Anyone know how I can use standard and metric tools in the same program without my metric tool being the size of a football field? Around here management wants to avoid using anything metric so about all we ever use is standard tooling. However I have ran across a job where I have to use a 12 mm ball mill. I know I can change MC from English to Metric, But this is the first time I had to use standard and mm in the same program.

If my memory is correct I do believe there are some "F" keys F1 through F9 and some arrow keys. I do believe the F keys change menus and the arrow keys cycle you through options. You will probably have to do some post mods to change the z Yea ...you will have to manually set your z axis. (M01 between z changes) Good Luck!!

Try Helios 15 and 20 times diameter drills from OSG...Fantastic and no need to ream!

I'm also in a tool and die shop but I found it's easier to use a digital .0001 indicator and square off the spindles. Everyone has their own way.

I always cut the contour first, remove the slug and then go back and cut the relief angle

Yes it is ....BUT a nice one!

Obsolete?....YEP! That's an old fashion way to check angles and squareness....Pretty cool to look @ though.

Gramby, I am doing the same as you are. I am running duel 24" monitors with MC running on one side with Key Creator (Cadkey) running on the other for my tool design. Since I upgraded to a new work station, speed has not been a factor.When I first open my programs in the morning things seem a little slow, but once this thing gets fired up....it FLIES!!! Here is what I am running: Dell Precision T3500 Win 7 Pro Processor - Intel® Xeon® CPU W3520 @ 2.67GHz 2.67GHz video card - Quadro FX3800 RAM - 6.00GB 64- bit OS

It's on it's way

Have you tried to select one chain and after you get all your parameters set the way you like go back and add chains.... when I have multiply pockets at the same depth that's what I do.

What kind of format do you need?

I have a couple of 3D logo drawings I made.....

Use you Arc Filter / Tolerance tab..

Haas VF-1 20" x 16" x 20" start at around 44k

Gary, A small Hass (NEW TR-1)only cost around 25k. You can get one well equipped for 40K.....You would more then make your money back.

I have used bitmap to c.n.c. a couple of times. It works ok...

Jeff...it may be annoying and look gay...But it's funny as hell

Kinda funny how that work huh...To tell you the truth...I don't know WHAT I did. I cam back, sat down and everything started working, I wish I knew what was wrong or at least what I was doing wrong.

You know what ....the strangest thing ... I was so mad about this I got up and walked away for a minuet and when I can back...I figured it out Thanks for wanting to help!!!

I do a lot of complex surfacing here and I don't recall ever having to many problems figuring things out but this one has me stumped. I have a part with some fairly normal looking surfaces. Usually I can create each surface just by selecting it but on this part for some strange reason it will NOT select a string of surfaces. I can select all the surfaces around these but for some reason MC will not let me select them. I don't believe it's the CAD file because I created it. I didn't do anything out of the norm. Since MC will not let me select them I tried creating a NET surface. On one side of the block it worked fine, on the other (witch is a mirror image of the first) I keep getting an error "Along curves are out of sequence". What the **** is this all about. I can't seem to find the answer. Can someone give me a hand with this?

I looked into this a little and I came up with about 95,500 rpm and 9.55 ipm. Since you don't have that available to you I would recommend you use the 25,000 rpm you have and keep the chip load around .0001" GOOD LUCK!

Carbide endmill or HHS / what typ of mtrl?.....

quote: I'm working mainly with 3-4 axis milling with some surface machining, where the regenerate and verify takes long time.. Guffie , I do a lot of complex surfacing here and one of the things I do to help speed things up a little is to change my step over to .05 or so just for verify. Before I post I go back and change it to what I need.

I have this same problem and I didn't before. It didn't show up until i went to MU3. All my custom ball mills do not generate right. On the other hand ,all of my tools that are flat or have a bull nose seem to work right. I cant figure it out ether.

YEP! That fixed it. Why in one window does it say "cut stock color" and in another it's under " change tool color" No wonder no one can find anything! Thanks for the help gcode....