Latest Design CRP PRO4896 Build log Awesomeness!!

[RCaffin]

No matter how powerful your PC and video card is, you WILL have trouble with large files. Usually anything with more than a few hundred thousand lines of code.

One wonders about this.

Let us say that a typical instruction is G1 X1.23 Y4.56 Z7.89. This is 20 characters. Add 2 for CR/LF. 22 bytes. Let us imagine a program of nearly 500k lines. That is about 10 MBytes of program space - in a PC with 2 GBytes of memory. Of course, it could be in a 64 bit machine, not a 32 bit one. Let us assume a 2 GHz clock. And assuming that Mach is issuing about 10 updates per second, which is I believe the normal rate.
We assume the PC is dedicated to running Mach and not off playing with a web browser most of the time of course.

Ah, guys, just where is the problem? I am slightly puzzled by the idea.

Cheers
Roger

[workinwoods]

Yeah I am kinda confused to because on my current machine with a work area of 30" x 30" I have run jobs that are over 150,000 lines of code on Universal Gcode Sender so I can only imagine when I get my 4x8 machine and start to nest things together the gcode size is going to get much bigger

[asuratman]

I mean to avoid big program is split the program and run part by part, by doing this we get no more problem with file too big.

[Dan911]

Hmm let me ask you really quick

when I was looking up the requirements for mach3 it says you have to have a video card with 512mb of ram or higher do you have any issues with large gcode files?

I first came across this problem with a 170,000 line gcode file on a dedicate P4 2.2 gig processor for Mach3. I upgraded my comp to a dual core 3 gig and a ATI 1 gig video card. I couldn't get the parallel port to work properly with Mach3 so picked a UC100.
When all said and done I ran the same 170,000 line file I originally had a problem with without a problem. So there was an improvement, although I read of others having problems with large files running on quad core comps.

Now any file with more than a 150,000 lines of code I shut display off and don't take a chance. At first this bothered me but soon realized once machine started cutting I rarely looked back at display screen anyway.

Dan

[ger21]

Ah, guys, just where is the problem?

The problem is the way mach3 is drawing the 150,000 lines in the toolpath window. It's not the number of characters or size of the file.
I believe it draws all those lines 10 times every second.
I know nothing about 3D graphics programming, or what method Mach3 uses, but that's the issue.

[workinwoods]

A couple hiccups in this first shipment of packages but they are finally starting to arrive!!!

I pulled my electrical last night and I just have to terminate at both ends and that will finally be done!!!

[workinwoods]

Haven't been able to start building the machine just yet still working on setting up the shop here are a few update images


Leveling feet using hockey pucks


cnc made leg connecting brackets


To small of a shop


Cnc made electrical wire holder



I am having a problem with roof leaks in the old shop I am looking for advice on how to repair that quick and easy

Also my garage door does not seal properly and lets water in also looking for advice in that area

thanks

[LeeWay]

What material do you have on the roof?

[workinwoods]

What material do you have on the roof?

well its a pitched roof with asphalt shingles

at one time the roof was done right underlayment/membrane/shingles/etc. but it has just gone south and there are a few leaks (drips) but one of them is right over where the machine is going to go so its no good at all

so here was my thought this shop is on my property that I rent and my landlor will not put any money into anything and really I need to stay to keep overhead low and the first chance I get move to a real shop so I dont want to put money in this shop if I dont have to I have already done enough to make it better and function as a shop should

so I am thinking that the cheapest fix would be to buy a tarp and cover the entire roof all I need it last is about a year or 2 depending on how fast that I grow the sun should not hurt the tarp to bad as 90% of my shops roof is covered by a huge tree

what do you think about all that

[RCaffin]

Ah - that is not a reliable roof. As you know.
I agree with the tarp idea, but I should point out that tarps can and do sometimes leak a tiny bit. NOT what you want over your machine.
So, I suggest you do two things:
First, buy some builders plastic - it's heavy guage and used under concrete for foundations. Drape that right over the roof. It will be 100% waterproof, but it can be damaged by wind.
Then buy a large tarp and put it over the plastic, and tie it down. That will be sun and wind-resistant.
Overkill? Not if the alternative is rust all over your machine.

Cheers
Roger

[workinwoods]

true thanks yeah I might go that route I am super worried that one morning I will come into the shop and a puddle of water is on my spoil-board being mdf say good bye to that lol

[dgage]

I started to post this earlier but just wondering how big is the roof and how steep is it? I just wonder if you can get some cheap shingles, rent a nailer, get a few friends, and knock out the roof in one day. I know it is an investment in someone else' s property but would that buy you any goodwill with the landlord or are they that bad? Just throwing it out there because even if I were renting, I would hate to see a tarp over the roof but I have all sorts of issues.

[RCaffin]

While repairing the shingles is a nice idea, there could be all sorts of legal consequences. Suppose the battens supporting the shingles are rotted? In which case, trying to replace the shingles might result in the roof collapsing.
I suggest best to not go there.
Cheers
Roger

[dgage]

Very good point.

[RCaffin]

But then, you haven't seen my workshop - and old Australian gal iron barn built around 1900. Termite damage has been repaired. Well, it has 'character'!.
Cheers
Roger

[workinwoods]

I started to post this earlier but just wondering how big is the roof and how steep is it? I just wonder if you can get some cheap shingles, rent a nailer, get a few friends, and knock out the roof in one day. I know it is an investment in someone else' s property but would that buy you any goodwill with the landlord or are they that bad? Just throwing it out there because even if I were renting, I would hate to see a tarp over the roof but I have all sorts of issues.

ahh yeah you know this house that I am in has been fully renovated and he never touched the garage he is just cheap and it would be a wise investment on his part to put the money into it so I am not you know if it gets to bad I will just move I am serious lol first chance I get I am putting my company in an actual shop

On alot of things that I ask him he says well just dont use the shop lol I just cant work with that sorta attitude I am trying to start a business here and when I become a multi million dollar company maybe he will kick himself later!!

[ericclinedinst]

Why would he kick himself if you become a million dollar company? Keep in mind him renting you his property is an income of his. If you move he'll find another. The same way he has you now after his last tenant moved.

I don't really see how it would benefit him to have a million dollar company running out of one of his residential properties. If anything most landlords frown upon this anyway due to increased liability issues. Maybe that's why he's not bending over backwards to dump money into it?

ahh yeah you know this house that I am in has been fully renovated and he never touched the garage he is just cheap and it would be a wise investment on his part to put the money into it so I am not you know if it gets to bad I will just move I am serious lol first chance I get I am putting my company in an actual shop

On alot of things that I ask him he says well just dont use the shop lol I just cant work with that sorta attitude I am trying to start a business here and when I become a multi million dollar company maybe he will kick himself later!!

[workinwoods]

no first chance I get I am moving to an actual shop my company is in start up mode and I am not asking him to dump money into my company or things specific to the company all i am asking him to do is do basic home repair due to neglect on his part I am the first tenant that has actually used the garage and a garage should have a roof and door that doesn't leak so you can park and protect a vehicle I don't think thats to much to ask of him

[LeeWay]

If it was marketed for a rental as a home with detached garage, then it probably should be kept up, but if it wasn't, then that sucks. Also different rules apply to renting or leasing.

[workinwoods]

The build has started!!!



My pup needed to strach his head with all the different parts lol

So one quick gripe about the leveling feet and no washers on connections

This machine for any business is a capital investment and in doing so you want to get top quality parts for your money within a certain budget and if it costs you a little extra in the total price you should defiantly go for it that being said I like the steel leg kit it is heavy gauge galvanized steel tubing but at all the tube connections you are using a single socket button head allen bolt into steel bracket now I am not an engineer but I am a Certified class A Caterpiller technician and have degrees in diesel technology so I am mechanically inclined and have college level training in areas pertaining to design and function of components

I would like to see a slightly longer Socket Cap allen bolt with a washer for the steel to steel connection or simply a full thread serrated flange bolt and I realize that these are not spinning components but I would like to see them supplied with blue 242 loctite as well

I have always been taught that steel on steel = washer cast iron on cast iron= no washer

So you have this nice heavy frame and it is all supported by 6 plastic leveling feet and the feet along with the connection inside the tube are also plastic within the housing with I believe a brass threaded insert. The thread on the leveling feet is m16 which is nice and big.

What worries me the most is the plastic ball and socket on the actual foot I see this as the weak point in the design. So I think I would have liked to see an all steel construction on the leveling feet. just for piece of mind and long term rigidity I know that once the machine is put in place it will not move but for people like me that will be changing shops in the future the machine could get moved 3-4 or more times and accidents happen plus alot of these machines are in industrial settings and per example what happens if you spill a corrosive liquid on the ground is it going to eat through my feet in a hurry?

These are all just my opinion and take with a grain of salt this is in no way a bash on CNC ROUTER PARTS everything looks well designed and will probably last I am just the kinda person that is always trying to further improve a design so I enjoy making suggestions

Onward and Forward with the build!!