It was second hand for me, thanks for clarifying.

A little off the subject but I heard X3 is being combined with Solidworks 2008 and will be released sometime late june as a package.

I have an old spaceball 5000 at work, when I take work home now my left hand tries to rotate the thing. I must look retarted (even more than usual). +1 to gcode on the right mouse menu for "select motion controller center point" I use it constantly. You don't even have to click on geometry just off in space it will get the idea. Like was said, I don't know how I did this without one. Dennis

The very reason for a bullet proof post. You must be able to trust the post or keep a math guru at the machine.

Hi heed, The machine you have (or attachment) is commonly refered to as a "trunion" machine. I programmed HAAS trunions for a while and there are many different ways to approach them. Like stated before you will need a good post and learn the term "stack height" (refering to the distance between center of rotation for axis 4 and bottom of part) then usually X Y offsets will be the center of rotation for axis 5, and gauge length (common reference point on a tool holder to the tip of the tool). Typically then the tool will touch off of the stack height and all of your Z's will be positive. It's really hard to look at a program that uses this scheme but I found it the simplest. I can come up from Ft. Worth and get you rockin but it's gonna cost ya Dennis

Does a foot hanging out of one of the monitors count?

Thanks Kannon, I will look at it as soon as my system becomes responsive again. Dennis

Hi Trevor, This stuff weighs approx 140# per cu ft. I make that sign 4.8 cu ft and that would make 672#. Check my figures, I don't sell or ship the stuff only make molds so my math may be off. Dennis

Our website is currently under construction but it has a few pictures under photo gallery. linky

Salah, I tried this, it didn't fix the gaps. I also imported it into solidworks and applied "import diagnostics" to no avail. Dennis

Keith, We make cast stone. This is like wet pour precast concrete, but the mix is much like brown sugar then it's air-hammered into the mold manually and sets up much like natural stone. Dennis

Hi all, I have created a big mess trying to sweep many surfaces into a part that looks much like drapes or some kind of cloth. When I got the desired effect, then I am choking on trying to make them into a solid. Any clues will be welcome, I have already tried "surfaces into solids" and it makes a thin solid with many holes. I also tried "solid thicken", it errors out. TIA Dennis

Thanks CNC_KFB, This helps, I have developed all of my speeds-feeds myself and just wanted to see what others were having sucess with. At least 90% of what I cut is MDF laminated in 2.25 and 3.00 thick sheets. Some of the parameters I have tried take out tools quick, also some of the uncoated tools I use won't even last a day. My current arsenal that I cut a large percentage with are ISCAR inserted tools, for instance: 3/4 2fl heliquad IC 325 coated inserts 22000 rpm 850 ipm .250 depth 55% stepover, this will last between 1 and 3 weeks as a rougher (we cut at least 4-6 of these 48" blocks a day) I make molds with them. I will share more if you're interested.

Nice work CNC, Will you share feeds and speeds, tool geometries and coatings? I have the first Art project on my router right now, thanks to all of the help from this board and the kind and paitent help from the folks at CNC Dennis

I run a .5 3 flute at 22000 rpm 650 ipm Dennis