It's been over a week and the local reseller has not got back with me on pricing on the Prep 1 package. Any resellers here want to make a possible sale on the prep 1 package? Qoute it.

Cool, got it, thanks! HEH, too easy. I'll fire it up at work and reply back. Whats the difference between the 2 files that come with MC? I see that the same people that make set-up X sell a retail version, any idea on cost? Any comments about it would be welcomed.

OK, I know what the .set is and where its located in the directory, I just can't find out how to trigger it and create a set-up sheet. I don't need to modify it, I just want to see the output. I tried set-up X and it worked but messed up my verify and caused a lock up, repeatedly. MC help files dont say how to fire it up. Been browsing the post here btw, and they primarily discuss modifying them. Version X.

Kudos to you if you found a decent job in Southern MI.

The prep 1 package sounds expensive for a street urchin such as my self. Axis is our reseller. I'll see if I can get some pricing out of them shortly. In that latest flowline video, (http://www.cad2cam.net/flowline/flowline.html), it looks like the tool path is creating a convex radius at the top of the form. Am I seeing things here? Could this be some type of lead-in?

Can I confirm that as a recommendation?

This may work as a quick fix: Machine type, control definition, cutter compensation, SELECT: Start and end cutter compensation above part. This may also limit your options for start point positioning. This was an option in the MPMASTER.control and may not apply to your control definition. WE have a few Fadals, I run the Haase's and Makinos and whenever I need to run a program that was posted for the Fadals, there's a high probability that it comps on the arc. GRRR. I then add comp (manually) to the first move out of the gate, and cancel comp after the last Z move. I consider this a less than polished technique but it makes chips none the less. When all else fails, I manually program a cutter path that produces a parachute, or ice cream cone shaped cutterpath using a 45.deg straightline move prior to ramping on the circle. I exit the cut using the same technique.

How much $ for the 101 Prep kit (CPGM1)?

You making fun of the noobs? None the less, awesome. Exactly the type of instruction I was looking for. No clutter in the part drawing. We dont do a lot of 3d work where I'm at, just the occasional odd shaped channel, ledge , pocket. When in doubt, we leave the part stock heavy, and let the artisans in the polish dept. finish it or we burn it in.

#313, (Jay ?), the video and audio and came through smooth on my comp. I'll check out the Flowline Video and give a noobs perspective on it, lol. If you dont mind me asking, how did you get the Vista skin in the XP OS? I'm running XP64 and can't get anything to skin as most skinning apps are made for XP32. New Mac OS, Leopard is out and said to be compatible with some PC's. Don't know if MC will run in that environment though. Justin, I got the same impression from the sample.

Nice job senior member #313. Do you make these video's for a living? Smooth narration and to the point. No time wasted on tangenial subjects. Is windowblinds running on your desktop?

ERRR. I hate when that happens.

Yes indeed , the $40. price tag is alluring. I saw the video sample on EBAY and wasn't to impressed with it. I was thinking maybe somebody has some actual experience with this particular video. I also purchased a book called Learning Mastercam X Mill 2d Step by Step and thought that book sucked. $60. worth of aggravation if you ask me. I have another Video tutorial, Mastercam X mill CD, with some Australian chap narrorating, and its a fairly decent introductory tutorial that was also beneficial in helping me to decipher the book. Very little 3d content in both the video or book though. I'll check out the links on this page. If I do purchase the video, I'll comment on its quality in this same topic.

Yes indeed , the $40. price tag is alluring. I saw the video sample on EBAY and wasn't to impressed with it. I was thinking maybe somebody has some actual experience with this particular video. I also purchased a book called Learning Mastercam X Mill 2d Step by Step and thought that book sucked. $60. worth of aggravation if you ask me. I have another Video tutorial, Mastercam X mill CD, with some Australian chap narrorating, and its a fairly decent introductory tutorial that was also beneficial in helping me to decipher the book. Very little 3d content in both the video or book though. I'll check out the links on this page. If I do purchase the video, I'll comment on its quality in this same topic.

Mastercam X and X2 Milling Tutorial Covers Versions X and X2 A Step-by-Step Video Training Series by Professor James A. Sinclair, Ph.D. http://cgi.ebay.com/Mastercam-X-and-X2-Mil...1QQcmdZViewItem Saw this on EBay and thought I'd ask about it here. I'm looking to learn some entry level 3d skills and was wondering if anybody here has any experience with this video. Is it good, just decent , or a waste of money? Thanks for your comments.

The picture on eBay is of a cracked version made by Cygiso, and modified by Equinox. See the eqx in the hasp? Neither of them work right. It's says mill level 3, but only has mill level 1. The Equinox version is an even smaller file size than the Cygiso version, and claims to be fixed. The only thing you'll accomplish with either of these versions is a molested OS, and a lot of wasted time.

LOL, OK peeps, I'll back off abit. I'm not thin skinned, just having a hard time getting used to the banter here, If I really want humor though, this is not the place to find it. As for searching for topics that have been discussed before and are considered redundant, we've all been there and know that doing so can take much longer than simply re-posting the topic. Most of the post topics here do go off on some tangent or another and make reviewing the topics quite a chore. No doubt about it though, the Emastercam forums are, IMHO, the most useful resource I have for getting to the root of most problems. I'll consider this post closed for me and I'm sorry that I irked a few of you.

Heh...fixed it on my comp. Set the quality to max and all the geometric anomalies disappeared. Good rads at top, bottom, and throughout the form. This was a 2d drawing btw. I guess I just need to configure the default setting to max quality for that post. I'll try it on the POS comp we use at work and see if it makes a difference. It's way under powered.

OK, I tried changing the radial display curve settings. 60 was default. I tried both 10 and 100, then did a regen. No change. I also noticed that if you use dynamic rotation and zoom in on the geometry, only the top and bottom of the radius were angled, the distance in-between looked good, true rad.

I have the same problem, but mine started after I began messing with machine/control definitions, posts, and tool libraries. The mpmaster definition and post was downloaded from here. I can reduce the faciting by select sharp or none instead of roll coners. Small radii still look messed up though. They bump out away from the corners. Reading the code after posting does show the correct cutter path though. It's extremly annoying. If I find a solution, I'll return with more info.

The method used for selecting start points was what I was trying to resolve, not material removal techniques. The hole and cutter sizes were theoretical. I do appreciate the input though. Next topic, I'll try to be more specific and mention all the variables that I already know about. "What do you want to discuss now, my favorite color?" Kernel Jessup, A Few Good Men.

Mark Banaszak and Cheeves got it right. Kudos for staying on topic and not telling me about what version of windows you have, or the type of computer you use. LOL, I'm not asking about circle milling & helical ramps. Nor would I consider drilling a start hole on the outside of a contour. One senior member even sarcastically ask "What's a start hole? Well, it's a must for machining small, deep pockets with a .062 e-mill thats gotta go .50 deep in tool steel or exotics. Heh, splitting an e-mill is easy, gluing it back together is the hard part! Thanks again to those who responded to the topic in a professional and courteous manner

Version X Can anyone please explain to me how to force/select a start point when pocket milling or contouring. Let's say I drill a .312 dia hole in a pocket as a start point for feeding my e-mill (.25 dia.) into the cut. How do I select that as an entry point for milling the pocket? As for contours, no start hole, but I do want to start the cutter at a specified location. I've been extending lines for contours and open pockets, messing with lead-in and out, and going back and adding drill locations to pockets after verifying start locations, but there has to be a better way. Off topic: Why is there no Dxx value when my post turns on a G41? (Haas generic 3 axis vmc post, wear selected, dia. offset selected). Thanks for your help, MCM.

Thanks for your reply. I tried that twice with no luck. The only thing that helps is reducing the font size in tooltips, in the windows desktop properties dialog box. Size 8 gives me all the text, but its small and hard to read. I settled on size 10 for now. Messing with monitor settings seemed to help abit also.

Does anybody know how to resize the status bar in version X? 1/3 of mine is missing. This is the only toolbar that looks this way. I've tried both 4:3 and widescreen monitors, with the program maximized and windowed. All drivers are updated, screen resolution is correct. Yes, circles are round and rectangles look good. By the way, this is a dual monitor set-up, if that makes a differance. Thanks for your help.