say it aint so!!

[s1oejoe]

I have looked high and low for programs to run a home built cnc (xylotex controller) turbocnc works correctly in dos runs fine
nothing else works under xp mach1,2,3 lock up mach kcam runs mach but
its not right (mach is direct drive off steppers 20 tpi 1/4 allthread for now)
it turns one rev(200steps per inch) instead of 20 revs per inch turbocnc runs fine so i can use it but the thing i need most is a way to see the path before i setup mach and run it
is there a program out there i can use to visually draw my toolpath in g-code or a way to draw it in autocad2k and see toolpath
i know about offsetting for my tool
ive used ace it works fine i think i need to learn how to draw what i need cut another way i used polylines first extruded them then chambered it as needed ace just dosent like 3d i guess
do i need to do everything in 2d?
ive drawn with arcs and lines works fine but these code gen. prog. throw out some weird code
iv tried bobcad 20 as well
cant get any code out of it at all
i just learned last night g18 will let me do zx arcs heres a pickle
120.675 radius on the z axis but cut starts 3/4 deep ends 5/8 deep and is only 14.25 inches long on the x axis iv drawn it in autocad and bobcad nothing will give me the option to run it with a g18 option
it is frustrating to get through the cnc building only to slam up against code problems
im new at coding but there has got to be an eaiser way
just say it aint so

[ger21]

Mach2 comes with a special driver that works for some systems. Also, in the files section of the Yahoo support group there is a file that tells how to optimize XP for Mach2. here's the link. http://f3.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/oOP8QiR...ation%20XP.txt

In the AutoCAD section here, there is a lisp program called Gcodein that will read your'e gcode file and draw it in AutoCAD.

Ace needs everything in 2D, and you should explode polylines for best results.

I don't know of anything inexpensive that will program g18 arcs for you. You can do them manually, though.