Lathe setup frustration

[sendithard]

I'm not understanding the lathe stock setup. I've been running into roadblocks for a month and I get frustrated and just quit.  HSMworks is much nicer here, I'm not sure why this is so hard for me.

When using a mill setup and making stock, I never used the left pane 'Stock Setup' button. I simply create, via wireframe, a bounding box or imported my stock via a step file on a new layer and then in the top horizontal toolbar used 'Stock Model' to define the stock using said new layer.

And away you are,,,,I could then do milling features at my pleasure. The only time I would hit the 'Stock Setup' button in the left pane would be to use the backplotting 'simulation' feature.  MC seems like it likes to make things challenging by having a backplotting feature and then a more advanced simulation feature. The sim feature must have stock defined in the left pane.

Now, doing this with the lathe I get tons or errors, plane not right, bla bla bla.  So I look at tutorials and they all BEGIN stock creation by clicking the left pane 'Stock Setup' tab.  Why are both so different and what am I not understanding?

Below is a quick mill stock setup I never used the 'stock setup' in the left pane.....I only used the horiztonal toolbar 'Stock Model' .   Everyone seems to doing the opposite with the lathe.  And wtf is the difference b/w the two, I feel like I fit for a rubber room about now.

 

 

 

[crazy^millman]

The thing to think about with lathe is top view you are looking at the Z and X cutting plane. In the upper left section. Programming for a CNC lathe works in the standard coordinate process for layout. When working in upper left we have the standard X+ Z- programming. Where this becomes very important is when add a lower turret or then an upper right turret or even lower right turret. All of these have their own Axis Combinations and when we start thinking about channels and syncing. With lathe the stock for me is best define with a solid stock setup according to how I would have it. I like this process because I make all types of setup sheets and having a solid stock helps with documentation. Then with lathe solid preview it helps to make in process models that can be helpful for setup sheets or stock models. I have a solid of chucks and jaws I also use for my process to document things for customers. Not what is normally done, but what I did when I worked in a shop. Throw up a sample file with something and we can help show you the correct way to help you along.   

[#Rekd™]

10 hours ago, sendithard said:

So I look at tutorials

If you require any help with the tutorials just post a file up and I will make a screen recording video to help you. Yes the stock setup is different then the "mill" and like anything once you get it figured out it will seem easy. 

[sendithard]

Thank for the help both of you....I will work on this tomorrow and see where I get.