mikeqes, When you make your changes, save it as a new power library (***.power) and you won't have to reset all the settings to the default file when you upgrade.

I do this all the time.

You had the answer all along.

James is right. as long as your as your part is indicated the same as before, "Top of Thread" is the same as before (under linking parameters), and you drop your depth equal to one rev of pitch (1/20=.050"); it will blend perfect. For your own peace of mind, copy the toolpath and drop the depth, then backplot. You'll see the deeper thread will blend right in to the original. hth

Thanks everybody for your input. This is exactly why I am looking at them. I talked to Mike Olson at Chick and he said they were not close to coming out with anyother one lok vises right now. They are sticking with the 1520 until they have more data. I was really wanting a set of 8" one-loks for our large Monarch.

Looking to order some new vises for our vmc's. Right know I'm looking at the Kurt HDM690 or Chick COL1520. Is anyone using either of these vises now? Pros/cons? Have a different vise and really like it? Why? Thanks for your input, Matt

James, We hold .0002 all-around-profile on splines all day on our T-bed lathes. Of course they are polished before going to inspection so there aren't any cusps.

+1000 for Carmex I have had excellent results with them cutting a wide variety of materials to some rediculous depths. There isn't one that I know of. Carmex has a great online catalog and utility that gives you all the specs for thier tools. Just use a flat endmill with the diameter of your threadmill. If you are worried about the way it "looks" in backplot or verify, you can make a special tool. I haven't bothered taking the time yet to do it myself. What kind of material are you wanting to threadmill?

We use the block and eyelet as well. ZB on for our 4030si is total height of both. our older wires are to the center of the eyelet thickness.

So I take it nobody else is running Charmilles out there?

The contact is recessed inside the upper head. I wish it were that easy.

CAM, I don't believe you can. The lower head (XY) and upper head (UV) move in opposite directions to achieve the taper and pivot the wire precisely on the W plane. Thanks

I have been running Charmilles for years now. I cut tapers usually only a couple times a year on them. There was a lightning surge last year that took out the video on the mobo and it had to be sent out for repair. After many months of waiting, we finally got it back this month. I went through all my checks and adjustment I know and it is cutting 2d stuff great. However when I went to cut a 10 degree taper last week it was only 8 degrees and almost .100 off on the W plane. I sent the head to Z 6in. and the head is higher than it should be. I should not be able to fit a scale under the head but I have about .500in. gap. I have a feeling this is one of those factory tech proceedures that they don't document in the manual and the HCA set by the factory has been corrupted. I have the manuals and block. The block thickness is the ZB measurement. The ZID is the distance from the lower guide to the table. The HCA is the distance from the table to the upper guide. You have to tell it the ZB & HCA, run the guide set-up and it will measure the ZID. I am back to running 2d stuff for now but need to get this fixed. Thanks

I need to set-up the z axis on our 4030si wire and can only find some of the info. I know the HCA (dist. from table to top guide) is off but don't know how to get an accurate measuremet because it goes to the "pivot point" in the upper guide. I found the info for setting the ZID and it assumes you already know the HCA. Any help before is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Do you have access to Solidworks?

Yup. Mastercam!!! Steve, Are you wanting like a hole table and print or point dimensioning?

The machine sim add-on for X4 is really good, especially for free. I would get to know it well. My guess is they will help you get started if you are taking the 5 axis training.

Thinks for the tip!

I just saw this done with mach sim couple of weeks ago. Pretty sweet.

Depending on the control, you can put a start angle in the canned cycle line and not worry about lead-in.

Buy an 8" set, send to wire, and now you have 2 sets!

Verify and backplot are fine for 2&3 axis work. I use them all day long. If you are running 4/5 axis work you should be using Machine Sim, vericut, or comp software. As stated above, verify and backplot run off the NCI and not the NC. Also, they don't check for anything but the tool and toolholder. You need to check the spindle as well. Also, if you are running live tooling on a lathe I would us it as well. Running machine sim saved us from jamming a drill through the back of the lathe which would not have shown up with either verify or backplot.

We have to bore holes all the time. Depending on Ø & depth I will drill or helix bore first but I have to finish with the bore because GDT callouts. Just because positioning is wide open, circularity, cylindricity, straightness, etc. can be tight and not achivable on many mills with helix bore. One part we just finish in ss was approx. 3/8 Ø x 4 deep w/ a step and we c'drilled, drilled, helix bored, fb drilled, and used a special ground bottom cutting reamer with 1000psi thru-spindle coolant to achieve the GDT and surface finish callouts.

Jeff, Are you building to print or designing and gear? Pressure angle is used in designing of gears. It is the angle between the line of force and the tangent line to the pitch line at the pitch point on the tooth. You shouldn't need this to actually make the gear. It is hard to describe without a diagram. Look in the MHB on page 2034 (26th edition) for some info. HTH

I finally got waterline the way I want it. I had to get the tols "just right" to meet spec and still kick out arcs. Thanks guys.