I wrote a macro for our controls that does something similar. Basically you clock up a hole in the job - press cycle start - and it sends the co-ords out the RS232 port. very handy for duplicating hole patterns etc. I know its not the same but it just reminded me. Dave.

I'd have to agree with Scott Bond .A 1" inserted cutter in steel on a light 40 taper M/C is pushing it. I'd go for a small carbide rippa cutter - iscar sells them - probably just as quick and much easier on the M/C. Dave

Has any one written a C-hook to convert a whole directory of .x_t files to .MC8 One of our cust. regularly sends 20-30 files at at time and its a real pain to sit there and convert them one at a time. Any suggestions? Dave

Amazing! I've never seen that button before. Thanks guys Dave

Is it possible to change the toolplane for an existing operation or even just the toolplane origin? Mill L2 v8.1.1 thanks Dave

Toolmann What about cutting fluid? It has been suggested that we use neat oil rather that soluble. Since we will be using a machining centre this will be a real pain. Is it really neccessary? Thanks Dave

P.S. I should have added that we need to mill and drill it and the smallest cutter will be around .200".

Hi Guys Does anyone have any experience machining rene 41. The best info I have found so far is that it is "difficult to machine". We have been asked to quote on a job and we are just starting to get scared. Thanks Dave

Gentlemen As a User and not a Dealer I think that Ron has a point. Mastercam l3 is sold as a system that will program in 3,4+5 axes. To then say that you will have to pay roughly half the price of a new system again to make it do so is a bit rich. IMHO there are definate advantages in writing or modifying your own posts. In my exp. when you first get a new M/C you don't really know what from a post and after a few months you will want changes and to be able to do them yourself is very convenient. 5 axis posts may be very complex but Ron is just asking for the chance to try and do it himself if he fails he will probably be quite happy to pay up. On a different note, Ron what are programmer/operators earning in the UK at the moment? -just curious. Dave

Another method is to set the chaining options to "ignore depths" this works pretty well and avoids modifying or creating geometry Dave

Try turning off "infinite look ahead" on the contour parameters page Regards Dave

I have also had this problem occasionally. But I haven't seen it since I installed the ctour8.dll patch. Coincidence? Its worth a try. Regards Dave

I am having problems with simple 2D contours. Mastercam is not always applying lead in/out correctly. Depending on the geometry it will lead in but not out, or lead out but not in , or do neither, or do both. If I apply the same parameters to simple geometry it will work fine. If I use the original geometry in V7.2 it works fine too. I am running V8 level 3 on win98. Any suggestions? regards Dave

Hi Dave here from Auckland New Zealand We make Aircraft components mainly and have been using Mastercam for around 6 years