Mach 3 global offset setting for parallelism?

JC

Coos Cues
Is there a setting in Mach 3 to globally compensate for mechanical non parallelism of the machine components?

Specifically my shaft machine parallel between the dovetail and the linear rail. I thought I had it perfect before I hung it on the wall but after a while I realize that it's slightly off. The rail and dovetail are screwed on from behind so I will have to take it off the wall to fix it mechanically and I'm not sure I can even get it closer than it is by the time I re hang it. I have been compensating with the g code and it works ok but am wondering if there is a way to tell mach 3 of this condition and have it compensate for it.

When I turn a 36 inch dowel round it is .010 larger on one end than the other so either the rail or the dovetail would need to be shifted by .005 on one end to mechanically fix it. Can this be compensated globally instead of on each g code by mach or would it be better to take it off the wall and work on it mechanically?

Thanks,

JC
 

JC

Coos Cues
I’m not a Mach3 user so maybe there is a better answer ... my immediate thought would be to either offset the tailstock or maybe buy one of these https://www.cuesmith.com/off-setting-live-center-for-cutting-tapers-3-8.html

You could mechanically alter your alignment very easily with either approach.

Good luck !


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Appreciate the input. That's how slow my mind is I guess. It may not be the rails at all but the tailstock all along.

Still curious if Mach can do this.

JC
 

Scratchy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You could use Formulas, John. They can be a little tricky and you have to pay attention to having “Formulas Enabled” checked.
Assuming X is long axis and Y is your depth of cut, in “Function Configs” on the top tool bar|Formulas in the drop down, you’d set up a formula like “f(y) = y + .001*x” or whatever your correction factor per inch needs to be.
If you forget to uncheck the box, you will get unpleasant results when you go to use M3 for ‘normal’ use!
You can guess how I know that.


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Facundus Cues

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not too sure if mach will do it but Kelly,s cue cut program will. I have been running it on my taper setup and love it
 

JC

Coos Cues
Not too sure if mach will do it but Kelly,s cue cut program will. I have been running it on my taper setup and love it

Will Cue Cut facilitate starting and stopping the cutting tool and the spindle at the appropriate time in the g code for unattended shut down after cutting? (M3-5, M8-9)

Thanks,

JC
 

MVPCues

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Will Cue Cut facilitate starting and stopping the cutting tool and the spindle at the appropriate time in the g code for unattended shut down after cutting? (M3-5, M8-9)

Thanks,

JC

Yes. Start machine codes at the beginning of cut prior to descending to DOC, and the corresponding stop machine code after the cut is over are an option in CueCut.
 

whammo57

Kim Walker
Silver Member
Is there a setting in Mach 3 to globally compensate for mechanical non parallelism of the machine components?

Specifically my shaft machine parallel between the dovetail and the linear rail. I thought I had it perfect before I hung it on the wall but after a while I realize that it's slightly off. The rail and dovetail are screwed on from behind so I will have to take it off the wall to fix it mechanically and I'm not sure I can even get it closer than it is by the time I re hang it. I have been compensating with the g code and it works ok but am wondering if there is a way to tell mach 3 of this condition and have it compensate for it.

When I turn a 36 inch dowel round it is .010 larger on one end than the other so either the rail or the dovetail would need to be shifted by .005 on one end to mechanically fix it. Can this be compensated globally instead of on each g code by mach or would it be better to take it off the wall and work on it mechanically?

Thanks,

JC

On my Taig style lathe.... if the dowel is fat on the tail stock end..... by .010 I move the tail stock .005 towards the cutter........... if it's smaller on the tail stock end .... I move it away from the cutter............. if you don't have an adjustable tail stock you can simply shim the live center with paper to compensate......... just like you do to adjust the length of points...........

for G code.... just add .005 to the end point.... or subtract

G01
X30.00
Y.5000.... just a made up number for example

make it
G01
X30.00
Y.5050



Kim
 
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