidays and for the past two weeks I've really only been getting the hang of Mach and running off sample GCodes.
Had a bit of bother with "Time Out" crashes but all that's sorted now, and really just makin chips at the moment.

And the beauty of this CNCing is if you can draw it you can machine it

[Mad Welder]

This is a kinda long post so if you’re familiar with Mach no need to read past here…


Just to add to my last post about the Smooth Stepper "Time Out" crashes if anyone is experiencing this I'll try to explain here as best I can a solution...


Simply put Mach needs 'time' to continue producing the toolpaths (and we’re only talking milliseconds here) in the toolpaths video screen, and because the SS chip processes and operates sooo soo fast it has to 'wait' for mach to send the info and hence the "Time Out" errors. But if your PC running Mach has its own Video/Graphics card with its own RAM from the help info I got from Jeff you won't experience the SS time out errors (so no need to read past here either), and I’ve been told that Artsoft have fixed this bug in the Mach3 version 4 soon to be available to us.



But if you are experiencing the “Time Out” crash when your GCode files start to get rather large when the crash occurs you have no option but you simply have to un-plug the SS USB cable and shut down Mach it’s the only solution (I know been there done that loads of times) then re-plug the SS USB cable and restart Mach turn off toolpaths in the toolpaths Tab shut down Mach and restart and continue running your GCode from the crash position...BUT I state here that extreme caution should be paid as running a "run from here" within a Mach GCode file is NOT the best way to start any GCode file and Mach clearly state this in their tutorials ArtSoft USA - Video Tutorials and for anyone who’s not sure DON'T run any file that way, as you can crash your machine break tooling, ruin a job and HARM yourself from flying broken tool shrapnel, so a solution here is restart your file from the very start i.e. line ONE in your GCode file (providing of course that your machine isn’t loosing steps then your line one coordinates may not correspond with your machined piece).



If you do experience the “Time Out” and want to execute a ‘Run From Here’ within Mach because simply put your file is so long that it may have been running for over an hour or so before the crash occurred…… before unplugging the USB cable and before shutting Mach down record the exact X,Y,Z,A,etc. axis position from the DRO on the Mach screen, also record what line number Mach is reading at that time……



Then follow the steps above to restart Mach and in the MDI (Alt2) Tab enter the exact axis coordinates which you wrote down (for CNC Mills leave the Z axis last, for plasma users this isn’t an issue). Open the Programme Run (Alt1) Tab and enter in the exact line number which you also recorded at the time that the crash occurred and “remember” that Mach reads the next line in any file it processes so the coordinates which you entered will not correspond to the highlighted line in the GCode screen but will represent the previous line(s) axis coordinates in the GCode screen (this is normal). Click the Run From Here button, and Mach will run through the GCode file without any machine movement and then after reaching the line, in the Status bar you will see “Press CycleStart for preparation move .Check Spindle” then after clicking Cycle Start you then get another pop-up asking you if the coordinates are correct click OK, and off you go continuing your job.



I thought I’d add in here too if your machine is loosing steps or you don’t have Mach calibrated correctly you’d be better of either homing Mach before following my steps above and if you think that your tool looks like it’s not in the absolutely exact place that you thought it should be DON’T execute a Run From Here remove the stock and start again because ha I’m not accepting any responsibility for people’s incorrectly set Mach setups, I’m simply posting info here to help other Smooth Stepper users from my own experience….

But if this doesn't work you may have some electronic noise and grounding issues and then contact GregWarp9 Tech. Design - Home of the SmoothStepper - Home

[jdurkin]

Sorry for the highjack here mad welder
as your talking about software though, what cad and cam software are you using mate?
Im trying to deside on what cam program to use
Im learning Alibre for CAD now

cheers
John (your scouse neighbour)

[Mad Welder]

Sorry for the highjack here mad welder
as your talking about software though, what cad and cam software are you using mate?
Im trying to deside on what cam program to use
Im learning Alibre for CAD now

cheers
John (your scouse neighbour)

No apology needed I’ll be asking you questions on your thread too ha…..

I’ve tried nearly all the ‘free or trial’ versions available and for me a totally newbee to CAD CAM programs, I thought that Alibre was the easiest 3D package for me to learn, understand and use and I thought their platform (or home screen) was quite user friendly too as a newbee, and as a CNC milling user yourself you will be looking for a 3D as opposed to a 2D software package too, so as to utilise your machine to it’s full capabilities.

But to tell you the truth until I started doing my own research into CAD packages I hadn’t even heard of 3D Surfacing software and then I downloaded the Rhino Demo software, which is surfacing software as opposed to solid software. So that’s the package I’m using Rhino4.0 Rhinoceros » Download Rhino4.0 Sr5 Modeling tools for designersand RhinoCAM2.0RhinoCAM - Affordable Integrated CAM Software for CNC machining for Rhinoceros CAD Software.

The learning curve for Rhino if like me you have never used CAD before is rather large but then it’s an entirely personnel preference for anyone exactly how much of the software you actually will need…!!

[Mad Welder]

Oh yeah jdurkin just remembered if you are a student or 'Mature' student attending even night classes at an accredited college you also qualify from nearly all the software vendors the student price which quite often is one tenth of the commercial/private retail price, but not in the case of AutoCAD Inventor where you will be allowed to download a full working version FREE……