Hey hey, my newest project convert a mini lathe to cnc

[simso]

Hey folks, just a short post after some info if anyone has any out there to give.

Ive started converting a small lathe for cnc, I purpose bought the lathe for this exact reason, its the same lathe thats sold around the world under different names, here in australia its a hare and forbes lathe.

I already have a four axis cnc router which works beyond my expectations and I completed that a couple of years ago. I also have an industrial lathe for general machining.

The problem im finidng as I do some test running on the software is finding a very easy to use drawing program and post processor, any one have any ideas, Ive used visual mill, etc but that just confuses the heck out of me, does anyone know of a program as simple as say vcarve from vetric or something along those lines

[jhowelb]

I have traveled this road ahead of you. Mach 3 Turn will provide built in wizards for nearly everything you will need from threading to boring. Soon to come from the same folks is Lazy Turn. It will provide shape produced in dxf format.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/ind...ic,5767.0.html This is a forum that will spell it out.

you can see much of the story of how I accomplished the conversion here.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26530

Here is another good thread.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37656

[simso]

Thanks for the links, I read all 35 page of machs turn. Looks like the stufff, downloaded the trial gear but cant make head or tails of it, but reading what people have been saying its the stuff Im after

Once again thanks

[jhowelb]

One more bit of reading. Or maybe just the start of lots more. Here you will find pdf documents among others on Mach turn, which by the functional demo model is free. That will let you see and try the wizards. The only restriction is 500 lines of code.

http://www.machsupport.com/documentation.php

[acondit]

Simso,

Several of us have done cnc conversions of the 9x20 lathe like yours. John likes Mach3, I prefer EMC2 (runs on linux and is free). Whichever you choose I am sure that you will enjoy the results.

John has already posted links to his conversion and mine but in the interest of completeness here are all four conversions that I know of on the zone. There are a few others on the web but I don't have the links at hand.

Alan's (mine) conversion is here.

Dareposte's conversion is here.

John's conversion is here.

Ron111's conversion is here.

Alan

[simso]

Thanks for the links, for some reason I didnt recieve an email saying that you had posted, by pure chance I came across my old post,

I have my z axis all running, hooked and powered, Ive got my x mounted ballscrew fitted just got to make a mount for the x axis ballscrew and Im done hopefully next week job.

What software are you using for turning

[acondit]

Originally Posted by simso Thanks for the links, for some reason I didn't receive an email saying that you had posted, by pure chance I came across my old post, I have my z axis all running, hooked and powered, Ive got my x mounted ballscrew fitted just got to make a mount for the x axis ballscrew and I'm done hopefully next week job. What software are you using for turning

It is looking good so far.

I use EMC2 and John uses Machturn. It is partly religious preference, I don't want to use Windows and John does.

EMC2 is free and runs on Ubuntu linux which is also free.

Alan

[dareposte]

Originally Posted by simso What software are you using for turning

If you're looking more for CAD/CAM software than for the controller software, then you are in the same boat as I am. CAD/CAM software is something that I haven't found many good ones for lathe (without paying more than I spent on the lathe that is).

For now I've been writing G-code by hand, and using NCplot to backplot it before I attempt to run it. Not bad for simple shapes, but to make contours or curved shapes it is very difficult to write code to do this.

The wizards in Mach3 are great, but I'm also using EMC2. I have scripted simple wizards in python for turning and facing, but there doesn't seem to be any stand alone program that will generate simple facing, turning, parting, etc. as is needed for a lathe.

Anybody know of something I'm missing? I'm not really down with spending $1000+ dollars on CAD/CAM software for my 9x20 lathe, as I don't use it in any capacity to warrant the investment.

[acondit]

I have written several subroutines that are called with just a few parameters, like for facing: z position of surface to be faced, z depth, x start and x end positions. So I can face from in to out or out to in, face up to a shoulder, etc.

Then writing code for a new part becomes really easy, occasionally I have to write a new subroutine. I take advantage of named variables in EMC2 which helps make the code a lot more readable. The disadvantage is that NCPlot can no longer simulate the code, so I just take it out on the cnc machine and load it under EMC2.

Alan

[simso]

Well the lathe has been up and running for a while now, but Im still struggling to find some software to turn my drawing into g-code. Mach 3 lazyturn will eventually get there but as art the programmer has said, its a side line project so will still be a while in the making.

Best software Ive seen so far is visual turn by mecsoft but they only supply demo software no capability of outputting, or the whole program for 1250usd, to much for just home projects.

I own a copy of mach3 and am impressed with its interface, but I just need something to turn my autocad dxf files into g code for mach 3

Aghhhhh

[Jaime128]

Hi. Can you tell me what type of cabling track that is. I like it so if you can tell me where you found it so I can read a little more on it would be great. Thanks.

Originally Posted by simso Thanks for the links, for some reason I didnt recieve an email saying that you had posted, by pure chance I came across my old post, I have my z axis all running, hooked and powered, Ive got my x mounted ballscrew fitted just got to make a mount for the x axis ballscrew and Im done hopefully next week job. What software are you using for turning

[simso]

Its called conductix cabling