Build Thread Mach3 to Acorn

[Leo Voisine]

SWEETNESS

Estop works as it should work

Spindle works as it should work

Limit switches work as they should work

Axis motions work as they should work

Wireless Pendant works as it should work.

SOME of what I did was because Centroid is easy once you learn a little bit of how the wizard works.
I could do stuff without asking for help

Now I need to clean up my shop. It is really messy and my machine is covered in STUFF. I have a little wiring mess to clean up and make it look pretty.

I know there is a bunch of configuration to do but the basic stuff is working.

This forum is a HUMUNGOUS help. Thank you thank you thank you.

My rock solid all steel chinese machine now has an American Acorn heart.

WOW.

Special thank you to Gary Campbell for the recommendation

Special thank you to Keith for the tremendous help

[Leo Voisine]

Getting better all the time

I am setting up the turns per inch

I got the TPI set roughly at 1.5 and that is close but I need to fine tune.

I watched Martys video and his explanation is clear and he had a spreadsheet to calculate the TPI but I could not find it. I also saw a nessage briefly that the calc is not in the wizard but I could not find that either

Where can I find info to fine tune the Turns per inch.

[centroid467]

TB36 goes over this. It seems like you are at the point where you should get out the gauge blocks and dial indicator.

You can find TB36 here: https://www.centroidcnc.com/dealersuppo ... ads/36.pdf

[Leo Voisine]

I don't have gage blocks but I do have plenty of indicators.

My last job was at Federal Products (now Mahr) and we made indicators.

The spreadsheet on TB36 was what I needed - thank you.

[Leo Voisine]

I have a control cabinet that is on wheels and I can move it around to a distance of about 5 or so feet. VERY handy. BUT, because my machine is made with a lot of cheap chinese junk the flexible corregated tube protecting the wires from the control cabinet to the machine is disintegrating. I need something new and better.

Any recommendations?
What do you guys do?

[RogDC]

What size of loom do you need?

You could use split loom or other cable cover options or combination of both. Split loom is the simple to install/replace.

I used this braided cable sleeve on my BOB control tether from my wall mounted control box and it is working well and is very flexible. They have sizes up to 1 1/2", maybe larger from other suppliers

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FW4BN1P?re ... title&th=1

For my wall mounted control box to the CNC across the floor I have split loom over the cables run in a floor cable protector, but it doesn't need to move. The split loom I purchased from one of the box stores.

In a former life I used spiral cable wrap from an automotive supplier to wrap cable bundles in harsh environments which were subject to abrasion. I don't recall the manufacturer, but it was a step above the typical electronic cable spiral wrap available.

[tblough]

https://wsies.com/ West Side Industrial sells Anamet Anaconda MTC conduit in all sizes by the foot (not just priced by the foot). Excellent elastomer coated metallic conduit that is extremely flexible.

2" is $4.35/foot https://wsies.com/catalogue/product/1000005007

[Leo Voisine]

Well, I calibrated the three axis's with a 4" indicator. I only used 3" of travel. I got each axis within .001 over 3-4 repeats and set back lash so that the return stroke to zero was within .001. That is pretty good for a chinese router.

I made a test program from Vectric. There was a little hickup in the post processor that I need to fix, but I edited the program to remove a G91.1 and G70 After that the program ran just fine.

It may be just me but it seemed to run more smoothly than Mach3

With a 2 flute 1/4" end mill I cut a 7" square pocket 1/4" deep with a 5" circle pocket cut in the bottom of the square pocket by another 1/4 deep

Pretty slow at 100 IPM. First time on a new system. I am a conservative operator.

I measured with a Brown & Sharp 12" steel rule and with a Starret 6" steel rule.

Funny thing is - the square pocket measured 7" x 7" and the circle measured 5" x 5" Right ON the marks on the scales. I could never get Mach3 as close as that even with fiddling around with it for 9 years.

So - my American Acorn is a CLEAR WINNER

[cnckeith]

Getting better all the time

I am setting up the turns per inch

I got the TPI set roughly at 1.5 and that is close but I need to fine tune.

I watched Martys video and his explanation is clear and he had a spreadsheet to calculate the TPI but I could not find it. I also saw a nessage briefly that the calc is not in the wizard but I could not find that either

Where can I find info to fine tune the Turns per inch.

press the util button on the VCP

!!!!!!!
and required reading on same and related subject.
https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=1801

[cnckeith]

Well, I calibrated the three axis's with a 4" indicator. I only used 3" of travel. I got each axis within .001 over 3-4 repeats and set back lash so that the return stroke to zero was within .001. That is pretty good for a chinese router.

I made a test program from Vectric. There was a little hickup in the post processor that I need to fix, but I edited the program to remove a G91.1 and G70 After that the program ran just fine.

It may be just me but it seemed to run more smoothly than Mach3

With a 2 flute 1/4" end mill I cut a 7" square pocket 1/4" deep with a 5" circle pocket cut in the bottom of the square pocket by another 1/4 deep

Pretty slow at 100 IPM. First time on a new system. I am a conservative operator.

I measured with a Brown & Sharp 12" steel rule and with a Starret 6" steel rule.

Funny thing is - the square pocket measured 7" x 7" and the circle measured 5" x 5" Right ON the marks on the scales. I could never get Mach3 as close as that even with fiddling around with it for 9 years.

So - my American Acorn is a CLEAR WINNER

thanks, yes CNC12 is smoother than Mach3 or 4. just ask Avid as that was one of the big reasons for them going with Centroid CNC12

wait till you try the g code smoothing feature in CNC12.
more info here.
https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3021

and https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... manual.pdf