Any other opinions? Thanks, Andy

Any other opinions? Thanks, Andy

Actually, it seems like there ought to be a way to apply the default lathe config (lathe.cfg) to the current mc9 file???

Robk, I tried toolpaths new after opening the file and it did not change the cfg. I opened the file in lathe then looked at current post and it was the MILL post. Then I chose toolpaths/new and the post was still MILL. So, I guess that didn't work. Any other suggestions? Thanks Andy

Robk, I will try new toolpaths as you say. Jimmy, I didn't actually do any milling on the part. It just happened to be drawn in mill and no toolpaths. The part needed lathe work so when I brought it into lathe it had all the mill configs and pst from mill. I actually like to keep my mill and lathe directories separate so my feeble brain can keep track of file locations easier. Also it is pretty rare for me to bring a mill drawing into lathe. I need to try the new toolpaths suggestion. Thanks

I create a file in mill. I then open lathe and load that mill file. Then when I go to make some lathe ops it still has all the mill file directory paths. Such as the Mill post and the tool file directory paths etc. for mill. Of course nothing works correctly. Even the Job setup parameters are from mill. I have to go to config and manually change all the file paths to the lathe directories etc. So, I try again and this time I save the file from mill using file save some.(Thinking it certainly will only save the geometry) Wrong. It still saves all the wrong paths and post file etc. So next I try saving as iges. This worked and when I opened it in lathe all the lathe defaults were correct. Anyone have a solution other that iges?

Use a Chook called drillpt. It will put a center point on all the circles. Then window the points in the drill routine.

mistake, sorry

Many of the users of Mastercam have not actually purchased the program with their own money. The company they work for purchases it. Even so, most of them respect the post issue. Now, if a user has actually used his own money to buy it ,as I have, then the buyer is even more sensitive about posts being given away to potential pirates. To say nothing about the guy across town using a pirated copy and a free post AND competing with you! So this little post issue is not as simple as people being generous and kind and sharing. I have tweaked my posts for years now and literally have hundreds of hours doing it to a mill and 2 lathes. So, I totally respect the idea that someone might want to charge for his time when he sells this post to someone who needs it. If the seller works for someone else and is on the clock when he writes the post then there is a cost and it should be up to his employer to charge or not. If he works for himself then the time he spends is a cost and he can decide whether to charge or not. Either way one should respect this and should never expect this for free.

You have to buy it from your dealer. I have a paperback version. 1997 I think. Where have you installed Mastercam for 10 years?

I have a small portable edm tap buster. Takes about 10 minutes with a brass tube electrode or with graphite tube. Uses water soluble oil as a dialectric. We never break taps (tsh tsh) but customers come in with broken studs, taps, easy outs (I call these hard outs), frequently and we charge about 40 dollars. It's an easy and lucrative way to make a living as opposed to cnc machining. No stress! However, we only see 1 job a week. So I end up machining stuff to make groceries.

I left a reply earlier but it didn't show up. I try again now. The reason I use 2 speeds. I have 5 holes to drill. One of the holes has a big interrupted cut on the break through about half a holes worth of interrupt due to a cross hole drilled previously. So I slow down that hole and slow the feed also and baby it through. Previously I broke 2 drills but it is fine now. I changed the ptlch0 and added a pss line (there was no spindle speed line in ptlch0. It worked great. My post uses pss as a post block for spindle decisions. Thanks for the help......working great now. So, tell me, is PTLCHG0 section called a null toolchnge or just an update section for different ops with same tool? I thought null tool change took the machine back to the tool change position and initiated everything over again.????

My first op uses a 1/2 drill say T1. 800 rpm My second op uses the same tool. 700 rpm The code posts 800 rpm once for both ops. This, I assume, is a post issue. So, where in the post should I look? Thanks, Andy

Im using 9 and everything looks good and regen fixes it also. I dont know!

I've been looking for that for a long time. Never bothered to ask. Cool.

If I didn't have to buy a tool I would just do a test piece before I quote this job. As you all suggest there are multiple approaches to explore. I have a Mori SL-15, and it only has a g76 I believe. However, Mastercam has Canned, Longhand ,Alternating, and Box choices. The Alternating and Longhand produce a non-canned cycle using g32 single pass codes with varying start points. So I could try the alternating choice as you suggest Ron. As a last resort, like I said earlier ,I can actually create a code to peck it out and never have to take a full contact pass. Barring no other suggestions, Thanks Jack and Ron

Yes, I really would like to turn this part. One setup, simpler. The OD of the part is 3.5 in so the wall is 1". I think the distortion will be minimal. Im mostly worried about chatter. Years ago I wrote a threading code by hand that would essentially peck out the thread shape a little at a time and never had to cut the full flank as when one takes that last pass. It worked pretty well as I recall. Alot of data entry and figuring to create the code. What is the coarsest internal thread you ever bored?

Thats what I was thinking, except now I need a boring bar (Thread pitch 6) which I do not have. I suppose I could find a laydown insert like a vardex and a bar.

I have a job I am quoting. The part is 3.5 in OD x 2" long. Mtl: A572 grade 50 (Cr Moly?) The bore is 1.5-6 thread. So it is just a nut without a hex. I will either make the threads in the lathe or thread mill in the mill. I have 30 pieces. Normally it would seem like a single point lathe job. However, 6 tpi is pretty coarse---chatter. Milling the thread would require a pretty coarse thread mill. I suppose it could be tapped, but would take a 10 foot tap wrench and 2 guys turning it. However the thread has to be .005 oversize for later galvinizing. Any Ideas for the easiest/fastest/method for making these? Thanks

SOLUTION: ONE (Organized) machinist per machine shop.

Joel, In Lathe 9, if you have a file with the stock boundaries set, call it part A, and then open another file, previously programmed, call it part B, then the B file should have it's own stock definition as was originally programmed with B. However, if you have file A open and then choose File/New.... and open the new empty file and look at the Toolpath/job setup/Boundaries/parameters/ you will see the previous file A boundary dimensions. This is actually kind of handy if you are programming different lathe parts and using the same stock size. You actually wont see the stock with new file until you open job set up and then press ok. In mill, choosing new file does not bring in last stock sizes. You can however set up a default stock size in config /operations/job setup to do so every time you open a NEW file.

Never mind.

When I first started my shop, 30yrs ago I would cold call, in person, to manufacturers, distributors, mechanics, in my town. I did not quit my day job. About 3 years later I was making enough to quit the day job. However, 12-15 hours a day. Of the 15 hours, I billed out 4. This is very typical in a small shop. Plan on LONG hours. Be willing to do ANY job---repair, stud removal, welding, and if your real lucky an occasional design and build job. I slowly acquired equipment and a good reputation over the years and today I just work real hard long hours. We do anything that comes in. You will probably end up divorced, I did. Married again to a lady in a small business. Works much better. Make sure you get the jobs done BEFORE promised. Work at night to accomplish this. Stick to your estimates, even if you have to eat them (you will learn about realistically estimating quicker). Have it be that the ONLY complaints your customers have is that you are expensive (If you worked cheaper, they will still say you are expensive). Get Paid! There are two kinds of customers: Good Customers and Bad Customers. When your able root out the bad ones. Never ever get mad at your customer. One of my best customers unjustly, yells and insults occasionally. You are now a psychologist. Dont take it personally. Read everything about the trade you can, and ask questions, learn forever. It never ends. Being in business is not for everyone. Buy your own health and business insurance at ever increasing rates. Deal with hazardous waste record keeping. Sales and resale Taxes. Quarterly tax prepayments. Business license. Personal property equipment taxes. Inventory tax records. Repair your own equipment (endless) And if you have 1 or more employees: Triple the above amount of regulation and paper work. But life is short, and if you dont try it you will never know! Good luck.

Made my back go out while changing the coolant in the Mori Lathe. Good thing it's slow this week.

I am designer, programmer, setup man, operator, and clean up man. I always repost my changes by making my edits it MC and reposting. It is a real pain in the butt and time consuming, however, I can then trust what is in MC and not have to guess about the NC file and can repost with up to date changes. I have on occasion, when Im lazy, edited NC at machine and with the knowledge that a year from now when they reorder I will have to deal with it. I think Jim has the best all around solution for reliability even though it seems like extra work.