Thanks Lou.

Hey Doug, how does that all work? Can you gimme a quick tutorial on how to use that chook and import/export or whatever?

That is awesome software. Thanks for the tip.

quote: Amish Furniture companies. (Yes they use technology) They don't use our electric grid but create their own power. Anyway, the person that was to be their programm was about 15 yrs. old. First question was "Das Is Mouse?" He is now programming a 7-axis CMS Router and 3 Anderson 3-axis systems, and very good at it. I can relate. I installed a KOMO router in an Amish Cabinet and Furniture shop in PA. Generated their own power as well. I trained a 17 year old kid how to power up a computer and a machine and trained him how to create GEO and program parts in Router-Cim. 7 days total spent there installing the machine and training them how to use it all. That was 3 years ago. That same kid has now trained in 4 other guys and has purchased 2 more routers. They are currently looking into purchasing MC and a 5 axis router. I only had to go back there once and that was to install another machine. If an Amish kid with ZERO experience can figure it out well enough, in 7 days, to make parts without crashing, create geo and program, then you can train someone in under 3 weeks to program in MC at least well enough to not cost the company money. Maybe even be proficient enough to rely on with regularity. But what do I know?

quote: And that wow factor will remain until CNC Software decides to quit using Mastercam fanboi's as beta testers. Ummm.. Who else ya gonna get to beta test? Someone who hates Mastercam or someone who has zero knowledge of it at all? The logical tester is one who has the skills to push it to the limits and find it's weak spots. To be that skilled at something typically means you like working with it. Most people who hate the crap they are dealing with do not become proficient at it. So yes, Fans of MC are nominated to be Beta testers as they are skilled and adept with it. Maybe we should have people who don't like MC or have no experience with it start being the beta testers. I'm sure that would make it better. While we're at it, let's make 5 year old girls be auto testers They aren't big vehicle fans so they obviously would be a better choice. Maybe we could get an Amazon tribesman to start doing book reviews for Barnes and Noble. They can't read English, so we can establish that they aren't already fans of Stephen King.

quote: Seems like the Beta in certain respects is further along than the low number would indicate. That's all I have to say about that. [big Grin] I believe that, in show business, that is called "A Tease"

quote: So tell us your T7400 config. and benchmark times so we can approximate what performance we'll get with some of the cheaper options. Same boat here. We use only Dell and the boss is actually planning an upgrade for me. Don't think I could convince him to hook me up with the BIG DOG. What you got going on would help me bunches.

Mine is at 5. I love this utility!!!

Put it up on the FTP or ask Bernie nicely. Either way someone here can convert it for you I would bet.

I sort of have that issue as well. When I do surface toolpaths I get the different colors. Just like I should. But when I do 5 axis trim, like 5 axis contour and drill, I only get the one color. Odd...

Just to throw another wrench in the mix. I am using Windows 2000. I right click and go to properties and there is no change image.

Question while this is the topic. I went to MCX2 MR2 SP1 on my company provided, lightening fast (cough, cough) PC and since then my file icons are different. When I had MCX and even MCX2 all IGES, MCX, etc files showed up with the MCX logo, now they don't. They still have the right extension, but look totally different. What the?!?!? ANy body got an idea about that?

Any chance someone has a library of the Tool Holder for HSD Spindles? Like MCX2 has HSK and the like but not one for these HSK types that Thermwood uses.

After sanding it you can use a little rubbing compound on a cloth then wipe clean with a mix of 50/50 water and denatured alcohol. if you use a fine enough rubbing compound and a little alcohol mix it will shine up nicely.

quote: 4. get a demo version of your cam system and work many hours (no pay, of course) learning how to make parts. Yep... That is the best route, IMO. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Take every minute you can spare and work with MC. Try new things, read the help files, follow the examples and videos in MCX. And ask a-lot of questions of the people here, in your shop, your reseller, and even other shops. I have MCX2 on my laptop and I bring it home to work with every evening and all weekend long just to try new things and find better ways of doing it.

I used Streaming teacher and found that it was pretty good. Worth the money for sure. A nice feature is the fact that if you buy a 1 year subscription you can go back for refreshers on any topic over that year. Definitely helpful. A good resource for learning the basics of MC. I agree with the others as well, this forum will help more than just about anything. If you can get the Streaming Teacher deal, I say go for it. The more resources you have to learn from the better you will be. And welcome aboard!

My guess would be that Travis is right on the money. That is the typical situation with Thermwoods in my experience. The feed rate is applied to whichever axis has the greatest move.

I too would normally climb cut acrylic in this case. But I have found, for some odd reason, that when I use anything larger than 3/8" tools it doesn't make as much of a difference. Never have figured out why that is, but it holds true a-lot of the time.

17 min 48 sec Windows 2000 corporate 3.00Ghz Pentium 4 1Gb Ram 80 Gb Hard Drive GeForce FX5200 Yeah, that's right.. I rock.... 17 min 48 seconds of forum time!!! Scary thing is that this is a substantial upgrade from the laptop they had for me when I got hired!!!! A freakin hand me down old a$$ desktop...

We have the collets, tool, tool holders and collet nuts cleaned weekly. Plus evey 160 hours of run time we clean inside the spindle. Also replace the collets and tool holders annually just to err on the side of caution. The only time we break tools is when I screw up programming!!!!

Welcome aboard fellas. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Myself, I program 4 model 67 5 Axis and 1 model 45 3 axis machine with aggregate. It has been my experience that this forum is better for getting me the help and answers I need than tech support or Thermwood's forum for everything from Thermwood help to mastercam, to whatever.

I generally ran MDF with a 3 flute upcut or compression cutter at 18,000 - 24,000 RPM at 400-700IPM. Been known to push it faster, but that was the ballpark on a Komo. On my Thermwood 3 axis I run the same tool but 300-500IPM. Vortex makes some very nice tools that last quite a long time at these speeds and feeds. I have used a 4 flute tol, but prefer 3 flute. Faster feed rate is better. Much less heating time on the tool.

I agree with all the others about experience and "job hopping" Learn each and every aspect of machining, from maintenance to operation, programming to trouble shooting" and you will be a good programmer. I subscribe to a theory that has helped me enormously throughout the years. "Never be afraid of failure, be afraid to fail." By that I mean, failure is always a possibility, and everyone has one or 2 things they have or will fail at. It is life. Eventually you will come across something that you just can not do, no matter how hard you try. But if you are afraid of failure you will see a tough job as a risk and may not take it just because you are afraid of failure so you don't take it on in order to save face, as it were. If you are not afraid of failure, but are afraid to fail you will take the extra work and risk it, pushing yourself to the limits, seeking help, asking questions, beating every bush until you find the solution because you refuse to fail. You will fight through the difficulties and succeed because you are afraid to fail.

Light oil of most any sort will work. I would use a Upcut Spiral O Flute possibly a straight O Flute. If it is getting sticky and kind of gummy I would slow down the RPM or pick up the feed rate some. Sounds like it is gumming up a little from heat. You can get a magnetic mister that sticks to the side of the spindle which you can use to automatically mist the tool and surface with coolant/cutting fluid or you can just use a spray bottle to do it manually. Usually doesn't take much more than a minute to wipe it clean when you are done with a lint free towel or cloth. Komo's have air blast and for a fee you can have that converted to or add on a coolant mister that can be enabled automatically in your program just like the air blast. M08 I think is the code. Then you can write it into the program to turn on/off as needed just as you do the air blast. If you will be doing a lot of this type of work I would think the cost would be easy to justify.

quote: Thanks,It's great to have a place to get help and to help others. I've heard that, but I fall into the Get help category and never into the give help side of things!!! Welcome aboard!