From Mastercam help files: ________________________________________________ The Lathe Tools dialog box lets you define custom tools. These are tools that cannot be defined using any other tool types. To do so, you must be able to select geometry which represents the profile of the custom tool. This geometry can be located in either: a separate Mastercam file a separate level in the current Mastercam file. If the file is located on a level in the current Mastercam session, then the tool insert and holder geometry must be the only geometry on that level. The geometry must meet the following requirements. It must: consist of two closed boundaries: one for the insert and one for the holder consist of only lines and arcs The insert must be drawn in one color, and the holder must be drawn in a different color. Once you have the insert and holder geometry saved to a file or to a specified level, you can begin to create the custom tool using the Lathe Tools dialog box. Important: It is strongly recommended that you use the default insert and holder colors. The default colors are: 14 (insert up color), 55 (insert down color), and 116 (holder color). Select Tools, Configuration from the main menu to set the default colors. Notes: If you are defining a custom tool that is mounted at an angle in the turret, the tool geometry should represent the tool mounted at 0°. You can then define the tool angle in the Setup Tool dialog box (choose the Tool Setup button). When defining a custom boring bar, you should use orientation 4, not 8. ________________________________________________ I have found that removing all inside corner rads from the holder geom. really helps. Insert geom. should also be as simple as possible Hope this helps!

quote: Any pop up / window / dialog box which has a function of selecting geometry and gets in the way of selecting said geometry is just plain effing stupid software design. Period. Isn't that a Windows "feature"? Pop-up windows / dialog boxes on a single monitor running an app. full-screen will always "get in the way" of something, won't they? Where else CAN they pop-up? Hmmm?

Maybe profile is not closed? Sorry, double post

Maybe profile is not closed?

If you have Windows XP, try selecting "Switch to classic view" from left-hand side of control panel window. Otherwise, only 10 "basic" categories are visible.

You could also try inplot. linky: Linky

Have you tried change at point? This is what I normally use. In operations manager, left click on Geometry then in Chain Manager, right click on Chain you want to add dwell to and pick "Change at Point". Dwell is just one of the options you have. HTH,

MIL S 18729 Try this link: aerospace metals I haven't found anything on "ASN 6350"

In my Fanuc 16,18,160,180,180-TB Operator's manuall, it says: "Bit 1 of parameter No.3405 can specify dwell for each rotation in feed per rotation mode (g99)."

Becker diamond in Germany makes CBN threading inserts.

Just use the trim/extend function and give it the lenght you want.

No problem.

I have access to them , but only hardcopies. I could fax them if you like.

The colors are not important. What IS important is the NUMBER of the color. Tool must be 116 Insert up must be 14 Insert down must be 55" You can map any color you want to the number. HTH,

I ALWAYS run EVERY prog through InPlot, saved my butt more times than I can remember. Mastercam is not a WYSIWYG program. Inplot also can check syntax like coolant, feed without spindle on, "O" in prog etc.... The prog. only costs $150.00, real cheap insurance! i-logic web page

I know what you mean but, I don't use these codes. I ran only one machine that needed them, a VTL with a GE-1050HL control ca.1983. We also used g41,g42 on this machine and had to tell the control what the tool nose rad was.

Could we also get a way to change inserts on rough passes? It could be based on time in cut. Right now, I have a post which counts rapid moves to initiate insert changes ,it works but sometimes I need to edit the code. And, it won't work on grooving or facing rough cycles.

Copying from one machine group to another is one part of the issue. But, my big problem is that one tool will often need different feedrates for different cuts. I don't want to have to make a copy of the tool for each new operation just to change the feedrate. And, if you have one tool and use it in many operations with different feedrates for each, if you change the feed, speed, offset, or any parameter in the tool you will change the feeds and speeds of all operations which use that tool. Also, the choices in the Machine group properties, tool settings page (from material,from defaults,user defined) are all "global". I need to control the feeds and speeds at each operationon an individual basis.

Lets try putting a lock on tool#'s, feeds and speeds. Maybe turn the # red? like on line length?

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. Tool #'s, feeds, speeds, you can't trust mastercam to not change them. There should be a "lock" button on all these values in each op, right next to each one, like the lock you can have on line lenght, X,Y,or Z. lets all send in this request. Maybe we could see it in X3?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! ..And thanks for all the help this year!

Welcome to the club randy!

Thanks Rich, I will remember that! These sort of issues come up every so often, so every bit of info will help. Calvin

Tahnks much!

A hypothetical question: If "a friend" was to click on v7colors.dll and the color pallet was remapped.... How could he get back to the X2 color pallet? Thanks, Calvin P.S. Of course, I would NEVER do this myself..